June 2017 | Vol. 17 Iss. 06
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FORMER WEST JORDAN MAYOR unanimously elected to fill council seat By Carl Fauver | carlf@mycityjournals.com
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David Newton is sworn in as West Jordan’s newest city council member. (Carl Fauver)
Newton has a couple of things he would like to assist the city in accomplishing during his time on the council. “I think we need to look seriously at city business license reforms,” he said. “Right now, technically, it’s illegal to have a garage sale—or for kids to operate a lemonade stand—without a city license. We need to make some changes there. Also, I would like to see West Jordan get a performing art center. We’ve been working on that for 15 years.” Following Newton’s election, West Jordan council members said they were pleased with his selection and with the entire field of applicants. “I was blown away by your applications and interview answers,” Councilman Zach Jacob said. “Councilman Dirk Burton added, “West Jordan is the real winner tonight.” And Councilman Chris McConnehey added, “This was a very difficult choice. I had seven different candidates I wanted to vote for (in the first round). This has been one of the most impactful nights I have ever had on the city council.”
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INSIDE
he West Jordan City Council has turned to a familiar face to help get it past a difficult time in city government. From among 31 applicants for the position, former Mayor David Newton was elected to serve the remaining eight months of a vacant at-large council seat. Newton replaces Councilman Jeff Haaga, who resigned the position nearly nine months after an apparent drunken encounter with police. Haaga was not arrested for DUI but did pay a $500 fine for leaving the scene of an accident. “I don’t intend to seek election this fall,” the 68-year-old Newton told council members during a question-and-answer period prior to their April 27 vote. “But I do think there are things I can do before the end of the year to assist. For one thing, the city budget has to be finalized over the next couple of months, and I’m happy to assist with that.” Of the 31 applicants, 26 turned out for interviews before the council—20 men and six women. In the first round, each of them was given one minute to answer the same succinct question: “What are your passions?” The applicants all adjourned to an adjacent room and were brought back one at a time so none could hear previous answers to the question. The applicants responded with passions ranging from family, politics and community service to gardening, making wine and refereeing basketball and football games. City council members were then allowed a first, second and third choice, with the top three vote getters advancing to the second round. They were N. Craig Dearing, Newton and David Pack. In the second round, Dearing was eliminated, followed by a 4-2 vote in the final round, between Newton and Pack. Afterward, Newton was formally nominated for the at-large seat and was unanimously approved by the mayor and council. “I would have voted for David Pack, and I hope he runs for this seat next fall,” Newton said. “But for the next few months, I’m happy to offer my assistance.” Nearly 20 years ago, Newton served for two years as a West Jordan city councilman. More recently—from 2006 to 2010 he was the city’s mayor. He did not seek re-election. Newton currently serves as vice chairman of both the Trans-Jordan Landfill board of directors and the Jordan Valley Medical Center board of directors. “I enjoy serving the community,” said the father of two and grandfather of seven. “I plan to do all I can for a few months and then make room for someone else.”
Many of the applicants may consider an election run this fall. The mayor and three council seats will be on the ballot. At least two of those—the two at-large council seats—are filled by incumbents who do not plan to run: Newton and Chad Nichols. After the meeting, finalist Pack said he is considering a run for one of the at-large seats but had not yet officially decided.
“I enjoy serving the community. I plan to do all I can for a few months and then make room for someone else.”
WJ rolls out Stampede Days. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Committee to study West Jordan’s form of government Teacher’s mindful of brain health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jaguar’s boys soccer exceed expectations . . . . . . . . .
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LOCAL LIFE
PAGE 2 | JUNE 2017
WEST JORDAN JOURNAL
Small cast brings high-energy comedic mystery to Midvale By Natalie Conforto | natalie.c@mycityjournals.com The West Jordan City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout West Jordan. For information about distribution please email circulation@mycityjournals. com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. For subscriptions please contact: circulation@mycityjournals.com The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner.
