JORDAN DISTRICT TAKES ON SOCIAL MEDIA GIANTS IN NATIONAL LAWSUIT
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
School District Board of Education’s priorities are student safety, wellness and student learning, said Board President Tracy Miller, which is why Jordan District is involved in a lawsuit against social media giants Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok.
“We see firsthand in our schools the impact of the mental health crisis among our youth,” Miller said. “Scientific data shows that social media damages the health and wellness of children and disrupts learning. We have the responsibility to do all we can do to stop the negative impact.”
Jordan School District was recently named one of twelve “bellwether” plaintiffs in a national multidistrict lawsuit claiming negligence and public nuisance on the part of the social media companies.
At a July press conference, board members reported Jordan District has invested millions of dollars in student mental health supports including staffing a district wellness department and hiring full time mental health counselors for every school.
“Jordan School District has devoted substantial resources to addressing students and curating mental health and to combat learning disruptions,” Miller said. “We are
honored to be chosen as one of the lead plaintiffs, and are hopeful that this lawsuit will help us recoup some of our costs, and more importantly, change the way social media companies operate so our students are protected.”
The suit claims social media companies have failed to adequately warn users about the harm their products cause, noting that the psychologically manipulative techniques used to attract and retain the attention of users are addictive, especially to children and
Bingham football: In a 21-0 loss to Lone Peak, turnovers made up the difference
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
For two quarters and some change at Ron Thorne Stadium Friday Aug. 16, the Bingham Miners football team stayed in the game by making big plays on defense. But two third quarter turnovers by the Miners offense against Lone Peak spelled the difference in a 21-0 defeat.
Make no mistake; the Miners were still in this game heading into the halftime break.
Trailing 7-0 after a Lone Peak touchdown was scored in the first quarter, Isaac Larson showed why he’s one of the state’s top athletes in the second. As the final seconds of the first half ticked off the clock, the junior transfer from Herriman High leapt into the air, high-pointing the arc of the ball as he swatted it away with both hands at the Bingham 1.
That led to a field goal try from Lone Peak that was partially deflected as time ran out on the first half, keeping the Miners in the game as they jogged into the locker room down seven.
Out of halftime, the Bingham defense forced a three-and-out, providing the Miners offense with some life. The Miners’ all-purpose player Charger Doty carried the ball to the Lone Peak 47 from the Bingham 48 on the first play.
That five-yard run from Doty, who will be used in various ways on the Miners this season, showed promise. But that would be all Bingham could do on its first drive of the second half, as it also went three-and-out.
By all accounts, the Bingham defense was the player of the game—until an interception by Lone Peak at the Miners’ 16-yard-line threatened to put the game away for good.
It was the first interception thrown by junior quarterback Ayden Dunn, who in his first game as a Miner rolled to his left but didn’t see the Lone Peak linebacker waiting in the flat.
That pick led to the second Lone Peak touchdown on the ground that was aided by a
facemask penalty on Bingham.
On the next Bingham drive, the youngster Dunn zipped a throw into his big senior wide receiver Karl Tuaao, who rumbled for 14 yards and a first down.
The Miners appeared to have found a way to get back in the game but as Dunn rolled right, he made a similar mistake to his first intercepted pass, though this throw went further downfield. A Lone Peak linebacker picked it off at the Bingham 43 and ran it back to the house for six, placing the Miners in a 21-0 hole after the PAT was good.
That would be all for Dunn, who completed six of 20 passes for 38 yards. On the next series, he was replaced by junior Boston Singley who had a pass in the fourth quarter that had the same effect—an interception.
In a game that was riddled with penalties—especially of the unsportsmanlike conduct variety—and turnovers, it had a few bright spots.
With so many new players and changes in personnel, the Miners defense made a goal-line stand to close out the game and keep the final score at 21-0.
A small victory, but one nonetheless. Another is that Isaac Larson is going to be the type of player who will keep defensive coordinators—and offensive ones—up at night. The junior and Herriman transfer had 91 yards rushing on just 12 carries. Karl Tuaao had 22 yards receiving on two catches to lead the Miners in that category; junior John Kulimushi also had two catches on the night for 12 yards.
On defense, senior linebacker Lucas Tal-
bot had nine tackles, a career-high for him. Junior Villami Moala added eight tackles, senior Will Van Cott seven and seniors Linkin Wilberger and Kisina Afemui six apiece for the Miners.
Senior team captain Doty had three tackles, and Moala had five QB hurries while senior Lala Pepa registered the team’s only sack. By the time you read this, Bingham will have played preseason games at Crimson Cliffs, the defending 4A champs on Aug. 23 and then the Miners will visit highly touted Lehi on Aug. 30. The Miners will be home to Skyridge Sept. 6 and will be at Syracuse Sept. 13 to close out the preseason schedule. Region 2 play will get underway for the Miners on Sept. 20. l
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SOUTH JORDAN TEAM
Bingham’s football team, seen here in a game last season, is back in action. (Photo by Pat McDonald)
Brandnew kindergarten teacher Alexa
Byrd has a twinkle in her eye when she talks about beginning her teaching career. The sparkle comes from her excitement, her enthusiastic personality and from her glittery prosthetic eye. Byrd lost her eye to cancer at age 15, and it was a teacher—who gave her a box of fun and colorful eye patches—who helped her appreciate her own uniqueness and improve her attitude about school.
“So now I wear sparkly fun eyes, and so I get to be that for other kids, and I get to teach them their differences are what makes them special,” Byrd said. “I'm so excited I get to start their love of learning, and it makes me so excited to help them at an early age realize how fun school can be and make them feel special and that they can do anything in their lives.”
Jordan School District administrators share Byrd’s enthusiasm for the new school year because, for the first time in 10 years, they are beginning the school year with nearly every single position filled.
“The headline for a long time—or the narrative people wanted to push out—was this big teacher shortage,” JSD Communications Director Sandy Riesgraf said. “That pendulum has swung way the other way, and we're excited about it.”
This year, secondary teaching positions had an average of 22.8 applicants, elementary teaching positions had an average of 40.3 applicants and special education teaching positions had an average of 13.2 applicants. Majestic Elementary Arts Academy Principal Marianne Johansen had twice as many applicants for each position than previous years, with one position receiving 52 applications. Because there were so many qualified applicants, she had to use “high bar, robust filters” to whittle down the candidates.
“We just started looking at who was the best fit for the school in general, and we even went down to the students in the classes and said, ‘Who do we think has the skills that
New teachers excited for 2024-25 school year
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
would best fit this group of kids?’” she said. “I'm really excited about the people that we hired. I think they're the best fit for our school. I think we're going to have a great year.”
Johansen said the high number of applicants for each job opening occurred because there has been less teacher turnover. Jordan District hired 400 new teachers this year, about 50 fewer than last year.
“I think the fact that people are staying is a testament to the successful supports that I think particularly Jordan provides for their teachers,” Johansen said.
Culture, wage, mental health resources and innovative use of technology and AI are some of the things that new teachers said drew them to Jordan District. Byrd, who will be teaching at Columbia Elementary, appreciates the district’s culture of continual learning and support.
“I have an awesome principal, I have an awesome team, so I have nothing to worry about as long as I believe in myself, and I know there's a support team behind me,” she said. “I just love the atmosphere and they want to be here to help me. They know it's hard and they're not throwing me out into the sharks.”
Mariah Tolman, a first year special education teacher at the new Juniper Elementary, said she was impressed by the support she received even before she was hired.
