South Valley December 2017

December 2017 | Vol. 27 Iss. 12

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By Jennifer Gardiner | j.gardiner@mycityjournals.com

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erriman High School students wanted to bring awareness and resources to their community to combat suicide, so they put together a “Hope Walk,” Nov. 4. Hundreds of people showed up to show their support.

There were two suicides in the community this past summer, along with many attempted suicides involving people that Riverton students know. Student Ella Quealy said the Hope Walk is held to remember these people.

“The adviser spoke to the students and indicated that there is a problem, and the students wanted to come up with idea of how to resolve it,” Ella said. “We decided to have a walk, to help get suicide awareness out there for the community and provide them with resources and a way that others can get help.”

Another student, Maddie Allred, said she was as unaware of the big issue over suicides until their teacher, Julianna Wing, addressed the issue with them.

“I heard about one that happened over the summer, and it affected me because I knew him, and I was friends with him,” Maddie said. “It’s a touchy subject for a lot of people, and I don’t think it should be. It’s a hard topic; we need to address it so it is something everyone is aware of and to watch for signs and know how to help prevent it.”

Maddie said suicide can affect anyone you know, and if you do not know the signs, it can be something you regret later in life, especially if it happens to someone you love.

Jared Gerhart said by providing this walk, Riverton students were able to provide resources for those who think they want to commit suicide.

“Our group of students, mainly those involved in Future Business Leaders of America and Distributive Education Clubs of America, and some members of the Hope Squad hope that our efforts will help students struggling to not take the route of suicide,” Jared said. “It is a permanent solution to a temporary problem they may be having. For those who think they are not worth it, we hope they will go to those resources because they are worth something.”

The students, under the direction of CTE Instructor and FBLA Adviser Wing, have learned a lot preparing for the Hope Walk, especially how they can help others. Student Kai Peterson said the main thing you can do to help someone is to get rid of the stigma.

“Be an open person that others can come and talk to,” she said. “Be someone people can open up to, and when they do, focus on getting help for that person if it is dire—a mental health professional, a teacher, a trusted adult or someone like that. Be the person that helps bridge the gap between a mental health professional, a parent or anyone who can help someone suffering from things like mental illness.”

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A banner on display at the Hope Walk (Photo Courtesy Christy Cardwell)

Bailey Burges, who is also part of the planning committee, said she thinks all the awareness is helping.

“Our walk didn’t just bring awareness; it brought resources to everyone who came to the walk, which was over 600 people,” Bailey said. “They all got a place they can turn to, and not only for just them but those people who came to the walk; they know hundreds of more people who by branching out—it can definitely help.”

Suicide awareness discussions have become more prevalent since many celebrities have shed light on the subject. Most recently, singer Logic came out with his own song about the epidemic. The song, which features Alessia Cara and Khalid, begins from the perspective of someone calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — and confessing that they “don’t want to be alive.” The second verse features the lyrics “You don’t gotta die, I want you to be alive,” as it is being told to the caller by the person offering support on the other end of the line.

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Student Carter Johnson said all these types of messages to teens help the cause a lot.

“As more celebrities get the word out about it, it gets rid of the stigma that we can’t talk about it,” Carter said. “As more celebrities start to help, more people will hopefully talk about it, since it has been so hard to discuss in the past.”

The walk started at Herriman High and ended at Herriman City Hall. Students from all over the valley attended by students from all over the valley, as did Herriman City Mayor Carmen Freeman and hundreds of community members, some whom have personally been affected by the suicide of someone they love.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please call 1-800-273-8255. 

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New Miss Herriman crowned during 2017–2018 pageant

By Jennifer Gardiner | j.gardiner@mycityjournals.com The South Valley City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout South Valley. The South Valley Journal covers news for Herriman, Bluffdale, and Riverton.

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crease her student debts.

For her immediate plans, she said sharing her platform with the community is first on her list.

“My platform is ‘You Have a Voice,’ and is all about empowering citizens of all ages to become involved in the political process and public service,” Chapman said. “I have started this by helping plan the Women in Politics event on my school campus and inviting students and members of the community to attend, visiting seventh-grade history classes and fifth-grade classes and teaching about voting and civic responsibility.”

Chapman said she picked her platform to increase community involvement and sense of place in the community.

“I really hope that as Former Miss Herriman McKenzie Jensen crowns the new Miss Herriman Abigail I share my passion for polSmith during this year’s Miss Herriman Pageant (Photo Courtesy Miss Herriman itics and public service that Scholarship Pageant) the people living in Herriman will choose to become he 2017–2018 Miss Herriman pageant was held Oct. 21 at Herriman High School, and more involved in local government and realize after a fun-filled, entertaining and delightful pro- the influence they can have on the world around gram, a new Miss Herriman and two attendants them,” Chapman said. “We all individually have the ability to make the world a better place.” were crowned.

Chapman has been in 20-plus theater proEighteen-year-old Abigail Chapman never gave up on her dreams. This is the third time ductions and played the lead in Herriman High Chapman has competed in the pageant, and this School’s “Kiss Me Kate last year.” She also partime, she won the title of Miss Herriman, seeing ticipated in the school’s award-winning chamber choir for two years. all her hard work and dedication pay off.

“I love anything to do with musical theater “I was absolutely thrilled to receive the title,” she said. “I have always been interested in or just theater in general,” said Chapman. “I’ve pageants. I am also so excited to be receiving the been participating in Herriman Community scholarship for school, as I have a lot of years of shows since I moved to Herriman, and I served as Herriman High School’s Drama Club President school ahead of me.”

Chapman is studying political science and last year.”

Chapman is no stranger to being an upstandplans on getting a master’s in public administration. She said the scholarship will help her de- ing part of the community and has taken her love

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for music education and turned it into helping others.

“Two summers ago, I started a choir for low-income children at the YMCA and spent over 100 hours teaching children ages 5–12 about music and singing,” she said. “I also collected recorders for an orphanage in Mexico and taught a music lesson to the children there. I love to volunteer with Make-A-Wish Foundation as a princess; my favorite character to be is Ariel, because of her red hair, of course.”

Chapman is 18 years old and is a sophomore at Southern Utah University majoring in Political Science with a minor concentration in leadership and public administration. She is the oldest of three children born to Angela and Curtis Chapman. She has a 17-year-old brother, Niko, and a 12-year-old sister, Emma. She loves dogs and has a Lhasa Apso named Princess Buttercup. She also loves hiking, waterfalls and the red rocks of Southern Utah. She plays five different instruments including violin, cello, guitar, ukelele and the banjo.

The pageant was also very memorable for Miss Herriman’s 1st attendant Bailey Smith.

“The Miss America pageant holds amazing potential to make a difference in individual’s lives. Not only does the Miss America Program provide an opportunity to improve character development, but it also grants amazing service opportunities that could ultimately alter someone’s life,” said Smith. “As excited as I am to submerse myself in opportunities available to me for my personal progression, I am even more eager to become a role model for young girls and to become an example of maximizing life’s potential.”

Smith said her dreams and aspirations are a direct result of opportunities that she has had and opportunities she has taken.

“Luckily, I’ve been blessed with great parents who possess the ability to be shining examples of how to work hard and make goals, and who have given me support and opportunities that allow me to choose how I will portion out my time,” Smith said. “I have also been fortunate enough to have met a few incredible individuals who have shared their knowledge and values with me, and in the process, have shaped me into a stronger person.” 

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Riverton cross country teammates honored during Holiday Heroes 5K

By Jennifer Gardiner | j.gardiner@mycityjournals.com

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Sean Rausch (right) and Blake Lewis were honored at the Holiday Heroes 5K. (Photo courtesy: Angela Meine)

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he picture of a Riverton High cross country runner carrying his injured teammate across the finish line gained global attention.

The story behind it was inspiring, and the two were recently honored during the Holiday Heroes 5K held Nov. 11.

It all started during the Utah 6A state cross country championships when Riverton High School junior Blake Lewis, just 200 meters from the finish line, broke his tibia.

“It was super painful when my leg broke, and it was excruciating pain,” Blake said. “At first, it was really hard mentally because I knew immediately that my season was over.”

Team captain Sean Rausch, a senior running in his final state-level race, stopped and picked up his friend and carried Blake on his back right up to the finish line.

“I was not surprised that Sean did that for me; we have been through a lot together, and when you’ve been through that much you’re not surprised that someone would do that much for you, especially Sean,” Blake said. “I would do the same thing for him in a heartbeat.”

According to a rule outlawing assisting runners during the race, both runners were disqualified. But Sean says it was still an easy decision to make.