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omedy, romance, mystery, intrigue, high-stepping dance-off and murder most foul: These elements comprise the Sugar Factory Playhouse’s upcoming production of “Curtains,” to be performed at the Midvale Performing Arts Center this June. “Think ‘Clue’ meets ‘Oklahoma’ meets ‘42nd Street,’” Jen Crabb, a principal actress in “Curtains,” said, comparing the play to other wellknown shows. “Our protagonist is a detective who is an amateur drama fan, who would rather be performing in the show than investigating the murder.” Like “42nd Street,” the show contains a play-within-a-play, and includes large-scale dance numbers like “Oklahoma.” “Curtains” is also a period piece, set in 1959. “This musical is like Sherlock Holmes—if he were investigating a Broadway production,” said Alex Taylor, a young adult actor in the show. Debuting on Broadway in 2008, “Curtains” is a relatively new show for a community theater to obtain. Most scripts they perform are decadesold because newer scripts are too expensive. While many scripts require actors to perform what’s written verbatim, Theatrical Rights Worldwide, or TRW, provides allowances for familyvalues communities like West Jordan. When asked if “Curtains” would be appropriate for children to see, Gull said, “There are three murders in the show, but the nice thing about this company is that they give you substitute lines if your audience does not appreciate certain explicit language.” The West Jordan group will perform the milder version of “Curtains.” Gull mentioned her hopes that West Jordan will have its own theater someday. “I love Midvale, but it’s Midvale and not West Jordan,” she said. Still, Gull’s group is grateful that the Midvale Performing Arts Center was willing to rent to them within their budget. Gull said that the small theater is “much more reasonably priced than schools we try to rent. They know what it’s like. It’s such a charming place.” She described how the undersized auditorium will actually enhance the experience for viewers. “The audience gets to feel like they’re part of it, and not just watching it, because of the kind of venue it is,” said Gull. She said this site worked for the West Jordan production of “Hairspray” last summer because some scenes revolve around a fictional TV show, and the spectators seemed to play the part of a studio audience. Gull said there will be “great visibility from every seat in the house” during “Curtains,” especially because she has planned for some scenes to be performed in the aisles. The tight quarters of the theater limited the number of actors Gull was able to cast. The group’s 2015 production of “Joseph” comfortably fit 40plus actors on the Copper Hills High School stage, but “Curtains” will max out at 25 performers. “If we’d had a bigger venue we could have handled a larger cast,”
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The cast of “Curtains” practices dance moves for the number “Show People” at West Jordan’s old library. (Natalie Conforto/City Journals)
Gull said. However, a smaller cast means fewer costumes to create, which is helpful to Gull because she is also this show’s costumer. Many of the costumes are from her personal collection. Although she lives in Orem, Gull considers the Sugar Factory Playhouse/WJTA to be her “home theater.” She and her family have been consistently involved with the group—performing or directing—since its inception 22 years ago. “This is my first love. I’m blessed to be able to do it,” she said. “My girls literally grew up in theater. Now they’re both choreographer-actresses. It truly is an addiction.” Gull’s daughter Kassi is the choreographer for “Curtains.” The Gulls also volunteer their talents closer to home at Timpanogos High School, where they have directed and choreographed productions for the past several years. “Curtains” is West Jordan actor Alex Taylor’s second show with this group. “Community theater allows me to create friendships and help bring our community together,” he said. “Sugar Factory Playhouse is unique for its ability to help all feel included and develop the performance level of each individual.” Performances will be June 22, 23, 24, 26, 29, 30 and July 1 at 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on June 24 at the Midvale Performing Arts Center (695 West Center Street). Tickets are $8 for general admission. Tickets for children 12 and under, seniors 60 and over, students with ID and groups of 10 or more are $5. Tickets will be available at Macey’s grocery store in West Jordan or at the door.