“When I was deciding to take this job, they reached out because I was a brand new teacher at a brand new school in SpEd, and I was like, ‘I don't know if I should do this,’” Tolman said. “And then I had so many people reach out with supports. They said, ‘We're going to set you up with this and this and this, here's the person you can contact for this, and you're not alone, we're going to come out and help you.’ And that was really one of the reasons why I was like, ‘Okay, I can do this.’” l
Principal Marianne Johansen gives her new teachers special treatment— a crown, a sash and a ride into new teacher training on the school mascot. (Doug Flagler/JSD)
New teachers are welcomed to Jordan District new teacher training Friday Aug. 9, with an enthusiastic greeting from high school cheerleaders, mascots, drumline percussionists, administrators and local mayors. (Doug Flagler/JSD)
Hold, secure, lockdown, evacuate, shelter: New emergency response terms parents should know
Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
There will be less unnecessary fear and con-
fusion now that Utah schools, law enforcement, news media and emergency response agencies have adopted a standardized emergency response protocol with clear terminology, Jordan School District Communications Director Sandy Riesgraf said.
“The problem in the past was we would say LockOut and the parents would think it was LockDown and they would think there was an intruder in the building—they were too similar,” she said.
The standardized protocols, which were prescribed in Utah’s 2023 legislative session, ensure everyone will be using the same terminology and responses.
“Everybody in the state is using it, every school district is using it, so it doesn't matter which law-enforcement agency it is, they know where to go, and what we’re going to say,” Jordan School District School Safety Coordinator Matt Alvernaz said.
The five emergency responses are: hold, secure, lockdown, evacuate and shelter. They provide a response to any incident that could interrupt the school day such as medical emergencies, intruders, wild animals, extreme weather, and dangers inside or outside the
school building.
Hold
Response: Stay where you are and clear the halls.
What it looks like: Classes continue as normal but ignore any bells.
Reason: Hazard in the hall, student has a medical emergency and needs to be wheeled out on a gurney, a squirrel is loose in the hallway.
Secure
Response: Get in and stay inside the building. Lock outside doors and secure the area.
What it looks like: Classes continue as normal. Reason: Police activity nearby, cougar spotted in the area, dangerous person outside of the building.
Lockdown
Response: Locks, lights, out of sight. What it looks like: Classroom doors are locked, lights are turned off, teachers and students stay hidden and quiet. Parents should not try to contact students because cellphone noises could give away their position to an intruder. Reason: There is an intruder inside the building.
Evacuate
Response: Everyone is directed to leave the building.
What it looks like: Students will leave belongings behind if instructed to do so but may be able to bring their cellphones, if possible.
Reason: There is a fire in the building, the ceiling caves in, mysterious fumes are coming from the chemistry room.
Shelter
Response: Specific safety strategy instructions will be given. What it looks like: Depends on the nature of the hazard.
Reason: Natural disaster, severe weather or other outside hazard.
The new procedures were introduced at the end of last school year. Teachers and administrators receive regular training in coordination with local police departments and each school has a school safety specialist. Students practice the five responses as part of monthly school safety drills.
Alvernaz said holding regular training and drills ensures everyone understands what
Recognizing Signs and Symptoms of Stroke from Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley Stroke Team
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We know how important it is for patients and their families to find a hospital and a care team that you can trust - especially when emergencies, like stroke, happen. That’s why our team at CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley is so incredibly proud to be a certified primary stroke center with thrombectomy capability. Recently, our stroke care team was recognized by the American Heart Association and received their Get with the Guidelines Gold Plus Award with Stroke Honor Roll and Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. This award means our facility met or exceeded the national recommendations for stroke care for our patients and it highlights our hard-working, talented stroke care team for providing excellent patient stroke care! To start, we work closely with our EMS partners to help them recognize patient stroke symptoms while they are out in the field. They are trained to let us know when they are on their way to our hospital so we can be ready for stroke patients before they even arrive. Our team is then able to evaluate each patient quickly and thoroughly to determine the best course of treatment. We have medications to help break up blood clots in the brain and a team of highly
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So, what are the signs and symptoms of stroke that you should be aware of? The easiest way to remember what to look out for is through the acronym, BEFAST:
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to do and why.
“We're trying to normalize all of these drills,” he said. “It's like a fire drill—Kids from all generations just go, ‘Okay, that's a fire drill.’ And so we want to come to a point where if we drill a lockdown, it's normal, it's not a panic, it's not a unique thing anymore. We drill a secure, a hold—whatever drill it might be, it just becomes a part of safety, and it's ingrained in their minds, so that way, it becomes standard and easier to execute.”
Parents will be notified and given instructions through the district’s ParentSquare app if their child’s school implements any of the emergency responses.
“We've produced videos that actually describe and show what each action means,” Riesgraf said. “So if you get an alert as a parent that your school has been placed on Hold, at the very bottom there will be a link to a video, so that if you still don’t know exactly what it is, you just click on that video and it'll show you exactly what it is.”
More information about the standard response protocols, including the informative videos, can be found on the Jordan District’s student safety webpage at schoolsafety.jordandistrict.org. l
At CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.
It is important to recognize the above signs and symptoms because time matters! Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, but it is the leading cause of long-term disability. Studies show that every 15 minutes saved when a patient is experiencing stroke symptoms,
Learn more about the services, care providers and mission-driven work of the Holy Cross hospitals and CommonSpirit Health at www.holycrossutah.org.
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Daybreak celebrates its 20th Anniversary
By Laura Spendlove Crapo | l.crapo@mycityjournals.com
OnAug. 3, Daybreak held their 20 year anniversary party and a grand opening for the Watermark Village. It was a huge block party with a street fair and over 2,500 people in attendance. In total there were 18 brand new model homes being highlighted. Nine of those homes were in the Salt Lake Parade of Homes. The community is celebrating their anniversary all year long.
“Daybreak was designed with a five minute rule. We like to call it the five minute life because there is a park, a community center, a trail or school within a five minute walk,” Elizabeth Gray said, director of Brand & Marketing, Larry H. Miller Real Estate. “This design is to improve the days and enhance the lives of Daybreak residents. We follow the smart growth principles of planning to make Daybreak a walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented neighborhood.”
Watermark Village is one of 15 villages within the Daybreak community. They currently have eight builders, 25 collections and size variety from a one bedroom studio condo to a seven-bedroom estate home. With nine different floor plans to choose from, the expansive menu can be overwhelming, but concierge staff in the Information center can help. Daybreak will also be building mixed-use homes and high-density, affordable housing.
“Most people are on their second or third home in Daybreak. We call it the Daybreak shuffle,” Gray said. “So, about 27% of sales are to Daybreak residents starting in a one bedroom condo to a bigger home, then downsizing when they become empty-nesters. Out of new sales, about 20% are for people from out of state.”
“There are kids of all ages here, sun-up, sun down having a good old time, and Daybreak is not a gated community which allows residents freedom to cross the street and visit other communities,” Kara Allen said, information concierge for Daybreak. “And, within the diversity of housing available there are two ‘55 and better’ communities. These communities offer main floor living and their own clubhouse, own swimming pool and own pickle ball courts. This helps where they don’t want to be with the bicycle crowd so much.”
The first Swig in Daybreak has been opened in the main Information facility. That has been really well-received by residents looking to stop by and get a treat before walking or biking on one of the trails. The walk around Oquirrh Lake is 3.2 miles long. The Loop is a trail system covering 50 miles throughout Daybreak.
Residents and a guest can rent canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, or a duffy boat, which is the only motorized boat allowed in the two Daybreak waterways. The Oquirrh Lake beach club is where they can be checked out. Twenty to 30% of the 4,100 acres that make up Daybreak is green space They have community garden spots that can be rented for the season
with water hooked up to it. Personal yards can also be used for gardening.