“When I saw Blake on the ground during the race, it was very shocking, and I knew something was seriously wrong, so I stopped, and he told me he broke his leg,” Sean said. “I Immediately knew what had to be done, so I put him on my back and told him that we are a family, we are a team, and we are ‘all in,’ which was our team’s motto for the year.”

Sean said he is very shocked on how everyone around the world has reacted.

“In my eyes, I just did a small and simple act of kindness, and so many people have been touched, and it still continues to inspire people all over the globe,” Sean said. “I hope that people realize I just did the right thing, and I feel like everyone has the opportunity to do the right thing every day in their lives.”

Riverton High cross country coach Chase Englestead said it is really nice to see an athlete be so selfless.

“As part of our team culture we

try to emphasize that the best athletes need to be great people first,” he said. “We also want to win, but we feel that the attributes developed in the process to our goals is the most important win. I am super proud of Sean for being there for his teammate and representing his family, our school and our program so well.”

Sean and Blake’s story has touched the world and has been published more than 100 times, including in all major media outlets in Utah, a growing number of national news and sports stations, and throughout the world in countries such as Australia, Argentina, Korea, Japan and more.

Sean’s mom, Jennifer Rausch, said her son has been running cross country for years, following in the footsteps of his older brother Courtland.

“The sacrifice to become an extraordinary runner has had him arise each morning except Sundays and run off to meet his team,” Jennifer said. “Sean has run continuously even in the offseason to keep his competitive edge.”

Jennifer said they grew concerned about their son at the end of

the race when other runners had already crossed the finish line but her son had not.

“Finally, we could see the last two Riverton runners far off in the distance and could tell one of them was in distress,” Jennifer said. “As the runners got closer, we could see the injured runner was not Sean but Blake. I have never been so proud of my son; he really showed that he valued every one of his team members and was not going to finish without Blake for he was his brother.”

Sean and Blake never expected their story to go as far but believe their story stood out as something good and unique in a world where so many bad things are happening.

Blake is recovering, with plans to start running again in the spring.

He hopes to be a part of the team next year.

Both Sean and Blake were honored during the annual Riverton City and Unified Police Department Holiday Heroes 5K and 1-Mile run. The two were recognized by Riverton City Mayor Bill Applegarth during a special presentation at the starting line. 

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Prison inmates make Halloween memories for students with special needs

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risoners at the Utah State Prison got a chance to give back to their community by bringing some Halloween fun to students with disabilities.

On Oct. 25, correctional staff delivered hundreds of pumpkins to a makeshift pumpkin patch inside the atrium of the Kauri Sue Hamilton School in Riverton.

Students were thrilled for the opportunity to visit the pumpkin patch thanks to the Green Thumb Nursery program at the Utah State Prison.

The participants of the program at the prison have taken their time growing the pumpkins in order to have them delivered to students at the school.

Students then chose their own pumpkin, which for some wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

Hundreds of pumpkins of all sizes and colors were brought to the school; some were painted with Disney themes and characters, and others with elaborate and intricate designs by inmates who harvested a crop of about 2,000 pumpkins.

District officials said it was smiles everywhere when the pumpkins were delivered. The prison mascot, “Justice,” and the Utah Grizzlies mascot, “Grizzbee,” showed up to help the students and share some hugs and high-fives.

This has been a tradition for several years, and district officials said the students are always ecstatic when they were each allowed to take one of the pumpkins home. They wanted to thank the inmates for their hard work on this fun pumpkin project, saying happiness can come from some unlikely places. 

By Jennifer Gardiner | j.gardiner@mycityjournals.com

The prison mascot, “Justice,” and the Utah Grizzlies mascot, “Grizzbee,” attend the pumpkin patch celebration. (Jordan School District)

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New Special Forces Readiness Center coming to Camp Williams December 2019

By Mariden Williams | mariden.w@mycityjournals.com

Various National Guard officials sink their shovels into the site of the new 140,000-square-foot Special Forces Readiness Center. (Utah National Guard)

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he Utah National Guard broke ground for its new Special Forces Readiness Center at Camp Williams on Oct. 17. Plans for the new facility have been in the works for nearly 10 years.

“It’s going to be an armory, basically, but a super-sized armory,” said Major Kendall Workman, a former Camp Williams range control officer. “The readiness center that we have at Camp Williams right now, it’s going to be similar to that, but larger.”

Camp Williams has many readiness centers, but each of them serves a different unit, and there’s quite a lot of variance in size.

“For example, the 144th Medical Company is in an armory on Camp Williams, and technically it’s a readiness center, but it’s a very small one,” Workman said.

For comparison, the camp’s current largest readiness center, used by multiple companies, is some 58,000 square feet in size—so less than half the size the new Special Forces readiness center is planned to be.

The new facility will be 140,000 square feet and will feature classrooms, administrative offices, a full-service kitchen, lockers and storage space, civil support vehicle maintenance bays and state-of-the-art training equipment.

The new readiness center will serve as the main training and operations space for the 1st Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), which “is growing to become one of the largest major commands in Utah,” according to the National Guard’s official groundbreaking announcement.

The battalion is one of just two National Guard Special Forces groups in the nation, and

over the course of its almost-60-year career, it has demonstrated its unique mission capabilities and unit cohesiveness many times all over the world.

Though headquartered in Camp Williams, the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) has numerous detachments across the country, in Washington, California, Colorado, Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and West Virginia. It currently has soldiers actively deployed throughout Southwest Asia and the Pacific, as well as supporting freedom operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“From its earliest exercises in the Republic of Korea to the continuing War on Terrorism, the Soldiers of the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) continue to be a relevant asset to international defense initiatives while also being leaders in their respective local communities,” National Guard officials wrote.

The battalion was first established in the Utah National Guard on May 1, 1960, and since then, it has expanded quite a lot. Apparently, the time is ripe to give it a readiness facility of its own.

“It’s being built because of this kind of unit,” said General Jeff Burton, the Adjutant General of the Utah National Guard, of the upcoming Special Forces Readiness Center. “It’s an elite unit. They were some of the first formations in Afghanistan, and they’ve been there systematically for the last 16 years.”

Construction will be handled by Salt Lake City-based firm Jacobsen Construction, which also built Camp Williams’ current primary readiness center. The $37 million project is entirely federally funded, and is expected to be completed and ready for use by December 2019. 

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Meet your new city council representatives

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By Mariden Williams | mariden.w@mycityjournals.com

iverton residents have chosen their next city council representatives, and they’re both women with a lot of financial savvy.

Representing District 3 is Tawnee McCay, an accredited financial counselor and mother of six, who narrowly defeated incumbent Paul Wayman.

“I was really humbled and grateful with the amount of people that supported me and helped me with the campaign,” said McCay. “It was a lot of work, but I also learned a lot, and I’m just going to do the best job I can.”

McCay, who holds an MBA in finance from Utah State University, ran for city council mostly because she hasn’t been pleased with some of the changes that have come to the city in the past few years.

She feels like too much high-density housing has been approved recently and is concerned that city-to-resident communication is on the decline.

“What broke the camel’s back to me was when they did away with the city newsletter this spring,” she said. “I read it, and I know a lot of my neighbors did, especially older people that don’t like to go on the website or Facebook. I felt like that’s how we got our information about what the city was doing. I found it really disappointing when the city council voted to do away with that.”

Now that McCay’s six children are all in school, she decided, with encouragement from neighbors and friends, to run for council and do something about it. This wasn’t her first foray into the world of political campaigning; she also served as Congressional Campaign Treasurer for Utah Rep. Mia Love, from the very start of her campaign in 2011 until she won in 2013.

“It was a great experience. I was really happy when she won,” said McCay. The experience gave her a lot of fundraising and marketing ideas, and it taught her many lessons that she ended up using in her own campaign this year.

Once in office, McCay hopes bring back the city newsletter and take other steps to increase communication from Riverton residents

to city officials, such as more resident surveys. “I want to make sure the people are as informed as possible and that we as a council are as informed as possible about what the people want. I love Riverton, and I want to keep that hometown feel. I want my kids to want to live in Riverton and to stay close. I want to keep it the great city that it is.

I want to really serve the residents well.”

District 4’s new representative will be Tish Buroker, a retired nurse with 37 years of management experience under her belt.

In Buroker’s eyes, the most urgent issue the city currently faces is that of hiring a new city manager. “I think that’s critical,” she said.

“We’ve really got to get that done. And then obviously we have to start working on the budget, because that budgeting process takes quite a while.”

Working with a budget is something Buroker is definitely very well-acquainted with. Buroker worked with LabCorp from its formation in the early 90s through its development into a Fortune 500 company. “I was responsible for an annual budget of $12 million, ultimately growing to a budget of $24 million. It was a wonderful experience leading and learning,” said Buroker.