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WEST JORDAN JOURNAL LOCAL LIFE Jordan Valley Children’s Center opens to keep kids close to home By Natalie Conforto | natalie.c@mycityjournals.com
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ordan Valley Medical Center’s new unit, called the Jordan Valley Children’s Center, is now ready to receive children for inpatient care. When the ICU expanded into the newer part of the hospital, space became available to house children. For years, many west-side families have traveled across the valley for inpatient care, but now they will have another option, said CEO Steven Anderson at the March 23 ribbon-cutting for the new pediatric wing. Medical personnel, hospital board members and many EMS providers, including police officers and firefighters, were in attendance. Many brought their children to the event. “We’ve delivered 2,000 babies here a year, and when they leave we’ve told them to come back when they’re adults,” Anderson said. “Well now, we’ll tell them to come back anytime they need help.” The new unit includes several standout features: • Personal nine-bed unit • Pediatric accredited sleep lab bed • Pediatric Centered Emergency Department • Bronchiolitis Clinic (RSV) • CT Scanner with the lowest dose of radiation in the state • Complimentary transportation from the emergency room at Mountain Point Medical Center and Jordan Valley, West Valley Campus (IASIS hospitals) Nathanael Budge, hospital COO, has been involved in this project from the ground up. He said the pediatric unit was conceived about five years ago when administration began to analyze the number of emergency room patients coming through their doors. “We typically had between 20 and 30 pediatric ER patients in a month,” Budge said. “And they could receive at least that initial emergent care, but if they needed to have a prolonged stay in the
Shannon Flitton, RN, and her nursing team had the honor of cutting the ribbon to open the Jordan Valley Children’s Center, the new pediatric wing at Jordan Valley Medical Center. (Jordan Valley Medical Center)
hospital, we couldn’t take care of them.” With nine beds, the Jordan Valley Children’s Center should be able to comfortably accommodate the current needs of the west side. The hospital boasts four sleep lab rooms, which are designed to conduct diagnostic tests for sleep apnea and insomnia. One of these rooms is dedicated just for pediatrics. Budge said the bronchiolitis clinic has been available for some time at Jordan Valley Medical Center, but children who have needed further observation have historically been shipped up to Primary
Children’s Medical Center. Now the bronchiolitis clinic is an integral part of the children’s center. “IASIS Healthcare has been generous in providing the latest equipment, including software that can detect patient size and deliver specific amounts of radiation,” Budge said. He explained that their new technology makes it possible for children to receive far less radiation than adults would during a scan. Sarah Morgan, RN, was recognized at the ribbon-cutting as the very first nurse hired onto Shannon Flitton’s pediatric team. Morgan is excited to help alleviate the burden on west-side families— especially the sick children. “Now, instead of having to transfer them and take them out of their environment, they are able to stay here close to their homes,” Flitton said. The previous West Jordan mayor, Dave Newton, was at the event to represent the hospital board, where he has served for the past 15 years. He and his wife, Sandy, raised their family in West Jordan. “Our daughter had febrile seizures when she was tiny,” Newton said. “We would’ve been able to bring her here instead of going all the way to the east for her treatment. They are absolutely great in their desire to give the best medical care they can. It’s really a marvelous place.” He said has been impressed with the staff at the new children’s center. Before inviting the nursing staff to cut the ribbon, Anderson indicated the children who were present. “We need to remember that this is why we built this unit—for these precious children,” he said.
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LOCAL LIFE Volunteers turn up for I Love West Jordan Day
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By Natalie Conforto | natalie.c@mycityjournals.com
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espite the wet and stormy week, hundreds of West Jordan residents showed up to help beautify the city for this year’s I Love West Jordan Day. April 29 dawned gray and misty, but these folks were willing to work outside. By the time the work was underway, the volunteers were rewarded with sunshine. Public works employees, firefighters, police officers, EMTs and Exchange Club members were among the first arrivals. Copper Hills High School cheerleaders, high school bands, local Scout troops, youth service units and church groups also came to do their part. Volunteers met at West Jordan City Hall’s parking lot where each received a red “I [heart] WJ” shirt and an assignment— either there at Veterans Memorial Park, or at any of the other city parks within West Jordan. Twenty-four parks had a new load of “soft fall” (playground wood chips) delivered for volunteers to spread. Before dispersing to job sites, workers were offered grab-and-go breakfast items while Alt 101.9 radio station played tunes from a loudspeaker. Ben Perry, Scoutmaster from Troop 1510, brought 11 workgloved Scouts to labor at the Veterans Memorial Park. This was their third year participating in the citywide day of service, and Perry said they were ready “to do whatever the park needs us to do.” He mentioned that in previous years, the troop planted trees, spread mulch, laid sod and painted bleachers. Teenager Exandria Tanner was there with her LDS church ward, huddling together in the morning wind. She also came to work at last year’s service event and remembers “running around and cleaning up the park.” Her group brought shovels, rakes and gloves to help spruce up the area again. Along with the warm fuzzies that come from helping others,
Residents near the Oaks East Park organized their own group effort to spread wood chips on the Monday night following I Love West Jordan Day. (Mandy Clifford)
Vista West Park was one of many city parks that received facelifts on I Love West Jordan Day with new trees, mulch, sod and cleaned-out dry washes. (Natalie Conforto/City Journals)
volunteers also received free lunch. Sam’s Club, Pizza Pie Café, Jersey Mike’s, Costco and Tamale Tita’s all sponsored I Love West Jordan Day this year by delivering meals to each work site. University Credit Union donated the T-shirts; West Jordan Raw Bean brought the coffee, and City Journals provided the breakfast. Some volunteers, however, didn’t receive any of the extra perks. Mandy Clifford was helping at a youth fundraiser at her neighborhood park on the morning of the city cleanup event. She noticed kids jumping into a large pile of wood chips and saw a sign posted that designated the Oaks East Park as an I Love WJ Day location. “I put two and two together that those wood chips were
probably meant for the service project,” Clifford said. “I felt bad because our fundraiser was dominating that park.” Clifford then called City Hall and offered to organize a group to complete the task, and her offer was gladly accepted. She posted on Facebook to invite neighbors for a Monday night service project; several families showed up. The volunteers brought shovels and rakes and had the “soft fall” spread out within 45 minutes. Clifford was delighted with the turnout. “It was so rewarding,” she said. “I loved how much support we had on such short notice. It shows that the people that live in West Jordan truly care about our community.”