Daybreak is also the home of Downtown Daybreak, the future site of the Salt Lake Bees. Daybreak Field at America First Square will host the baseball team and have the first pitch thrown next spring. “I can count on one hand the people with negative comments about the ballpark construction,” said Allen. “The only concerns we’re hearing are about the increased traffic.”
As opposed to the downtown stadium the Salt Lake Bees are leaving behind, the stateof-the-art Daybreak Field at America First Square will be active year round. There will be a unique and fully-loaded family fun plaza with a bike valet. People will be able to check their bikes to be safely stored during baseball games, shopping or mealtime. A permanent amphitheater, Megaplex Theater, bowling alley and ice rink are also being built for further entertainment options. There are currently two Daybreak TRAX stops and a third is being built next to the forthcoming stadium.
“I’ve worked on the Daybreak project for 10 years and I feel like this is my little contribution to make the world a better, healthier place to live by marketing the community of Daybreak,” Gray said. “The love of Daybreak runs deep; it’s about enriching lives. I love the fact of what we’re doing in taking care of the land and state has been a force in making it happen.” l
Daybreak info map with Elizabeth Gray, director of Brand & Marketing, Larry H. Miller Real Estate. (Laura Crapo/City Journals)
Daybreak’s info center.
Daybreak opened its Watermark Village as part of their 20 year anniversary. (Photo by Dave Newkirk)
Daybreak woman making mark in Olympics with her music
By Bailey Chism | bailey.c@thecityjournals.com
Asongwriter from South Jordan is making her mark on the Olympics through her music.
While not competing in any sports event in Paris, Emily Sanderson’s music was featured in several Olympic promotional videos and television pieces focused on the games. As part of its Olympic coverage, NBC used one of her songs, “Greatest of All Time,” to accompany a video introducing the women’s gymnastics team, which won a gold medal as the best all-around squad.
“I was over-the-moon, because they really are the reason so many Americans even watch the Olympics - everyone wants to see Simone Biles - so to see my music synced up with her superhuman feats was truly special,” Sanderson said, an independent songwriter who goes by EJ Sara in her musical endeavors.
Sanderson says she grew up playing piano and singing in choirs, studying music therapy at Utah State University. She now creates music from her home and has had plenty of it appear in high-profile places – ads for Volvo, in Disney+ and Netflix programs, the television production of NCAA women’s basketball championship game and much more.
Her music is now getting attention on the global stage with the snippet in the NBC video on the gymnastics team and in several other Olympics promotional videos, some of which aired in Canada and across Europe. NBC’s Today Show also used her song, “Greatest of All Time,” as background music in a profile piece on LeBron James, one of the stars on the U.S. Olympic basketball team.
“It's so exciting to see my songs being
used,” Sanderson said. “Sometimes the way the song is used in a scene is exactly how I imagined it would be used, and other times it's a total surprise, but it's always so fun to see what they do.”
Sanderson is also a fitness professional who teaches group exercise classes, pilates, strength training and more. As such, themes of putting out Herculean effort, passion and hard work were on her mind when coming up with “Game Face,” the album she co-created with her team that has been tapped to serve as the soundtrack for many of the varied Olympic videos.
“Motivating people at the gym is something I love to do, and it actually translates really well to writing empowering lyrics for my songs,” she said.
The “Game Face” songs – rock music – feature heavy, driving beats and touch on themes like “being a force to be reckoned with,” “playing hard,” “coming out on top,” and more, according to the album description.
As an independent songwriter, Sanderson had no idea who might tap the music after she and her team placed the album on the Pop Machine catalog. The online catalog is operated by APM Music, which calls itself “the world’s leading creative music house and production music library” and markets music for ads, movies, television shows and other video programming.
Sanderson gets royalties or fees when her music is used. But money aside, to see her music used in connection with the women's gymnastics team, in particular, has left her glowing.
Emily Sanderson is a songwriter from South Jordan whose music has been featured in several Olympic promotional videos and television pieces focused on the games. (Photo courtesy EJ Sara)
Two local developers honored by South Jordan City
By Tom Haraldsen | t.haraldsen@mycityjournals.com
South Jordan City has honored two local businesses with its annual Corporate Citizens of the Year award. The Gardner Group, a commercial real estate development and management company headquartered in Salt Lake City, and Arbor Commercial, also a commercial and residential real estate development and management company headquartered in South Jordan, were recipients of this year’s awards.
The awards have been presented for the past 15 years as South Jordan City “recognizes the importance of its relationship with the business community and appreciates the contribution made by companies that took a chance and pioneered their business venture within the city,” according to a release from the city.
The Gardner Group has developed over 30 million square feet of commercial properties spanning retail centers, multi-family residential, office, industrial, medical campuses and senior living. Arbor Commercial has developed more than 23 million square feet of office, industrial, and retail space, as well as almost 3,000 residential lots and homes. Arbor has worked with major tenants, including Kennecott Copper Corporation, Packard Bell, Smith's Food, Petco, Applebee's, Albertsons, Dollar Tree, Carl's Jr, Walgreens and Lowe's.
"It is difficult to express the magnitude of impact these businesses have had on South Jordan," Mayor Dawn Ramsey said. "Both Arbor Commercial and Gardner Group have invested a lot of time and money into our city, contributions that make our city more desirable to live in and stronger economical-
ly, and for that, we are immensely grateful."
Within South Jordan, the two companies have developed (along with The Boyer Company) South Jordan's Towne Center (10600 S. Redwood Road), South Jordan Marketplace (10400 S. Redwood Road), and the District (3800 W. 11400 South). Arbor Commercial and the Gardner Group also developed Hidden Village (1200 W. 10300 South), which included developing a city park – the Samuel E. Holt Farmstead; Village at Riverwalk (800 W. 10300 South) and Oak Hills (10300 S. 1000 West). The Gardner Group also developed Vida at Daybreak (11321 S. Grandville Ave.). Arbor Commercial also developed The Arbors (10600 S. Beckstead Lane) and Groves (11600 S. 1300 West) and is currently working on the development of SoJo Center (along with Doug Young at 10900 S. Grandville Ave.).
This annual award has been presented to a number of companies since its inaugural honor in 2010. Past recipients include: 2010 recipient, Fred Lampropolous, Merit Medical; 2011 recipient, Dr. Dan Fischer, Ultradent; 2012 recipient, Don Whyte, Rio Tinto; 2013 recipient, Sam's Club, South Jordan; 2014 recipient, The Boyer Company; 2015 recipient, Jerry Seiner and the Jerry Seiner Auto Group; 2016 recipient, Harmons Neighborhood Grocer; 2017 recipient, Bryan Synan and Gordmans; 2018 recipient, Becky Pickle and Chick-fil-A; 2019 recipient, RiverPark Development Group; 2020 recipient, University of Utah South Jordan Health Center; 2021 recipient, Roseman University; 2022 recipient, Ivory Homes; and 2023 recipient, Doug Young. l
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From left to right are Councilmember Kathie L. Johnson, Councilmember Don Shelton, Mayor Dawn R. Ramsey, John Gust (Arbor Commercial), Jeri Gust, Councilmember Tamara Zander, and Kem Gardner (Gardner Company). (Photo courtesy South Jordan City)
teens’ developing brains.
Other harms to youth cited in the suit include physical and mental harm by encouraging destructive behavior, promoting negative appearance and social comparisons, and—because of ineffective parental controls, age-verification measures and privacy protections—contributing to the sexual exploitation and endangerment of children.
The idea that social media and the internet are harmful to young people is a sentiment shared by many, including the U.S. Senate, which recently passed legislation to protect children’s privacy online, and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who issued
a mental health advisory last year.