After her retirement, Buroker became more and more active in city government. As a longtime Riverton resident— 53 years— she felt it was time to start giving back to the community she cared about so deeply, and she began to regularly attend city council meetings.

Her involvement only grew from there, and eventually it resolved into a desire to actually serve on the council.

“I really wanted to be in government, and I really wanted to be a voice and sit through the meetings,” she said. “I found that it had this value for the council members. For the most part, they’re extremely receptive. They want the feedback. But if you’re a citizen with a job, you can’t be sitting down here every other Tuesday until 11 or 12 at night.”

Buroker hopes to streamline Riverton’s city council meetings a little more, so that more Riverton residents than just retirees will

have the option of participating in their local government. But all in all, she hopes to keep things fairly low-key for her first few months in office.

“I don’t have anything grand I want to do immediately, especially not in the first 90 days, because I think it’s important to get to know people, to get to understand the city a little better and how it functions,” said Buroker. “I’ve already made appointments with a lot of the managers—I want to spend time with them, become educated. I’m certainly not an expert on roads and when they need to be repaired and all that sort of thing, but I think it’s important to know those things. Before I start jumping in and making decisions, I really want to focus on educating myself.” 

Tish Buroker, District 4.

(Brian Buroker)

Tawnee McCay, District 3.

(Brandon Hyatt Photography)

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Councilman Trent Staggs elected as Riverton’s next mayor

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rent Staggs, Riverton’s new mayor-elect, is always searching for ways to improve upon the status quo, from taking animal control and law enforcement in-house to increasing government transparency through savvy tech use.

“With my business background, I’m always looking to see if we can do things better,” said Staggs, who has served as Riverton’s District Four councilman for the last four years. “And that doesn’t just mean less expensively but also more efficiently. When I ran for office four years ago, I truly believed that I could make a difference.

I felt that with my background, I could add value to the council and to the city in trying to drive innovative solutions.”

Staggs’ decisive victory ousted incumbent mayor Bill Applegarth, who has been Riverton’s mayor for the past 12 years, and who served on the city council for four years before that.

“It’s a truly humbling experience to win the trust and support of so many,” Staggs said. “One’s vote is a true sign of confidence in our representative republic, and a trust I vow to uphold.”

Staggs has taken living up to campaign promises very seriously. He made good on his 2014 promise to improve the city’s culinary water source in his first year in office and has done a lot to keep fees and taxes low. He led the way for Riverton to leave SLVLESA, which will save Riverton hundreds of thousands of dollars. He has also negotiated the removal of $700,000 in costs from UDOT’s Redwood Road widening project, voted no on all proposed fee increases and developed a way for Riverton to manage its own animal control not only more cheaply, but also more effectively.

Staggs, 43, holds an MBA from BYU’s Marriott School of Management and has been in administrative positions at everything from successful startup businesses to Fortune 500 companies such as Morgan Stanley. He and his family have lived in Riverton for the past seven years.

“Even though I’ve been in Riverton just seven years, I really feel like I’ve been part of this area for pretty much my entire life,”

By Mariden Williams | mariden.w@mycityjournals.com said Staggs. He lived in South Jordan for much of his youth, and, back in 1992, graduated from Bingham High School.

“Back in those days, you really were part of this southwest valley community, and I’ve seen it grow substantially since then,” he said.

That growth has posed some difficulties for Riverton officials lately, with many critics saying that too much of the city’s space has been given over to high-density residential use.

Staggs seeks to preserve Riverton’s open spaces and “protect that more rural, low-density feel that attracted so many of us to live there—and not just to live there but to plant roots there and become part of the community.”

He sponsored the Riverton’s resolution to join the Jordan River Commission, which has, in the past two years, earned the city more than $120,000 with which to improve its section of the Jordan River trailway. He has also fought to ensure that the master plan for 543 acres of land between Bangerter Highway and Mountain View Corridor would include open spaces and a trail system. He denied a rezone request that would have converted natural space along the Jordan River into a residential development.

One of his recent pet projects has been the revitalization of the downtown area. Earlier this year, he commissioned Psomas Engineering to study the area and figure out how best to achieve that.

He would like to bring in more restaurants and retail to the area around the city park in particular. “I’m trying to bring in more business options locally, so that our residents have the option of frequenting those stores within our city and keeping those tax dollars in Riverton. If we build on those uses, I think it adds to the tax base, and it adds to the quality of life for residents that are near the area.”

One of Staggs’ other big goals is to improve resident participation in city government and make decisions more transparent and accessible to Riverton’s residents. “I want to be very inclusive and very communicative,” he said.

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Three years ago, he and Councilman Sheldon Stewart pushed to overhaul the city’s then-ineffective website and hire a communications manager, Angela Meine, who has since ramped up the city’s Facebook presence and even begun to livestream city council meetings, so residents don’t need to make the trip down to City Hall to be involved.

“We have more outreach that we want to do,” he said. “I really believe that it’s community participation and engagement, that turns a city into a community. It’s always good to have someone come in and take a fresh perspective, and we have a citizen government I think for that very reason. I would hope to be open to new ideas, wherever they come from, to make our city, our community better.” 

Trent Staggs with his wife, Alisha, and their children.

(Courtesy Trent Staggs)

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Reality town: a real-life experience

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inth-graders were invited to live like an adult for a few hours at Reality Town, held at Oquirrh Hills Middle School.

“We give them a real-life simulation of what it’s like to be an adult,” said school counselor, Steve Cherry. “They have to learn how to manage their money and purchase things within their budget.”

Students were given a job, a monthly salary and a family. They had an hour and 45 minutes to chose how to use their money to purchase a home, a car, insurance, groceries, pets and entertainment packages and to donate to charity.

The jobs the ninth-graders were role-playing were based on the accumulative GPA from their seventh and eighth grade. The higher their GPA, the more career options and the higher salaries they had to chose from.

Belle Snow felt her GPA put her in a good position. She secured a job as a dental hygienist, just like her sister has in real life. She has learned from her siblings how important good grades are to their future.

“Having older siblings, I am seeing that if they didn’t do good in seventh grade, they’re having a harder time in high school and col-

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com lege,” said Belle.

Manuel Acuna said his parents have always encouraged him to do well in school. He said there were no surprises for him during the simulation because they have also taught him how to budget.

Parent Volunteer Katie Watkins believes the activity is good for all students.

“I think it’s a taste of reality and gets them thinking about the kind of money they have to make in the future to be an adult,” said Watkins. She worked at the donations station and noticed the amount students donated depended more on their personality than the amount of money they made.

“Some are really generous, and they don’t have very much money, but they’re willing to give a lot. Others are just doing the minimum donation,” said Watkins.

Taylor Wood made an additional donation to charity when he realized he had a lot of money left over.

“I was pretty careful at first,” he said. “I was buying pretty cheap.

But once it was getting toward the end, I went a little nicer on a little bit of the stuff. But it’s still not as nice as I could because you never know when something’s going to

come up.”

Erin Turley and Kathryn Chevalier were parent volunteers helping at the Housing station. They assisted students to determine the best option depending on their family size and income. Most kids tried to avoid living in their parents’ basement.

“Most kids are really thinking about it,” said Turley.

Dallin Trickett learned that unexpected expenses can come at any time in real life. Students picked cards that could either earn them a little money or slap them with an unexpected expense. Dallin had to pay for two speeding tickets and spend $80 on a date.

Others earned money by finding cash on the street.

“I lost $12 because I bought Girl Scout cookies—I couldn’t resist,” said Belle.

Makenna Nielsen felt her Reality Town experience was easy because she had enough money for all of her expenses. Her high GPA meant she got a job as a radiologist making $5,000 a month. She said learned the importance of good grades when she was in seventh grade.

“If I make good habits now, then those will carry on through-

out the whole entire high school,” Makenna said.

The goal of Reality Town was to emphasize this connection that grades they earn now affect their future opportunities, said Cherry.

Students also learned a new appreciation of their parents.

“I need to appreciate my parents more because they work hard.

I really do appreciate them after seeing how much it takes to support a family,” said Valeria Enciso.

She said her parents have always provided nice things for her, and she feels like she’s never had to go without. But in the simulation, she ran into some problems.

“I’m buying the higher-end stuff, and I’m running out of money because my income is not high enough for my lifestyle,” Valeria said. She said from now on she’ll be more aware of what she asks her parents for and be understanding when they set financial limits.

Belle said she realizes her parents spend a lot of their monthly income on her extra-curricular activities. She had one child in her simulation and was surprised at the cost of child care alone.

“What I learned today is that it is hard being a parent,” Belle said. 

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Manuel Acuna, Dallin Trickett, Makenna Nielsen and Belle Snow enjoyed their taste of adult life at Reality Town. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)

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December 2017 | Page 11

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No rezones until Redwood Road construction more complete

By Mariden Williams | mariden.w@mycityjournals.com

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Widening Redwood Road: sacrificing traffic flow today for a smoother commute tomorrow. (Mariden Williams/City Journals)

P

eople seeking property rezones in Riverton City are going to have to hold their horses, because as of Oct. 26, city officials have enacted a temporary resolution suspending property rezone requests until February 2018.

The Riverton City Council unanimously passed the rezone moratorium in the wake of the Utah Department of Transportation’s ongoing project to widen Redwood Road. In addition to creating some traffic jams, the project has also led to the demolition of several houses along the road, leaving behind a swath of raw ground buttressing up against a major roadway—prime bait for would-be property developers, in other words.

“Any land use planner will tell you that the best place to put high-density residential is close to a high-volume corridor,” said City Attorney and acting City Manager Ryan Carter. “And that can create awkwardness between the development community and the council.”

The city council is legally required to hear out property rezone requests, regardless of whether it has any intention of actually approving them.

“That creates a perception in the public that maybe someone in the council invited this, which is rarely if ever the case,” Carter said.

Since rezoning in the Redwood Road corridor could easily impact the supply of utilities and transportation infrastructure throughout the whole city, it’s important that any and all amendments be made with careful consideration—and it’s hard to properly evaluate how an area should be zoned when construction isn’t even complete yet.

“The idea is that, hey, given the number of units that have been put in and everything that’s going on, let’s push the pause button for a little bit and take a look at our general plan,” said Councilman Trent Staggs.

UDOT’s plans for the Redwood Road widening project have fluctuated quite a bit from their initial conception to now and may well continue to do so. “There was even a time when the project, in the city’s eyes, was pretty much declared dead,” Carter said.

It is hoped that by the time the moratorium

is lifted in February 2018, construction will have solidified a little more, at which point Riverton officials will be better able to determine what amendments, if any, need to be made to the city’s general zoning plan.

The Riverton Heritage Group, a community bloc comprising residents of the area along Redwood Road and 12800 South, expressed some amount of concern that the city would be reevaluating zoning in its area. “We have broad citizen support for this heritage idea, of keeping this portion of Riverton somewhat like it used to be: with some extra space and larger lots,” said Riverton resident Bob Ford, who addressed the council on Oct. 26 on behalf of the RHG. It’s not just the residents who support this idea; the council does as well. It is unlikely that city leaders will approve any further requests for high-density residential rezones, either along Redwood Road or anywhere else.

“I think we’re at tilt, so far as any more high-density housing being approved,” said Riverton Mayor Bill Applegarth.

But even though city leaders don’t plan on approving any more high-density housing rezones after the moratorium is lifted, that won’t stop developers from asking anyway, and the now-vacant lots adjacent to Redwood Road are particularly tempting.

“The basic fact remains that if someone buys and aggregates several different lots alongside each other, that person may look at trying to apply for a general plan amendment and a rezone for that ground,” said Carter.

And that may not be such a bad thing, really, Carter reasons.

“If the council reviews and affirms what they think the land use should be for the area, post-reconstruction, that solidifies and doubles down to the development community that there is no interest in increasing the density along Redwood road,” he said. “If there’s a clear message that is sent out every so many years, I think that it has the effect of keeping applications from coming in to begin with.” 

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Page 12 | December 2017

S outh Valley city Journal

Students at the center of Christmas boutique

S

By Jet Burnham |j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

tudent entrepreneurs were at the center of Providence Hall’s Annual Boutique held November 3–4. Booths run by students, ranging from kindergarteners to seniors, filled the center of the school’s gymnasium, while community vendors displayed their products around the edges.

“All of the kids had to do it themselves and sell it themselves and make change themselves,” said Nicki Bullard, the parent volunteer in charge of the annual boutique.

Reilyn, Maci and Kedric Larsen all came up with crafts they could make and sell over the two days of the boutique. They made Christmas bauble necklaces, pendants out of British coins and books with pages folded into shapes.

“I’m just so impressed with all these kids,” said their mom, Kailey Larsen. “It’s good for them to learn hard work and patience.”

Reilyn, a ninth-grader, made a lot more money than she thought she would selling her pendants and books.

“For band, I have to come up with money to go on a trip to California, so I’m going to put all of it towards that,” she said.

Larsen said she let her kid take control of the process. They chose what to make, made it themselves and handled the sales.

“I’m just staying out of it,” she said. “I just prompt them to make sure they say thank you

and ask them if they want a bag—but they seem to do better when I’m not around.” She even let them figure out the math on their own when giving change.

Elaina Martins got a help from family when she chose to make her Bean Bag Friends.

She said her mom suggested purchasing fabric from remnants that were on sale to increase her profits.

“I decided I wanted to make bean bags because they would be easy, and it’s something you can use over and over again,” said Elaina, a fifth-grader. She demonstrated her smiling-faced bean bags’ uses to customers, explaining how they could be used as a cold or hot pack to place on injuries, to prop up a cell phone, to toss back and forth as a game, as a mini pillow or just as a stuffed animal to cuddle with.

Senior Janette Maendl sold jars of her three flavors of salsa. She and her dad have been selling their homemade “Accelerated Salsa” for five years.

“I sell it to help support my sports endeavors,” Maendl said. “That’s why the pun is Accelerated Salsa because I play Accelerated Softball.” She also plays basketball and soccer.

Last year, her sales at the boutique helped pay for a trip to a softball tournament held in the Dominican Republic. This year, she said her

earnings will go toward her college fund. She has applied to Harvard and Virginia’s Liberty University already.

Second-grader, Neila Johnson was also trying to earn money for her extra-curricular activities. Her tumbling gym will be traveling to a competition in North Carolina. She and her mom, Lindsay Johnson, made caramel apples to sell.

Peytyn Bullard plans on using her profits to buy more crafts for the kids she baby sits.

The fifth-grader was selling play dough and slime she had made.

In preparation for the gift-giving season, the Remund family worked together to make crafts to sell at the boutique. Jacob, Sarah and James decided to pool their profits to buy Christmas gifts for each other. They were selling molding sand, decorative jars and candy airplanes.

To make sure all the young vendors had a positive experience selling their products, Bullard recycled the booth fee each student paid by giving it to customers who then spent the money at the students’ booths.

“We just want to teach them business and have them do something a little different to be more involved,” said Bullard.

Community retailers made up the majority of the booths at the boutique. Their booth fees

benefited Providence Hall’s parent teacher organization. 

The Remund family plans to pool its boutique earnings to buy Christmas gifts for each other. (Jet Burnham/ City Journals)

JORDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT – Public Notices Special education child Find

Every child is entitled to a public education regardless of disability. Children with disabilities may go without services because families are not fully aware of their options. If you know of a child, birth to age 22, who is not receiving any education services or feel that your child may be in need of special education services, please contact your local school or call the Special Education Department in Jordan School District at (801)-567-8176.

Special education RecoRdS deStRuction

On January 31, 2018, Jordan School District will destroy special education records of students born prior to September, 1991. Former special education students who are 27 years old may request their records from the school last attended; otherwise, the records will be destroyed.

caRSon Smith ScholaRShip

Public school students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) may be eligible for a scholarship to attend a private school through the Carson Smith Scholarship program. Further information is available at http://www.schools.utah.gov/sars/Scholarships.aspx

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December 2017 | Page 13

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Outstanding teachers recognized

By Jet Burnham |j.burnham@mycityjournals.com Chelsea Ottoson First-grade teacher Chelsea Ottoson, from Silver Crest Elementary School, has been nominated for the 2017–2018 National LifeChanger of the Year Award.

She was nominated by a parent (who wished to remain anonymous) whose daughter has struggled with anxiety.

“Chelsea’s love for my daughter and tools she provided her throughout the year, were priceless. I will forever be grateful for the love and kindness she showed. I don’t know where we would be without Mrs. Ottoson,” she said in her nomination.

Ottoson was surprised by the nomination and said she doesn’t think she is doing anything special. She said because she struggled with anxiety as a child, she knows what it is like for these shy or struggling students, and she instinctively knows how to help them.

“Sometimes, I’d just let her cry, and sometimes we’d have pep talks,” said Ottoson.

Lindsey Chadwick, who co-teaches with Ottoson said Ottoson loves her students.

“Chelsea is genuinely concerned for her students,” Chadwick said. “She cares for them on a personal level and wants them to succeed in every aspect of their lives.”

In her classroom, Ottoson sets the expectation that her students will be kind and take care of each other.

“I really like to create a safe place in my classroom so that anybody in my classroom can feel comfortable whether they’re shy or not,” she said. She believes their peers can help support struggling kids on their hard days.