“We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is an important driver of that crisis—one that we must urgently address,” Murthy said in his May 2023 statement.
When the lawsuit goes to trial, most likely near the end of this year, Jordan District may be asked to testify. Jordan District employees are gathering evidence in preparation.
JSD Superintendent Dr. Anthony Godfrey became emotional when speaking about social media’s effect on students.
“You see on an individual basis how their lives are negatively impacted—not just their living—but their ability to interact with others and have a productive day of school is
dramatically negatively impacted by social media,” Godfrey said.
JSD Board Member Bryce Dunford personally witnessed his teenage son’s grades, personality, self-image and world view devastated by an addiction to social media.
“Logan was not prepared to be sucked into the social media world that was waiting for him, nor were his mother and I aware of what was happening on the other end to suck him in,” Dunford said. “It became an obsession. It became an addiction. And we kind of lost him.”
Getting likes, comments and shares on social media consumed Logan’s thoughts and his time for years.
“It was incredibly fulfilling, yet also not very genuine,” Logan said.
As a high school sophomore, he finally made the difficult decision to delete his social media apps for the sake of his mental health.
“I began to feel really uncomfortable and awkward and kind of unsafe in my own skin throughout all situations of my life,” he said. “And I thought that it was really important to somehow find a way to disconnect, and the easiest way to do that was going off social media.”
Dunford said in the absence of social media, his son became himself again.
“The student we knew in those early years came back— not just his grades, but his whole personality, his life, his image of
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himself, his happiness,” Dunford said.
Logan graduated from Bingham High School in June, with top grades and the prestigious Pick and Shovel Award. But he still feels a craving for the way crafting a popular post on social media made him feel.
“But I recognize in the fact that I do still feel that way, should I get back on, I would be sucked right back into that toxic mentality that I had in the first place, and I would be super depressed again and super anxious all the time,” he said.
Columbia Elementary PTA President Sharol Stapley believes the lawsuit is a good step toward protecting children, but believes parents are ultimately responsible to safeguard their children. She sets screen time and content limits for her children and believes delaying exposure to the perils of social media will give her kids time to develop a healthy self-image.
“I want my kids to know who they are before they venture into a world that's going to tell them everything opposite to what they know about themselves,” Stapley said.
Stapley believes schools can support students and their families by providing digital safety education and resources.
This spring, Columbia Elementary’s PTA sponsored a Ready Tech Go family night, presented by AT&T, to educate families about the effects of excessive screen time and to provide parents with kid-safe websites and internet safety resources. l
Transforming justice: Salt Lake County to vote on $507 million Safety Bond this November
By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com
In a significant move toward addressing the multifaceted challenges of homelessness, mental health and criminal justice in Salt Lake County, the County Council, in August, voted 8-1 to place a $507 million Public Safety Bond on the ballot this November. This decision, which comes as a part of Mayor Jenny Wilson’s comprehensive Human Services, Homelessness, and Criminal Justice Reform Action Plan, marks a pivotal moment in the county’s ongoing efforts to modernize its public safety infrastructure and provide more effective support for vulnerable populations. A Vision for Justice and Accountability
At the heart of the Public Safety Bond is the proposed construction of a Justice and Accountability Center. This facility aims to transform how Salt Lake County deals with low-level offenders. According to Wilson, the center will “serve people who have frequent low-level interactions with the criminal justice system and lack housing options,” providing access to outpatient treatment, job training, and permanent housing opportunities.
The Justice and Accountability Center is designed to be more than just an alternative to jail. It represents a shift in the county’s approach to criminal justice, one that recognizes the underlying issues—such as mental health and substance use disorders—that often drive individuals into repeated encounters with the law. “The goal of the center,” Wilson said, “is to hold people accountable while reducing repeat offenses by increasing access to services and support.”
By focusing on accountability and support, the center aims to break the cycle of recidivism that has plagued the county for years. The center will offer a structured environment where individuals can receive the help they need to get their lives back on track, making criminal behavior less likely to recur.
Consolidating and Modernizing County Jails
Another significant component of the Public Safety Bond is the consolidation of Salt Lake County’s two jails. Under this plan, the Oxbow Jail will be closed, and the Adult Detention Center/Metro facility will be expanded. This consolidation is not just about increasing capacity—although that is certainly a factor, as the county’s jail capacity has not been increased since 2001. It is also about modernizing the facilities to meet better the needs of inmates, particularly those with mental health issues.
In addition to the expansion, the bond will fund the construction of a transitional
unit designed to help inmates prepare for reentry into the community. This reentry unit will provide a dedicated space where individuals nearing the end of their sentences can work with caseworkers to identify their needs and the resources required to reenter society successfully.
A Collaborative Approach
Developing the Human Services, Homelessness, and Criminal Justice Reform Action Plan—and, by extension, the Public Safety Bond—has been a collaborative effort involving county officials, state leaders and nonprofit providers. The plan’s goal is ambitious: to make homelessness in Salt Lake County brief, rare, and non-recurring. The county’s systems—criminal justice, behavioral health treatment, workforce development and housing—must work together seamlessly to achieve this.
According to the Salt Lake County Mayor statement website, “For the first time ever, Salt Lake County has a comprehensive five-year action plan to tackle homelessness, behavioral health challenges and criminal justice reform. This plan, developed in collaboration with experts and community stakeholders, creates an
integrated approach to these critical issues.”
Cost and Impact on Taxpayers
If approved by voters, the proposed
bond would cost the average Salt Lake County household $58.94 per year or just under $5 per month. The cost would be $107.16 annually or under $9 monthly for businesses. Despite the substantial total amount of the bond, the cost to individual taxpayers is relatively modest—a point that county officials hope will encourage voter support.
The bond will cover the construction of the Justice and Accountability Center and the jail consolidation, the demolition of the Oxbow facility, and various maintenance and improvement projects for the county’s existing jail infrastructure. The total cost of these projects is estimated at $627 million, with the bond accounting for $507 million of that total. The remaining $120 million will be covered through the sale of the Oxbow property and county setasides.
Voters can find more information regarding Salt Lake County’s Human Services, Homelessness, and Criminal Justice Action Plan online at: www.saltlakecounty.gov/mayor/plan. l
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson speaks at the opening of the Youth Services transitional living building. (Photo courtesy of Jenny Wilson)
Hawthorn Academy’s students read in preparation for Battle of the Books
By Julie Slama|j.jslama@mycityjournals.com
This fall, Hawthorn Academy students might not have had as much of a summer slide in reading as their peers.
That’s because many of the upper-grade students who participated in last year’s America’s Battle of the Books wanted to get a jump on the reading lists for this year’s contest.
Last spring, several teams battled it out for the top places.
Then sixth-grader Scarlett Dahl read seven books on the 20-book list which included “Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library” by Chris Grabenstein, “Ella Enchanted” by Gail Carson Levine and “Candy Shop War” by Utahn Brandon Mull.
“I liked ‘Wonder’ and ‘The White Mountains,’” she said. “We split up the list, so everyone read some of the books. It was fun to compete; I’m anxious to read all the books now.”
During the competition, Hawthorn’s literacy coordinator Beverley Griffith read questions for the student teams to answer, matching the question with the book’s name and author to get full points.
For example, Griffith asked, “In what book did a family team win the league championship four times?” The students answered “Brothers at Bat” by Audrey Vernick. Another question they correctly answered was “In what book was the main character an Eagle Scout in the 1940s?” Their response: “Who was Neil Armstrong” by Roberta Edwards.
Scarlett’s team was tied after three rounds and went into six tie-breaker questions against her classmate, Dallin Gardner, and his team.
Dallin read four books.