She said first-graders are naturally sweet and kind and want to be a friend.

“They are capable of so much more than we sometimes give them credit for,” Ottoson said.

Ottoson became a school teacher because of the support she received from her own teachers during a difficult childhood.

“School, for me, was a safe place to go,”

she said. “I just knew from a young age that that’s what I wanted to do.” She feels like it is her way of “paying it forward.”

“Teaching is a hard job, but it brings so much love into your life,” she said. “It feels so good to see a difference being made in someone’s life.”

The LifeChanger of the Year award, sponsored by the National Life Group Foundation, rewards K-12 educators across the United States who are making a difference in the lives of students. From the nominations, winners will be picked at the end of the year to receive monetary awards up to $10,000 at a ceremony in Bermuda. Ottoson’s bio can be found at lifechangerofthe year.com.

Julianna Wing Julianna Wing, a business teacher at Herriman High School was recognized by KSL Newsradio and Zions Bank with a Teacher Feature Award.

“Her teaching strategies just are out of this world,” said Nancy J. Lunak, CTE coordinator at HHS. “Students pay attention and thrive with her instruction.”

Wing believes life is about learning processes. Instead of teaching students to understand a specific software program, Wing teaches them how to approach learning any new software. Rather than teaching marketing vocabulary, she takes students through the process of understanding marketing problems in the community and challenges them to complete a competitive market research project.

“The best part about being a teacher is seeing students think, struggle and put in hard work to accomplish successes they didn’t know they were capable of,” said Wing. “I’ve seen teenagers create some amazing work because they were given the opportunity, encouragement and guidance.”

Wing focuses on celebrating the small steps of the learning process that lead to the final successful results.

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Julianna Wing of Herriman High School, winner of Teacher Feature Award (Julianna Wing)

“I believe in the mantra that success equals opportunity plus hard work,” said Wing.

Wing prepares students for competitions and life skills by providing opportunities and resources for her student. She dedicates countless hours teaching business classes and advising the Future Business Leaders of America club.

“Advising students in the application of business concepts is one of the best parts of my job,” said Wing, who gained a love of business from her mother, who taught high school business classes, and from her father, an accountant.

In addition to being featured on KSL Newsradio as an outstanding teacher, Wing was awarded a dinner at The Roof restaurant, a season pass to Hale Center Theatre and an overnight stay at Anniversary Inn. She will be honored at an awards banquet at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. 

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Page 14 | December 2017

S outh Valley city Journal

Welding his way

By Jet Burnham |j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

J

oseph Barwick, a ninth-grader at Fort Herriman Middle School, shares a birthday with inventor Thomas Edison as well as his philosophy that “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

Joseph uses his imagination to turn piles of junk into award-winning art.

He became interested in welding—especially steampunk style—at the age of 10 when his parents struggled to find welding gear that fit him.

“His art reflects this interest, as well as his interest in science and engineering,” said his mother, Kjerstin Barwick. “He is very interested in mechanical works.”

Joseph’s first welding project was a steampunk floor lamp that he built with his dad when he was in fourth grade. The piece won ribbons at both the County and State fairs. He also built a table lamp for his school Reflections project that year.

In fifth grade, they built a large steampunk lamp project for his Wax Museum report where he dressed up as, of course, Thomas Edison.

“The first project that I designed on my own and did most of the welding on was another lamp made up of old gears, a spring, old glass insulators and a cool-looking quartz crystal,” Joseph said. It was his submission for his sixth grade Reflections project. He created another lamp for the

sixth-grade talent show.

Joseph submitted a mining robot piece to the school art show last year which was purchased

by Fort Herriman Principal Rodney Shaw. When Joseph offered to create a piece of the school mascot for the school, Shaw agreed. Joseph spent his entire summer building his biggest piece, a 400-pound, 5-foot-tall sculpture of a diamond back rattlesnake. The 204 hours he and his dad, Brenton Barwick, each worked on the sculpture meant giving up a summer of free time and even skipping the family vacation.

The sculpture is made of 96 belly scales cut from old pipe, 994 back scales shaped from old burn barrels and an old wheelbarrow. Scales made of copper, brass and tin were given texture by patient hammering. Three thousand rivets, all hand applied, attach the scales to a skin of galvanized duct work. The head was formed out of gears taken from 1860s wall clocks and the eyes were made out of pocket watches. For the snake’s fangs, Joseph used antique hay mower blade guides found at his great-grandparents’ historic farm in West Jordan. The snake won a First Place and Best of Show ribbon at the Utah State Fair this summer and is now permanently on display at the school on a pedestal of black Italian marble, limestone with hand-hammered copper corners.

“I build these projects mainly because it

is fun, and my mom encourages me to enter in idea in my head as I go along.” contests,” Joseph said. “I enter in Reflections and As he nears his 15th birthday, Joseph has bemy school art show almost every year.” He even gun restoring a 1927 car. has created pieces for talents shows and school His father said they will preserve the look of assignments. the car like a piece of art, but it will be driveable.

“One of the assignments in my science class “Mechanically, it will be a modern driving was to create, or act something out that repre- car,” he said. Joseph has a few ideas about the sented a star’s life cycle,” said Joseph. “As this engine; he’ll turn it into a steam electric car or was after the snake, my science teacher jokingly even build his own internal steam combustion said, ‘You could even weld something.’ A few engine.  days later I came back with my star life-cycle project, which is made of transmission parts left over from the snake.” He ended up giving the piece to his science teacher.

Joseph would like to enter the school district art contest once in high school and perhaps enter something into an art museum.

“My favorite part is designing and seeing what the finished project looks like,” said Joseph. “I don’t design my project before beginning, though. Instead, Joseph Barwick worked all summer to create a snake mascot for Fort Herriman I build and design simultaMiddle School. (Kjerstin Barwick) neously and just keep the

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December 2017 | Page 15

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Riverton swimmer makes good in New York

R

iverton High School graduate Trevor Maxfield has found a place a long way from home. His academics and swimming ability fit well in Troy, New York.

Maxfield hoped to find a school that offered what he wanted academically. He found Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Luckily, it also had a swim team.

“When I was looking for schools, I definitely wanted to go out of state,” Maxfield said. “I looked for schools that had what I wanted, and Rensselaer was it. I am able to focus on the things I need. I don’t take English and very little humanities; mostly math and sciences. It was a huge bonus that they have a swim team.”

He is a mathematics and computer science major. He received several letters and emails from schools before his high school graduation.

Schools from all over the country bid for him to choose them. He narrowed his choice down to four schools on the east coast and went back for a visit; he picked RPI. The 5-foot-11-inch sophomore was the second-highest scoring swimmer on the Engineers’ roster as a freshman. He swims the 200-, 500and 1650-yard freestyle events. Last season, he had five first-place, four second-place and nine third-places finishes.

“He is a great distance guy and such a surprise at the end of last season for us,” Engineers’ head swim coach Shannon O’Brien said. “Because of his hard work, we have set some hefty goals this year for him. He is such a hard worker. I know he

By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com is a good guy, very organized and has a leadership quality we like.”

At the meet against Vassar College Nov. 11, he won the 200-yard freestyle by nearly six seconds. He also won the 500-yard free by 16 seconds. The Engineers’ men’s team swept every event and secured the team victory 184-92.

“This year has been pretty good,” Maxfield said. “We went undefeated last season in our dual meets. We have been invited to the MIT invitational. That is a big deal. It has been a great season for us.”

The Engineers are scheduled to finish their season Feb. 21–24 at Ithaca College. Their division three opponents include Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Vassar College, Hartwick College and Union College.

Maxfield encourages student-athletes to search for opportunities that will help them get in the best situations, but he said he enjoyed his experience at Riverton High School.

“I think there are more opportunities out of state for students,” he said. “I loved Riverton High School. I loved Silver Rush—it’s something that is unique to Riverton. Everyone does a charity drive, but no one realizes that it can be a key factor in your high school experience. It was not about how much money we raised but how much it meant to all of us that were doing it.”

He started swimming two nights a week when he was 10 years old. He moved into competition team and started playing water polo before high school.

Trevor Maxfield from Riverton is the second-leading scorer on the RPI swim team in Troy, New York. (RPI athletics)

Maxfield competed with the Silverwolves swim team for four years and was a team captain for three of those years. He holds five school swim records and was awarded the Utah High School Activities Association Academic All-State award in 2016.

“This has been a great experience,” he said.

“I wish more kids would look for school away from home. I think there were only four from my

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graduating class going out of state. Contact coaches and realize it is not as expensive as you think.”

Maxfield had a 2016 Presidential Scholar nomination and was a Utah Sterling Scholar mathematics finalist. He is the son of Catherine and Blake Maxfield from Riverton.

After graduation at RPI, he hopes to attend graduate school or work in the financial sector doing risk analysis. 

Page 16 | December 2017

S outh Valley city Journal

Silverwolves carry team to victory

By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com

Seam Rausch tried his best to make sure his teammate finished the race at the state cross country meet. (Austin Helton/Kearns cross country)

R

iverton High School’s cross country team finished its season in the top of the 6A class rankings. The Silverwolves did all they could to get themselves there, including carrying each other to the finish line—literally.

“We had a great season,” Silverwolves head cross country coach Chase Englestead said. “We had plans to do better, but we are very happy with the way things turned out. Our boys team did very well, and our girls team was very young and has a bright future ahead of them.”

The season finished with a flurry of excitement.

As the 6A boys race came to a close, junior Blake Lewis approached the final stretch. He heard a snap and fell to the ground in pain. He had broken the tibia bone in his left leg just 200 meters from the finish line.

Senior Sean Rausch turned the corner shortly after and saw his teammate lying on the ground in pain. Without one ounce of concern for his own race or finish he stopped and carried his teammate to the finish line.

“It was cool to see that our athletes are there for each other; they are selfless—lots better kids than I am,” Englestead said. “They are better people than most. If it was me, in my senior year, and I had worked super hard, I would have been a little more selfish. All season and four years were in the balance. I do not think Sean even thought twice.

He thought of his team, and he stopped and wanted his friend to finish this race.”

Rausch and Lewis were both disqualified, but the life lesson has impacted many people through

social media and news stories. The local and national news showed video of the finish, and it was shared virally on Facebook by millions.

“It does seem strange to have them disqualified, but the rules state if the runner touches or helps any other runner then they a both out,” Englestead said.

The Silverwolves boys team placed third overall at the state meet. Junior Joey Nokes finished tenth with a time of 15 minutes 47.2 seconds. Senior Talon Rodriguez finished 13th in 15:58.8, and Ty Davis finished 16th. Tanner Rogers and Robert O’Hara were the team’s final scoring runners.

“Ty got pinched off in the start and got trapped behind a bottleneck in the state race,” Englestead said. “I think he was disappointed in his race, but our kids are all great kids. They are always motivated and hard workers. They always ask what they can do to be better athletes. I don’t have to tell them to do it. They do the little things.”

The girls placed ninth overall at state. Sam Jacobson finished 13th overall, Madi Seegmiller 29th and Liberty Howell 35th.

“Sam has been our No.. 1 girl for four years since her freshman year,” Englestead said. “She is in the spot and knows what to do. She is a very hard worker and a dual sport athlete. Both her and Madi play soccer. They go to soccer practice and run in the morning. This was Madi’s first year to run cross.”

This was the second time in school history the boys cross country team had placed in third at state. 

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December 2017 | Page 17

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Enger signs as a Hornet

By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com

S

he sat at the table in the hallway at Herriman High School and signed a letter of intent, fulfilling a lifelong dream to play college basketball.

“It is a dream come true,” Herriman senior Milee Enger said.

On Thursday, Nov. 8, Enger signed her name and accepted a scholarship offer to attend and continue playing basketball at Sacramento State after her high school graduation.

“I am so excited to have this chance,” Enger said. “Sacramento State really fit into what I wanted in a school.”

The 5-foot-6-inch senior guard has been a four-year varsity player at Herriman. She has scored 692 points in her first three years for the Mustangs. In her career ,the lady Mustangs have not advanced to the state tournament.

She scored a career-high 26 points last season against Box Elder.

“I think this season is going to be great,” she said. “We need to play well to accomplish our goals. Our new coach has us focused.”

In her freshman season, her head coach Jill Ames said, “Enger is a pitbull, not afraid of anyone.”

Enger and senior Macy Markus had been a dominant duo for the Mustangs, but Markus suffered a season-ending injury and won’t be able to play her senior season.

“We have been a couple of tough players for

Milee Enger and her family after she signed her national letter of intent to play basketball at Sacramento State.

(Mike Enger)

our teams,” Enger said. “It will be hard this year not to have her by my side.”

Her senior season will be under the guidance

of a new head coach. Tim Turpin has taken over the program after Jill Ames stepped down at the end of last season. Turpin comes to Herriman from

Juan Diego High School where he was the girls head coach.

Enger’s family is a basketball-oriented family. Her older brother Stockton was a four-year varsity contributor at Herriman. He scored 342 points in his career. He is currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Belgium-Netherlands Mission.

Sacramento State plays in the Big Sky Conference. The Conference includes Southern Utah University and Weber State University. The team is coached by Bunky Harkleroad. Under his direction, the Hornets have broken the NCAA Division 1 record for three-point attempts and shots made—twice.

The Hornets finished last season with a 10-20 overall record and a 6-12 conference record. That was good enough for an eighth-place tie with Weber State. They play a run-and-gun style and last season scored 132 points against Portland State, a Big Sky women’s record.

The Hornets have a history of scheduling challenging opponents. This season they have nine games against teams that played in last year’s NCAA tournament.

Sacramento State is located in Sacramento, California. Its famous alumni include Tom Hanks, Lester Holt from NBC Nightly News and David Hodo, the founding member of The Village People. 

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Page 18 | December 2017

S outh Valley city Journal

SPOTLIGHT

RUNGR8

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Business Spotlights are a service offered to our advertisers to help them inform our readers about their businesses. For information on scheduling a Spotlight, please call us at 801-254-5974 or email us at ryan.casper@mycityjournals.com

A locally owned business in Riverton with expert knowledge and service will be celebrating their sixth anniversary in February 2018—RunGr8 Running Center.

RunGr8 was founded by Blake and Heidi Christensen, who are not only passionate about running, but also helping others achieve their fitness goals. Their small business is known for their friendly, knowledgeable and non-intimidating staff who are experts in helping people find the perfect fitting shoes and gear.

That means anyone who needs shoes.

“We are not a store just for runners,” Blake said. “We help walkers, hikers, people who work on their feet all day and anyone who is looking for the most comfortable and supportive shoes to find the perfect fitting pair.”

They have an incredible selection of shoes from the best-known brands in the industry, in-

cluding Brooks, Asics, Saucony, Altra, Hoka and Mizuno. RunGr8 stocks more than 100 models of shoes for running, walking, hiking, going to the gym or to work.

RunGr8 has a unique evaluation that sets them apart in the industry, a biomechanical analysis known as “The Gr8 fit process.”

The analysis is performed by taking a foot scan to determine the person’s arch type and the pressure points in the feet. Next they perform a 10-15 second gait analysis on a treadmill using slow motion video technology to assess a person’s pronation tendencies. The analysis is free with every shoe purchase and designed to effectively help people find the perfect fitting shoe for comfort and support. No appointments are necessary and it only takes 10 minutes.

So confident is RunGr8 in their ability to fit people in the right shoe that they have a 30-day satisfaction guarantee that allows customers to exchange the shoes for a new pair if they are not 100 percent satisfied with the way the shoes fit and feel.

Those suffering from foot, heel and arch pain can find relief at RunGr8. They carry a vast ar-

ray of products including compression socks, orthotic insoles, massage tools and supportive flip flops to help people find relief from painful foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis.

Each staff member undergoes extensive training directly from each shoe brand manufacturer.

It means they understand the common running injuries and foot conditions and therefore know the best products to reduce pain and comfort.

RunGr8 is active in the community making it a priority to give back and support events that help people live active lifestyles.

They sponsor local running races and charity runs as well as nearby high school track and cross country teams.

Through their store, they provide many free

clinics on running related topics, have training groups that help people participate in 5Ks and half marathons and even host a free 5K every November to help raise awareness for runner safety.

To learn more about RunGr8, visit www. rungr8.com or stop by the store at 2608 W. 12600 South in Riverton. 

Deseret Industries Opens New Thrift Store in Riverton Deseret Industries (DI), a non-profit chain of thrift stores featuring vocational training and donation processing, opened a new retail store at 12449 S. Creek Meadow Rd in Riverton. The Riverton location is approximately 52,000-square-feet and plans to employ 15 staff members and 110 store associates as part of its career-training program. Associates develop skills and obtain certifications enabling them to advance to permanent, full-time employment in a variety of fields and careers.

Deseret Industries offers tens of thousands of gently used items in each of its stores, with thousands of new goods placed on the sales floor each day. Quality secondhand merchandise includes clothing, shoes, furniture, home décor items, linens, children’s books, toys, tools, outdoor play equipment and much more.

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December 2017 | Page 19

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Mustang boys golf sinks Region 3

By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com

A

fter escaping the shadows of some of the state’s most powerful high school golf teams, the Herriman High School boys team found its way into a region championship.