“I liked ‘My Side of the Mountain’ and ‘Holes,’” he said. “We learned how to work as a team and have good sportsmanship.”
Griffith said there were 88 school battles in just over two weeks. Top teams received medals made by the school’s 3D printing club showing two books battling; they were presented by Principal Jeremy Craig.
“The kids were excited not just to compete, but to read books. Some found they got to read books they never would have before. Some asked for more books like the ones they read or more by the same author,” Griffith said. “Some students read different genres they had never read before. It’s rewarding to see they’re reading not because their teacher says to read, but because they’re enjoying a good book.”
She provided graphic organizers and story maps as tools to help students prepare for the matches.
“It was fun to see each team’s strategy on preparing for the battles. They also had a lot of fun coming up with their team names and supporting one another,” Griffith said. “The bottom line is we want the students to read every day.” l
Hawthorn Academy sixth graders challenge one another in America’s Battle of the Books, correctly answering questions about books they read during the school year. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Fifth-graders Aria Thomas and Sofia Gomez confer with classmate Jason Houtz during Hawthorn Academy’s Battle of the Books. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Seasons Chorale takes flight as it prepares for its holiday concert
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
Ben Chapman compares conducting a choir to flying a plane. As a licensed pilot, he must interpret all the data coming in from the plane’s instruments while communicating with air control, reading maps and navigating the aircraft to a safe landing.
“Conducting is the same level of intellectual stimulation as flying,” Chapman said. “You have to comprehend everything about the music. You have to understand what’s going on in the brass section, what’s going on in the strings, what’s going on with the choir, what’s going on with the percussion and the woodwinds, and process all of that. You have the sort of mental creation in your mind of what this needs to become, and then you’re coaching this group and guiding this group to make that a reality.”
And just like flying, when the choir and orchestra come together, everything soars.
Chapman took over as conductor of Seasons Chorale, a 150-voice performing group and full orchestra in South Jordan, when the founder and former conductor, Marlene Stanley, stepped down in 2023. She passed the baton to Chapman who is known for conducting “Lamb of God,” the musical portrayal of the final days of Jesus Christ’s life.
Season Chorale is recognized for its Sounds of the Season Christmas concert that will be held at Bingham High School (2160 S. Jordan Parkway) on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The holiday concert benefits local family shelters and the Make-a-Wish organization.
“One of my big tasks earlier this year was to do the programming for the 2024 concert,” Chapman said. “It’s all put together. I’m very, very excited about it. One of the things I love about this community group is we get to perform a whole range of Christmas musical styles. So we’ve got everything from sacred to secular to jazz to gospel and everything in between.”
No auditions are necessary, for those interested in performing with the group, and all are welcome. Rehearsals are held
at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church building at 1540 W. 10400 South on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.
Additionally, performers in Seasons Chorale have opportunities to explore music through touring and educational workshops. Award-winning composer and conductor Mark Hayes invited the group to participate in a residency in New York City this past spring. The choir also collaborated with the Choral Arts Society for the Days of '47 pops concert and will tour London in the summer of 2025.
“This is a great opportunity to come and sing, but also come and learn,” Chapman said. “One of the things I’m excited about, and hopefully contribute to the community here, is I have a lot of background to help people who want to improve their singing ability. This is a great opportunity to do that because you essentially get free instruction.”
Seasons Chorale, which has been around for about 20 years, is formed under SoJo Choral Arts, an organization dedicated to supporting local music artists. McKell Scanlan serves as SoJo Choral Arts executive director and said groups like Seasons Chorale offer big benefits to the community.
“We found it’s really powerful for people to be a part of the music community and decide where they want to make a difference,” Scanlan said. “The magic of it is really that nobody has to show up because it’s their employer, because it’s their job, because it’s their church calling, none of that. It’s just community and making a difference.”
For information about Seasons Cho-
rale or SoJo Choral Arts, visit sojochoralarts.org.
“Music is its own language,” Scanlan said. “It crosses socio-economic lines. It’s a human connector. It’s a powerful force to bring people together who want to make music, to create music. We always insist that it’s something that we give back to the community.” l
Conductor Ben Chapman will lead Seasons Chorale during its holiday concert in December. Community members are invited to participate in rehearsals and performances. (Photo courtesy SoJo Choral Arts)
Bingham girls soccer: Youth helps lead the way to two preseason victories
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
Still recovering from the growing pains that would accompany any three-win season, the Bingham girls soccer team is already two-thirds of the way toward equaling last year’s win total.
The Miners kicked off the 202425 season and were handed a 4-0 loss at Olympus Aug. 6.
The good ‘ol apple didn’t fall too far from the tree once senior Isabel Weller scored one goal for Bingham. It would lead to the Miners’ first win in 11 months dat-
ing back to last September, a 3-1 triumph over Hillcrest on Aug. 8. Sophomore Molly Cunningham and junior Claire Bennion marked the scoresheet with goals as well.
Mighty Skyline would deal the Miners a 5-1 defeat, and sophomore London Pace would be Bingham’s lone goal scorer on Aug. 13.
However, one thing became readily apparent during Bingham’s first three games: the youth movement was ready to grow and was showing it could compete.
This was the case in the Miners’ fourth game of the season. Knotted up at one goal apiece at the half against Juan Diego on Aug. 15, the Miners exploded for four second-half goals.
Bingham [2-2] did allow two goals as well to Juan Diego over the final 40 minutes of that game. But, the Miners held on for a 5-3 victory that gave them their second of the season—a feat last year’s squad wasn’t able to reach until a month later.
That was huge for a Miners team that got goals from sophomore Sofia Davis as well as freshmen Brooklyn Vance and Kenzli Binks in the win, and was also given a boost by two goals from senior Alexis Ames.
For many of these Miners, they proba-
bly know all too well the disappointments of last year.
But, they’re showing that they have a short memory through four games of preseason soccer.
In all, eight Bingham players have already added their names to the scoresheet. If four more Miners make their mark and enter it, they’ll have surpassed last year’s squad in that regard.
This Miners team can also dish out the assists; Ames leads the team with two on the season. The senior leads Bingham in both goals and assists.
That said, keep an eye on Izabel Weller; the senior forward seems to have a knack for being around the goalmouth, as her four shots attest. Vance may only be a freshman, but she’s got a nose for goal also, as does junior Sofia Davis. Both Vance and Davis are tied for the most shots on the team, with three.
When Vance isn’t hanging out around the opposite team’s goalposts she’s guarding Bingham’s. The freshman goalkeeper leads the Miners with a 3.200 goals against
average through four games. Sophomore Norah Obed is splitting time with Vance in front of the Miners’ goal—hers is a 3.33 GAA.
The dynamic duo helping to protect the Miners have also been making their fair share of nice saves. Vance leads the way in that category with 21;Obed has eight.
For Bingham, the preseason is more or less over.
By the time you read this, the Miners will be several games into their Region 2 schedule already. They’ll play the first of two games against Copper Hills [home on Aug. 20] and Corner Canyon [away, Aug. 22], Salt Lake Academy at home on Aug. 27 and are at Mountain Ridge on Aug. 29—before they play their final nonleague game Sept. 3 at Westlake.
To be fair, the Miners still only dress five seniors. Expecting them to reach 10 or even 15 wins this season might be a stretch.
But, if they continue to have a short memory, one never knows. l
Bingham girls tennis: Miners off to a nice 4-2 start
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
The Bingham girls tennis team is off to a nice start this season, posting a 4-2 record.
The Miners took a 6-1 victory at home against Pleasant Grove in the season opener on Monday Aug. 12.
That was followed by a 5-2 loss at Wasatch on Friday Aug. 16 in the opening match of the Ashton Invitational.