“I was really impressed with the way the boys were dedicated in practice and the offseason to really improve themselves,” Mustang head boys golf coach Jeff Price said. “Instead of just going out and playing, they worked on different aspects of their games, and their scores reflected that hard work,” The team began the season on the right foot by coming away with its first region victories Aug. 1 at Talons Cove Golf Course in Saratoga Springs.

Talons Cove boasts challenging bunkers and long approach shots. The championship 18-hole course has been the home of the Utah High School Activities Association state tournament in the past.

Senior Andrew Hartley finished the state tournament at Valley View Golf Course Oct. 2–3 tied with four other golfers. His two-day total of 163 was good enough for 36th overall. Hartley was the runner-up Region 3 medalist (second place). Hartley was also named First Team All-Region.

“We had some incredible unity among the players,” Price said. “They hang out together and go golfing on their own. That camaraderie helped them play for each other.”

Tanner Palmer, Peyton Colemere and Matthew Silva joined Hartley as First Team All-Re-

The Mustangs’ boys golf team captured their first ever region championship. (Jeff Price/Herriman golf)

gion golfers. “[Colemere] really improved his game,” Price said. “He went from barely making the varsity last year to becoming our No. 2 player. Our seniors

also really led the team. They set the standard of hard work, and the younger kids followed.”

The Mustangs finished 10th overall in state, seven shots behind the 9th-place Riverton Silver-

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“We won the first region tournament and never lost our grip on first place, although it was really close with Riverton all the way up to the region championship,” Price said. “Every time they would close the gap a little bit, the boys would rally and win the next tournament.”

Palmer was awarded academic All-Region and All-State. He maintained a 3.975 cumulative grade point average. He shot an 87.1 season average and had his best round, an 81, at Fox Hollow Golf Course in American Fork. He shot an 178 in the two-day state tournament.

Hartley, Colemere, Silva, Palmer, Colton Bailey, Cooper Richards and Jaret Kadlec represented Herriman at the state tournament. Team scores come from the best four scores of your team over the two-day event.

The UHSAA has paired with the Utah PGA Junior Series to help develop junior golfers of all ages. Golfers as young as 4 years old, all the way to high school competition players, combined to learn the game, course management, etiquette and rules. More information can be found at www. utahpga.com/junior-golf.

Davis High School won the boys golf state championship by finishing 11 shots ahead of Lone Peak. The Utah High School Activities Association sanctioned boys golf as a competitive sport in 1948. 

Page 20 | December 2017

S outh Valley city Journal

CONTACT: Susan Schilling 801-280-0595 susan@swvchamber.org MISSION STATEMENT: To advance community, business, and civic-related interests to ensure continued improvement in the way of life.

VISION STATEMENT: Through volunteerism and leadership, our members bridge community and business—together we are stronger.

BENEFITS: Resources, Networking, Education and Advocacy SUSTAINING PARTNERS: Riverton Hospital • Jordan Valley Medical Center Bluffdale City • Wasatch Lawn Memorial So Valley Park • Riverton City • Herriman City • City Journals

CHAMBER NEWS Welcome the following new members to the Chamber: Serenity Recovery & Wellness, Herriman Towne Center Apartments, and Summit Academy Charter School.

Thanks to the following for renewing: Jenkins Soffe Mortuary, KOJO Sports, Bear-O Care, South Valley Services, Athlos Academy Charter School and Isabella’s Catering.

What a great month we had welcoming many new businesses.

Looking for a Riverton auto parts store? Choose Advance Auto Parts on 12583 S 2200 W to find what you need at an affordable price. To do your own vehicle repairs, you need quality auto parts, ranging from truck or car batteries for reliable starting power to truck or car brakes for safe driving. In the 12583 S 2200 W store, you’ll find shocks and struts for a smooth comfortable ride, what’s needed for a proper tune up, including motor oil, filters, belts and much more.

Deseret Industries opened their doors on October 26. The community was so welcoming to them, that it seems like black Friday; the first shoppers arrived at 3:15 in the morning. They waited in line until the store open at 10 am. The Riverton High band added to the excitement as the ribbon was cut! Thanks to County Deputy Mayor Karen Gale, Mayor Applegarth and Ms. Riverton for your participation.

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Charity – The Road Home Knots on Main in Herriman

Herriman swimmer being called ‘Utah’s best ever’

H

By Carl Fauver | carlf@mycityjournals.com

idden inside the sprawling Cottonwood High School campus on Murray’s east side is the much smaller Academy for Math, Engineering & Science (AMES). And hidden in the AMES charter school class of about 100 seniors is Rhyan White—possibly the best swimmer the state of Utah has ever produced.

“I know she’s the first Utah high school swimmer to earn a spot on the USA Swimming Women’s Junior National Team in the 20 years I’ve been around the sport,” said her Cottonwood High School and Wasatch Front Fish Market club team coach Ron Lockwood. “And speaking with others who’ve been around the sport longer than me, I’ve not found anyone who knows of another Utah swimmer who’s earned that honor.”

Lockwood is hoping White and her Cottonwood teammates can do something the school has not accomplished since 1981—win the state swimming title.

“We finished second in state to Sky View last year…and didn’t lose any graduating seniors,” Lockwood said. “I’m always very careful not to set unrealistic goals for my teams. But winning the state title is very realistic this year, if the girls work hard.”

White certainly hopes that happens and said she will work hard for it. But she’s also got her sights on much loftier goals.

“I want to swim in Tokyo in 2020,” White said. And yes, that is the site of the next summer Olympic Games.

“I began swimming at about age five or six,” Rhyan added. “My three older brothers and one older sister did it, so it was natural for me to follow.”

But unlike those siblings, who White said “drifted away from swimming, at about high school age,” she stuck with it.

Now the young woman—who lives with her family in Herriman and drives across the Salt Lake Valley each morning to school—is rapidly becoming a household name in the swimming world, nationwide.

White’s top event is the backstroke. Here in Utah, the high school racing distance is 100 meters. Since jumping onto the scene three years ago as a freshman she’s never lost the event and is the state record holder for all Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) classifications.

In the ninth grade, White set the state record in the 100 backstroke at 54.75 seconds. The next year she bested that by more than a full second, coming in at 53.45. Last year, her coach reports her winning time was 53.79 seconds.

White also won the state title in the 100 butterfly her sophomore year and the 200 individual medley last season. She’s been named the “Utah Female Swimmer of the Year” in her UHASA class each of those three years.

But don’t think White has never been disappointed in the pool.

Cottonwood’s Rhyan White (left) has been named Utah’s swimmer of the year three straight years.

(Courtesy Ron Lockwood)

“Last summer (at the Olympic time trials in Omaha) I wanted to earn a second race in the 200 backstroke, but fell short by about half a second,” she said.

Of all the girls competing in the event, only the top 16 racers qualified for that second race.

White said she tied for 18th place.

“It just made me even more determined,” Rhyan added. “I’ll be ready the next time.”

Utah fans who want to see arguably our best-ever swimmer need to get to a meet quickly.

After the 5A state finals meet in February, White will never again swim in a high school race. And a few months later she’ll move across the country.

“I honestly never really considered attending a Utah university because I want to extend myself and see what the world is like,” White said. “After visiting Alabama, Texas A&M and Kentucky I’ve now made a verbal commitment to attend the University of Alabama.”

In case you’re wondering, it’s 1,771 miles from Herriman to Tuscaloosa. For that matter, it’s 5,477 miles from southern Salt Lake County to Tokyo. So White will be traveling around.

“I’ve loved growing as a swimmer here in Utah,” she added, “and I definitely would not be the swimmer I am without (Coach Lockwood).

But I think I’m ready for new challenges.”

Before that however, Lockwood has high hopes for his Cottonwood teams.

“Not only did the girls team not graduate any seniors off last year’s squad, but neither did the boys,” he said. “We could win the state title on both sides.”

By the way, Cottonwood High School accomplished that same feat in 1980, a generation before Rhyan White was born. 

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Salt Lake County baseball leagues excited for new Saratoga Springs facility

T

By Jennifer Gardiner | j.gardiner@mycityjournals.com

he city of Saratoga Springs broke ground in October on an allnew sports complex. But Patriot Park has more than just the surrounding community excited.

With the addition of six new baseball fields close to the Salt Lake Valley, many local baseball leagues see opportunity for reprieve at a time when city leagues are at capacity and overflowing with an abundance of players and not enough fields.

Salt Lake County baseball programs started to see problems in 2012 when Riverton officials closed one of the city’s baseball parks, forcing the for-profit super leagues to decrease the number of teams that could play in their leagues.