A few hours later though, the Miners held the court well in a 7-0 drubbing of Timpanogos to up their record to 2-1 on the year.
The next day at Ashton, Bingham held on for a 4-3 win over Maple Mountain.
Individually for Bingham, freshman Kamryn Newman has a 3-2 record thus far in first singles, while junior Olivia Hawkins stands at 0-1 on the year and senior Emaline Roberts, 1-3 in second singles.
In third singles for Bingham, junior Karli Shelley is batting .500 with a 2-2 record while senior Sydnee Papenfuss stands at 0-1 overall.
In fourth singles, junior Kelsey Warren is letter perfect with a 2-0 record while junior Trish Wilson is 1-0. Sophomore Elsa McCoy is 0-1 and Papenfuss is also 0-1.
In fifth singles, Roberts is 1-0 there and so is Papenfuss while in sixth singles, Warren has a 1-0 record and junior Abby
Tullis is 0-1. In seventh singles, Hawkins stands at 1-0 for the Miners while in eighth singles, senior Londyn Roberts is 1-0.
In first doubles from Bingham, senior Reagan Littlewood and junior Trish Wilson are 1-0; Roberts and Shelley are 0-1; Littlewood and Papenfuss are 0-1; seniors Libby Linton and Tullis have an 0-1 record and sophomore Elsa McCoy and Wilson are 0-2 on the year.
In second doubles, the senior duo of Littlewood and Zaida Muerer are 1-0; McCoy and Muerer are also 1-0; Hawkins and McCoy are 1-0 and Littlewood and Wilson and Hawkins and Littlewood are 0-1.
In third doubles, Tullis and sophomore Madison Yeates have a 1-0 record; Roberts and Yeates are 0-1; Papenfuss and Yeates are 0-1; and Warren and Yeates are 0-1.
In fourth doubles, the senior team of Linton and Kate Tobler are 0-1. In fifth doubles, the senior duo of Taylor Harker and Caitlin Liffens are 0-1 and in sixth doubles, the junior combo of Aida Ashton and Anna Hall have an 0-1 record.
By the time you read this, the Miners will have started Region 2 play, which will be briefly interrupted when Bingham participates in the Provo Invitational Sept. 6. l
Sustainability study takes AAI students to becoming beekeepers
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
This year, American Academy of Innovation’s enrollment jumped by about 1,000 — if you include the honeybees that are in the campus’ hives.
This past spring, after students in the school’s plant and soil class researched and talked to Utah State University faculty about the decline of pollinators, they applied for and received a Utah State University Ag in the Classroom $500 grant for the beehives and equipment.
“Bees are on the decline and when we talk about sustainability and agriculture in general, our pollinators are endangered; that’s going to eventually affect the harvest of your gardens and anything dealing with agriculture,” AAI teacher Kathy Nuttall said. “I wanted to tie that in with their class and get students involved with it. They’re really excited about donning the suits and going to check on the hive.”
They also acquired milkweed to plant along with nectar flowers to help Friends of the Monarchs restore the butterflies’ breeding habitat.
“The students planted more than 14 different types of milkweed,” Nuttall said. “We’ve got a corner spot, so the students got rid of some of the old brush there and they’ve designed what they want it to look like with flowers from our greenhouse that will help both the monarchs and the bees.”
Nuttall said they’ve learned about the monarchs by talking with Friends of Monarchs’ Rachel Taylor, who serves as a resource arm of the Southwest Monarch Study and is on the forefront of trying to save them. This fall, Friends of the Monarchs are tagging the butterflies during the migration season as part of a greater migration study.
In October, the students hope to harvest some honey from the beehives.
“They’re excited to see the harvest,” she said. “Our graduates are going to come back and help.”
Nuttall expects the first year’s harvest may be small.
“That will vary so if we get a bit of honey, I’ll be happy. If it’s a decent harvest, we can sell any extra to put funds back into the program. The biggest problem is a lot of people don’t leave enough honey for the bees to feed on during the wintertime,” she said.
Initially, the students gave the bees nectar sugar water until food became abundant. None of the students have been squeamish about approaching the bees, Nuttall said.
“Normally the bees don’t bother anyone; they usually are not in attack mode unless you bother them,” she said. “These students are learning that taking care of them is easy to do and it not only helps an individual area, but also the community.
Often if gardens don’t do well, it’s probably because you do not have any pollinators to pollinate your garden and we’re seeing that happen. By learning about this, the students are understanding the benefits of honey and multiple things that we can use honey for other than just for eating purposes.”
Nuttall said honey is a byproduct of pollen and nectar and is used in the medical field as an anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-bacterial and also as a pain reliever.
“The worker bees have a digestive enzyme they use to break down to form honey. So, they take that pollen and nectar that’s brought into the hive and they use a digestive enzyme to break it down into a form that we call honey,” she explained.
This year’s class may help with a community pollinator garden as Nuttall was applying for a grant to establish it within the Daybreak community.
“This year’s students will design a community garden for all pollinators to continue on this journey,” she said. “Our curriculum talks about general sustainability and I go through all the different factors that allow sustainability. We tie in the hives, researching different plants and what works best for pollinators.”
Nuttall said her class talks about sustainability with backyard chickens — how to raise them and how to maintain them. Students learn first-hand as they’re in her classroom.
“We also talk about microgreens. It’s all based on self-sustainability and what new agriculture is going to look like,” she said. “We have a hydroponic system. Students harvested some of what they’ve been growing in the greenhouse with the hydroponic system. We had a nice green salad
with vegetables they grew from the garden here.”
The direction of the program lies with the students, Nuttall said.
“We’ll study where the students want to take it. If I find something that interests them, and they want to go for it, and it’s within the guidelines, then let’s do it. The key is to find their interest and guide them
that way,” she said, adding the idea of the school’s garden came from students.
The beehives were an idea from two years ago, but some students were still in the class last year and initiated the effort.
“We may grow the number of bees if we can split the hives,” she said. “The best part is watching the kids enjoy what they’re learning and going for it.” l
American Academy of Innovation students tend to the beehives on campus. (Kathy Nuttall/AAI)
American Academy of Innovation students applied for a grant and got pollinators, which they take turns tending to. (Kathy Nuttall/AAI)
SJE mission statements give students purpose and unify classes
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Some South Jordan Elementary fourth-grade students may be brainstorming the reason why they’re in school this year.
It’s part of writing class mission statements in Dodi Thacker’s and Karrie Wardell’s classes.
Sheets of paper hang in the classroom so students can jot their ideas under each heading: “Who are we?” “What are we here to do?” “How will we do it?” and “Why will we do it?”
Current fifth-grader Jack Hawkins remembers Wardell hanging up the poster paper last fall.
“We took turns writing on it,” he said. “Most of us had an idea for each one.”
His classmate, Elle Peterson, added, “Once it was all filled up, we decided on the best ones for each question to put them into a mission statement.”
Jack said it was important to have the class create the mission statement.
“It helped us have a good mindset every day, so we work hard and do good things,” he said.
Their class mission statement said: “We are awesome fourth-grade Rams in Mrs. Wardell’s class who are hard-working students, good friends, nice and ready to learn! We are here to get a good education, have fun, play with friends and be good! We will do these things by coming to school, listening, showing
GRIEF HAS NO TIMELINE
Grief is an individual journey with a path as unique as each one of us. To o er support and hope, we provide various Grief Support Services for those who are mourning a recent or past loss.
we care, being mindful and use brain power because we want to be smart, go to college and be the best version of ourselves!”
Similarly, fourth graders in Thacker’s class created their mission statement: “We are the best class ever, full of SJE fourth-grade friends who are like family. We are here to learn, challenge ourselves and expand our minds. We can do this by listening, being respectful, accountable, motivated and safe. As we work together, we will move mountains to be successful in life and get a good education.”
The students then typed up their mission statements, choosing their own backgrounds, fonts and colors. They placed them in their planners.
Former fourth-grader Charlotte Turnbow chose to include mountains in her design since “we said we’d move mountains. I also highlighted words that are important to me like ‘SJE fourth-grade friends who are like family.’ I liked how the mission statement motivates us. We know what it means because we decided what it would be.”
Her classmate, Benjamin Dayton, highlighted, “We will be successful in life and get a good education.”
“This helps motivate us to do better at school, so we’ll get better jobs and that’s important,” he said last spring. “We’ve become family. When I look back, I see how we ac-
complished great things this year together.”
Elle said the mission statement teaches them “how to be able to accomplish things in life and be happy. It’s easier when you have a good mindset to tackle hard things.”
She added it goes along with yoga Wardell taught the class.
Hannah Irion also was in Wardell’s class.
“At the beginning of school, I was bad at fractions, but when I had a positive mindset, it helped me do better and become more positive,” she said. “When you’re happier, then things come easier.”
Classmate John Kirkland said the mission statement helped his approach to learning
“I’m learning how to focus and concentrate more and that has helped me to get better at all subjects,” he said.
Elle compared it to her third-grade year when she didn’t have a mission statement.
“I feel I did better this year because the mission statement reminded me I could do it. I became more confident,” she said.
John added the mission statement reminded him he has friends around him.
“Our mission statement said that we’re good friends, and friends help and support you, so that helped me a lot,” he said. “The more we do what we’re working on, the better we get at it and the mission statement helps us remember that, too.”
Hannah said it’s different than setting goals.
“It’s not saying I want to do this. It’s saying I can do this now. It makes me more positive about things and myself,” she said.
Elle also likes a related class song which goes along with the mission statement.
“The song is fun because we have mo-
tions to it. It gets you pumped up for the day,” she said.
Jack remembered waking up tired some days.
“I was like, ‘I don’t want to go to school,’ but then I remembered the mission statement and went. And then we’d say it every day and then sing our class song and it just changed my attitude. I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do this,’” he said
Wardell said the mission statement and song have been important tools in her teaching.
“It means something to them. They made this statement, and they’ve followed it all year. It gives them motivation and helps them see what they’re doing and why,” said the 16-year public school veteran teacher.
Thacker agrees: “They learn from it. They’re creative in what they say — ‘we move mountains.’ Every year is different, but it’s neat to see how every class feels unity, and it gives us a purpose more than just filling a seat.”
During the year, she may remind them about the mission statement.
“They decided that we’re working together on things and we’re friends. So we talk about how we are friends and we’re a team. How do we act as a team? If someone’s struggling with math, then what does a team member do? They take ownership for helping one another,” Thacker said.
Students have taken part of the mission statement process for the past decade.
“I first read about it online and it worked with the Leader in Me program we were doing then. This gets everyone buy in at the beginning of the year,” said the 27-year veteran teacher. “It has been great; I’m surprised every class doesn’t do it.” l
Students in Karrie Wardell’s South Jordan Elementary class last school year proudly display their mission statements on their class notebook binders. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
All interested in fresh produce and other unique products are invited to South Jordan’s farmer market. It’s held weekly on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. until October at 10610 S. Redwood Road. It has the beautiful backdrop of the South Jordan City Hall. Front and center are two tents. One is open for free and fun crafts. The other is an information center for the City of South Jordan.
“The uglier the melon, the better the taste,” advised Kindra Senzig, the Sugar Sweet Produce representative working in the Green River Melons tent. This is a popular stop for shoppers looking for a variety of delicious cantaloupe, watermelon or honeydew melons.
Those who enjoy something more savory may prefer onions from the Schmidt’s tent. Schmidt’s has been farming in West Jordan since 1911. They grow and sell produce in local farmers markets like their neighbor’s in South Jordan.
Several tents are worth checking out. There are artisan made pottery, ceramics and jewelry. And, for a delicious and cool pick-me-up, visiting the tent selling gelato is something to look forward to.
Another important visit for some
South Jordan’s unique farmer’s market
By Laura Spendlove Crapo | l.crapo@mycityjournals.com
would be the Fry Roast Coffee tent. Fry Roast Coffee is a revolutionary coffee company because it uses a patent pending technology to roast coffee. Stop by to learn more about their uniquely smooth, non-bitter, low acid and eco-friendly coffee.
“We’re excited our Mongolian beef dumplings are becoming more in demand and offer four dumplings frozen or steamed fresh here at the farmers market,” said Richard Nkansah, Buuz Bites co-owner with his wife Zola. “This is one component of Mongolian cuisine and we offer a cabbage salad for a fresh offering on the side.”
Zola Nkansah is from Mongolia and has been perfecting her dumpling and cabbage salad recipes for years. They are actual South Jordan residents which makes their Buuz Bites tent very unique. Richard Nkansah has spoken with those who are apprehensive about their Mongolian beef dumplings, but that changes after they try them. l
what matters most
matters
AWARDED:
South Jordan’s farmer market is held weekly on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. until October at 10610 S. Redwood Road. (Laura Crapo/ City Journals)
When Branden Carlson tipped in a teammate’s heave at the buzzer, pulling off a 70-69 upset at UCLA back on Sunday Feb. 18, his father was asked how the family’s living room ebbed and flowed as officials went to the replay monitor at Pauley Pavilion.
“Honestly, pure joy, then some reservations that the refs might take it away,” Bryan Carlson said. “Then joy again!”
There was probably some reservation when “BC,” as his dad calls him, didn’t hear his name called with the 2024 NBA Draft.
Whether or not that was in the name of a guaranteed $7.9 million contract Bronny James of USC signed can be argued until the cows come home. Perhaps the LA Lakers that had the No. 55 pick didn’t want a big man versatile enough to “be a stretch four”—that’s what several scouting services said about the Utah center Carlson, who signed a two-way contract in June to play for the Toronto Raptors.
Also referred to as a “super senior” by those same scouts, it was Carlson, the 7-foot senior with the headband, long hair and pride of South Jordan, who starred in college at the University of Utah after a storied career at Bingham High School and put up 13 points and eight rebounds in just 23 minutes of action in his professional debut Saturday, July 13.
Carlson’s Raptors tipped off their NBA Summer League season with a 94-69 thumping of an Oklahoma City team that featured first-round draft pick and Weber State’s own Dillon Jones, who scored 17 for the losing Thunder.
How He Got There
For Branden Carlson, the road he took
Big Branden goes pro
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
to get to every single significant point in his basketball journey is just as important as its end point.
Playing in two different ways as a basketball player is nothing new to Carlson; he backed up BYU-bound, eventual pro Yoeli Childs as a sophomore and junior at Bingham High.
It was only during his senior year that Carlson took over. And, he not only led the Miners to a state title in the 2016-17 school year—he left Bingham ranking eighth in scoring and third all-time in rebounds, and departed the University of Utah with even bigger numbers as the school’s fifth all-time leading scorer and rebounder.
Let’s also understand that’s not what Carlson averaged upon his return from his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Manchester, England at the beginning of the 2019-20 school year.
Carlson—along with 10 other frosh that then-Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak recruited—only averaged about seven points and two rebounds for the Utes as a freshman.
In the 2020-21 season as a sophomore, Carlson’s 9.6 points per game, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks got people’s attention. But, Carlson wouldn’t receive any accolades from Pac-12 coaches and media then, either. Yet he didn’t leave the program after new head coach Craig Smith arrived at Utah from Utah State. Instead, Carlson got married and waited for his turn to shine.