“The loss of seven Riverton fields significantly impacted the availability of fields for competitive baseball in the Salt Lake Valley, and this led to cutbacks of roughly 40 teams in the league at that time,” said Brandon Riley, Utah Select league director. “Utah Select would definitely be interested in exploring the use of the new fields in Saratoga Springs, and it would likely allow for additional capacity again.”

Riley said lights at a ball field are critical, as most of the fields teams currently use in the Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City parks systems don’t have lights.

“This requires early games, as early as 4:30 p.m. and makes it very difficult for parents to get their kids to games without taking them out of school, as most teams arrive an hour before game time,” Riley said. “The little extra travel to Saratoga Springs or other municipalities can be offset with lights, as it allows parents and kids to avoid the negative impacts of leaving school early to play baseball games.”

Dave Gatti, president of Riverton Baseball City League, said he is thrilled to hear Utah County is building another park. He hopes it will help operate a city league program and open the way for more players who want to play in their city to now have a place to do so.

“Cory Wride park is bursting with kids,” Gatti said. “Utah County needs the room, and it will be a great welcome to the baseball community. Right now there are kids of all abilities and skills flooding back into the city leagues, but this can also cause an influx of problems. I think the city leagues could really benefit with new fields that could be able to use the fields.”

Like Riverton, many other city leagues around the valley started to see an influx of kids filtering out of for-profit super leagues and into the city programs simply because those leagues had to downsize their programs over the lack of facilities. Even tournaments were having to be held far away during times that are inconvenient and disruptive for kids in school.

Riverton City League has more than 1,100 participants in its Cal Ripkin League; similar numbers of kids play in Copper Hills and South Jordan leagues as well.

“I believe that city leagues purpose to provide quality rec options for kids of all skill levels that challenge them and fill a need for activity,” Gatti said. “But I could see the need for having a place in the city that kids who just wanted to play ball and enjoy having something to do, and those kids who are more experienced and competitive could play in the same place.”

Gatti developed what is now known as that separation within the city leagues, and it has become what he said is a solution for many teams left wondering how they can continue to play in leagues where there are so many kids and a shortage for coaches. .

“The American League allows kids of any skill level to just play and have fun, without the pressure of having to be overly competitive,” Gatti said. “But they are all a part of the wonderful programs now being offered at city league parks. The National League allows those that are used to playing competitively to also enjoy the

same amenities a city league offers but where they can continue to play with kids of the same skill level.“ Saratoga Springs Mayor Jim Miller said leaders in his city recognized the community need for new baseball fields, among the other amenities Patriot Park will offer. Currently, the city doesn’t have any baseball fields, forcing residents to filter into neighboring cities’ baseball leagues. Miller said his sons have played in Lehi leagues for years After city officials received word that Lehi was no longer able to accommodate Saratoga Springs residents on baseball teams because it left them with little room for its own residents, the idea for Patriot Park came to light.

Miller said the park will bring the community together for fun and recreation, regardless of whether they are baseball fans. While city leaders haven’t fully decided how the baseball park will operate, they are open to the idea that leagues and teams from the Salt Lake Valley may want to use it and that they will most likely hold tournaments at the park.

Patriot Park is scheduled to open in the spring of 2019. It will include six baseball fields, eight pickle ball courts, a playground, batting cages and concessions. The fields will be named after each different branch of the military and will include a memorial for veterans. 

December 2017 | Page 21

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Page 22 | December 2017

S outh Valley city Journal

The Great Toy Hunt For as long as there has been Christmas Hype there have been hard to get toys. And, with those toys come parents and grandparents willing to go to crazy lengths to get one for their child. Last year it was Hatchimals and this year new toys like Fingerlings and a Nintendo that looks like something from then ‘80’s have already gone missing and pop up with over inflated prices from toy scalpers on eBay and Amazon. It’s become an American tradition.

Ninja Turtle Super Shredder toy was my most memorable toy hunt. Some of you probably remember getting one or wanting one. It was sometime around 1985. I remember spending hours hunting, calling and searching for this silly $6 dollar toy. And I was finally able to snag one after stalking ToysRUs employees, showing up at the store before the doors opened, racing to dig through a box of newly arrived Turtles to get one of the 4 that came in a case. Keep in mind; the Internet did not exist for common folk at this time.

Yep, I got caught up in the hype and thought, my kid must prevail, determined for him to have bragging rights of being the owner of this prestigious toy. I got that little rush when I brought my treasure home and carefully hide the sack on the top shelf of the closet. To this day, Super Shredder still has a home among the dust in my attic.

by

JOANI TAYLOR

Now let me remind you, we raised our family in a very financially insecure time. In my short 30 something years of marriage, we have been through job loss, near bankruptcy and the heartache of having to give up our dream home due to financial struggles. These are the times I learned creative ways to save, avoid spending and the priceless value of having a partner to lean on.

We sacrificed marital time as I went to work nights not my best idea. Dented cans and refrozen food from the Rainbow Market and out of date bakery items at the Hostess Bake Shop

were common dinner table items. I learned to clip those .10¢ coupons out of necessity, not because it was the popular thing to do.

Looking back on my Super Shredder hunt, I wonder if it wouldn’t have been better to give the gift of one of life’s most valuable lessons instead. After all, what better gift than to teach a child that we don’t always get what we want.

Have you gone to crazy lengths to find a Christmas toy or do you have a memory of toy you got or didn’t get as a child? Enjoy the hunt, but know that if you don’t prevail you are still giving a treasured gift to the child you love.

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December 2017 | Page 23

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Laughter AND

by

PERI KINDER

SOUTH VALLEY

E

very year on November 30, while my girls slept, I’d spend the evening putting up Christmas decorations. I’d place every Santa just so and every angel just right. My daughters would wake up to a magical Christmas wonderland with twinkling lights, cinnamon-scented pinecones and beautifully wrapped packages.

That was my dream. Reality was much different.

Oh, the house was decorated, and the girls were excited, but within five minutes the entire holiday-scape was destroyed.

My daughters would walk into the idyllic wonderland I’d created, squeal with glee and run to their favorite Christmas decoration. One daughter immediately turned on the display that had Disney characters barking your favorite carols. If you haven’t heard “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” sung in “Woofs” by Pluto for 25 days in a row, you don’t know the real meaning of Christmas.

Another daughter ran to the Nativity scene where she helped Mother Mary run off with Frosty the Snowman, leaving Baby Jesus in the care of a 6-foot polar bear wearing a holiday scarf.

Yet another daughter took the ornamental French horn off the wall and marched through the house trumpeting Jingle Bells. Not to be outdone, her little sister used the tree skirt as a cloak and pretended to be the Queen of Christmas,

which caused several fistfights in front of the holy manger.

When the girls went off to school each day, I’d put all the decorations back in their traditionally ordained locations. I found Ken and Barbie naked in a Christmas stocking. I discovered one of the Wise Men snuggled with an angel behind an advent calendar. I glued the shepherds’ crooks back on because the girls would have them fight ninja-style and kept breaking them off.

I found the singing Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer shoved into a pile of laundry. Oh, wait. I’d put that there. Because it never shut up.

The girls would come home from school and spend the rest of the evening rearranging the decorations while I radiated anger.

“Leave the damn tree alone!” I’d repeat 40 times a day.

“But someone moved my ornament from its special place.” (Insert the sound of Christmas decorations falling off the tree.)

When I found the Christmas pillow I had painstakingly cross-stitched had been used to wipe up a Kool-Aid spill, I finally lost it. I was exhausted from trying to redecorate the house every day to keep everything looking perfect.

I screeched, in a very unholiday voice, “Put the Baby Jesus back in the manger

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was given back to Mother Mary. (She had returned from her illicit rendezvous with Frosty in time to change the baby’s diaper and put him back in the manger.)

My house was messy and emotional, but delightful and creative, too. This was my Christmas wonderland. 

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before I tell Santa to burn all your presents!”

Everyone froze.

The daughter who had wrapped Baby Jesus in layers of toilet paper to keep him warm looked at me, eyes brimming with tears. “I just wanted to hold him,” she said, as her lip quivered.

That’s when it hit me. I was the Grinch.

Why the hell was I ruining Christmas?

Why was I trying to keep everything perfect? To my daughters, it was already perfect. They loved the decorations and wanted to play with them for the short time they were displayed.

I took a few deep breaths. I apologized. I even agreed to sit through a Christmas play where the Wise Men kidnapped Jesus and held him for ransom, but a stuffed Santa Claus karate-kicked the Wise Men to rescue the holy babe who

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Page 24 | December 2017

S outh Valley City Journal

2920 West 14000 south, Bluffdale, ut 84065 City Journal is a free publication made possible by our advertisers . Please shop local and let them know you saw them in the City Journal.