All that patience paid off; as a junior, Carlson scored at a rate of 14 points, six rebounds and had 1.6 blocks per contest. That would earn Carlson second-team AllPac-12 honors at a time when Utah’s pro-
gram was undergoing some turnover on its roster.
Again, Carlson had opportunities to leave Utah after his junior year, but he stayed. It turned out to be a great move for the South Jordan native; the Bingham Miner’s numbers from his junior year not only increased, Carlson was named first-team All-Pac-12 after a 16.4/7.5/2.0 senior season.
It’s that legacy that kept Carlson at Utah for the COVID/senior year he was allowed to take, and it’s that legacy the Bingham Miner has kept. The only thing Carlson asked for in his entire Utes basketball career was to have the Huntsman Center filled one last time at the NIT quarterfinal versus a VCU team coached by former Utah State coach Ryan Odom.
“My last time playing at the University of Utah on Wednesday after 5 amazing years,” said Carlson Tuesday March 26. “Would love to see a packed Huntsman Center one final time! Go Utes!” What Comes Next
Keep one thing in mind here when we talk about Branden Carlson. There is what he is—versus what he could be. Because the two are very important to understanding what makes the former Utah star tick.
When Carlson poured in 12 points to become the University of Utah’s fifth alltime leading scorer back on Sunday March 24 in a 91-82 NIT tournament win over Iowa, that milestone only became possible
after the Bingham Miner decided to stay at the U for his senior season rather than declare for the 2023 NBA Draft.
“This year, the NBA process has taught me a lot and showed me the level I aspire to be, but I’m not done here — not yet,” said Carlson in a video statement this past May. “Legacy, that’s what’s on my mind — my legacy as a Ute, as a player and as a teammate.”
Not only did Carlson’s numbers improve as a graduate senior at Utah from 16.4 to 17.2 in terms of points, the elbow sprain suffered at Oregon in the season finale healed and the Utes advanced all the way to the NIT semifinal.
Again, Carlson chose loyalty over leaving when he wasn’t considered the best player on his team. He didn’t act selfishly or bolt for the next best thing on the schedule. Nope, the Utes’ big man just kept plugging away.
That’s exactly what you’d expect Carlson to do after his 5 point, 7 rebound game on Sunday on less than 24 hours rest and his 7 point, 5 rebound outing against the Jazz in a fairly full Thomas & Mack Center Wednesday.
“Atta boy BC!” exclaimed a proud father, himself a former college basketball player, after Carlson’s NBA Summer League debut and three-point drop in the bucket from the right elbow.
“Great NBA debut. Keep working and the best is yet to come.” l
Branden Carlson with his family at the Salt Lake International Airport terminal prior to his departure to Manchester, England for his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Photo courtesy Bryan Carlson)
In March 2024, Branden Carlson is honored as the school’s fifth all-time leading scorer. (University Of Utah Athletics)
In August, the Salt Lake County Council voted to put a $507-million bond on the ballot for voters to decide on this November. Our jails are at capacity and urgently require expansion. The proposed public safety bond will enable us to consolidate two jails into one, add more beds, expand mental health treatment services, create a facility to support inmates transitioning back into the community, and build a Justice and Accountability Center.
Low-level offenders who continually cycle in and out of jail continue to place a considerable burden on taxpayers and our criminal justice system. Many of these individuals experience instability and struggle with underlying mental health issues and substance use disorders. Unfortunately, our current jail and criminal justice system are neither designed nor equipped to address these needs.
The goal of the Justice and Accountability Center (JAC) is to remove repeat offenders from
Salt Lake County Public Safety Bond
the streets and place them in a lower-security correctional facility where they will have access to outpatient mental health services and substance use treatment, job training, housing opportunities, and other vital services to help them get their lives back on track. The JAC aims to ensure these people receive targeted interventions at a cost that is much less than a high-security jail.
We believe the public safety bond reduces the number of offenders on the streets, keeps our neighborhoods safer, protects our businesses, and ultimately is the most fiscally conservative way to invest in public safety and improve quality of life. If voters approve this bond it would cost the average homeowner an additional $58.94 per year.
Luckily, Salt Lake County is one of only 29 counties in the United States with a AAA bond rating. Because of that the interest rate on these funds would be around 3.25% with an opportunity for us to refinance if rates go down.
Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Councilwoman| District 3
No one wants to pay more in taxes and this was not an easy decision for county leaders to make. As we’ve looked at the best way to ensure your safety, protect your property, and best help those who are struggling, we felt this was necessary and we want you to weigh in. Not only is the most fiscally conservative way to handle this massive public safety issue, but it will give the best chance for those in the criminal justice system to get real help.
To learn more about this you can go to slco.org and you will be able to read about the bond.
Budgeting should be considered an art form. It’s part theater (acting like you can afford groceries), part digital interpretation (online shopping for best prices), part graffiti (throwing mustard at the wall when you receive a surprise doctor’s bill) and all illusion (where did the money go?).
My paycheck stretches like it’s on a taffy-pulling machine, folding over and over itself, almost to the point of transparency. When did the basic costs of living become a luxury?
While grocery shopping, my husband can’t stop comparing prices from 60 years ago. “When I was a young boy,” he said. “I could buy a loaf of bread for a nickel.”
“Were you Oliver Twist?” I asked. He ignored me and walked down the dairy aisle, ranting about the cost of eggs.
At the check stand, several items rang up for more than what was labeled on the shelf. I asked the unenthused cashier, “Did you raise prices while I was in line?”
He shrugged and continued packaging my groceries, smashing bananas, eggs and bread with my magnum of wine. Just kidding. You can’t buy wine at grocery stores in Utah.
Driving to work becomes a nail-biting thriller as I gauge how much gas is left and if it will last until the end of the month. I was filling up my car the other day and the
Peri Kinder Life and Laughter
Show me the money
gas pump showed the person before me had purchased $5 worth of gas. I hope that 1.6 gallons is enough to get him to the bank he needs to rob.
Even my chai tea latte from Starbucks has incrementally increased from $4 to nearly $6. That’s bonkers. I don’t mind paying a bit more so employees make a livable wage, but last year, Starbucks’ net revenue was $30 billion.
Then I learned the new Starbucks CEO was given a $75 million stock award, a $1.6 million salary and a $10 million signing bonus. The only signing bonus I ever received was when I got a free pen for starting a savings account when I was 8.
Corporate profits have hit all-time highs. And those rising prices are never going to drop because then how can the Starbucks CEO afford $1,500 sneakers for his Pomeranian without squeezing the life out of consumers?
My husband said, “Then don’t go to
Starbucks.”
“Shut up,” I replied. Housing costs are outrageous. Going to dinner and a movie requires a home equity line of credit. Tax increases nickel-and-dime us to death. Did you know Utah is one of only a few states that tax social security benefits? Thanks, Utah Legislators!
It’s not like I want to purchase Prada paper clips or Balenciaga bookmarks. I don’t need a Rolls-Royce or a personal library, complete with a rolling ladder and a fireplace. (Okay. I actually need that). I just want to afford a night out, maybe a weekend getaway or an annual massage without sell-
ing blood plasma.
My grandparents grew up during the Depression. Decades later, they still saved drawers full of tin foil and rubber bands in case we ever needed a defense against mind control or had to make emergency bouncy balls. Maybe I can learn from their frugal behaviors.
So, we tighten our belts, pinch pennies, clip coupons and say, “We’re right on budget this month.” The moment those words leave our lips, the garbage disposal explodes, the fence blows over or the basement floods. Budgeting might not be an art form, but it’s definitely a comedy.