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PAGE 6 | JUNE 2017
WEST JORDAN JOURNAL
‘May the fourth be with you’—a Viridian tradition By Natalie Conforto | natalie.c@mycityjournals.com
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he Salt Lake Comic Con FanX has come and gone until next fall. Now what? Millions of sci-fi fans and a convenient play on words agree that “Star Wars” deserves its own holiday, and the Viridian Event Center has answered the call. For the second year running, Salt Lake County’s library has hosted all manner of Jedi and Sith to celebrate America’s largest grossing sci-fi film franchise on May 4: “Star Wars” Day. “I think they did an amazing job of putting all the décor up,” Annicka Woodward said. “They really went all out.” “We were going for a cheesy cantina theme and creating a bar-cantina atmosphere,” said Tyler Curtis, the event center manager at the Viridian. Just like that scene in “Star Wars: A New Hope” (where Han Solo shot first at the bounty hunter Greedo), the Viridian was decked out in space-age metallics, star-like twinkle lights and aliens from all over the galaxy. While actors staged a barroom lightsaber duel, John Williams’ Imperial March (remixed with a techno beat) and music from a lip sync battle completed the cantina ambience. A photographer was available to take free pictures of fans with film poster standees and a giant AT-AT. “You wouldn’t think that library employees would go to so much effort; it was fun,” added Michael Woodward, who was also impressed with the turnout. A total of 450 people reserved tickets for the event. David Woodruff, the event emcee, wore an Imperial general costume as he spoke to the crowd about why they all came. “Those stories about good triumphing over evil really means something, and whether you’re dressing up as a storm trooper or an ewok, people want to embrace that feeling that they get the
Cosplayers took the stage for the costume contest at the Viridian Event Center’s Star Wars party. (Natalie Conforto/City Journals)
first time they see ‘Star Wars,’” he said. The main event of the evening was the costume contest. Of the 450 attendees, about 70 guests were fully clad from “a galaxy far, far away.” Wookiees, Jedi and Naboo queens were plentiful, but the grand prize went to West Jordan resident Gary Lizaso for his homemade Lando Calrissian costume. He also fashioned his wife, Amanda’s, Poe Dameron costume, which took second place. Local cosplayers have started to include the Viridian’s event to their yearly docket, right between the March and September Comic Cons. Just like a Comic-Con, vendors were onsite with rare fan items for sale, like Rebel Alliance backpacks and Princess Leia accessories. Unlike a Comic-Con, the Viridian’s party was completely free.
Cosplayers Gary and Amanda Lizaso attend Comic Cons as often as possible, and they appreciated the price of the May 4 party. Gary said, “Comic-con tickets are around a hundred bucks,” and Amanda added, “The free food was nice.” Light refreshments and “Star Wars”-themed snacks were provided, including “Vader Sabers” (red licorice), “Death Star Holes” (donut holes), “Princess Lays” (potato chips) and even mocktails (Alcohol-free). Unfortunately, not everyone got to enjoy the galactic fare. “The food and drink line was a little ridiculous We didn’t even make it to that because it was so long,” said Woodward, who decided with her group to wait until the line died down before getting some food. That never happened; there were still at least 20 people in line at the end of the party. Despite missing out on the food, Woodward still had a great time. “Everything they had going on stage was pretty good,” she said. “I liked the game shows, and the trivia seemed to be pretty popular.” The county library offers regular, free events for all ages throughout the year. This one was for adults only. “At the library, we love touching a number of different communities,” Curtis said. “Obviously, sci-fi and geek culture is really popular in Utah. This event provides a fun and engaging way for adults to be involved with the library.” This year’s “Star Wars” party almost doubled in attendance from last year’s event, which proves it was a success. Library staff hopes to make the party a tradition.
LOCAL LIFE
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West Jordan rolls out Stampede Days By Natalie Conforto | natalie.c@mycityjournals.com
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est Jordan centers its largest annual celebration, Stampede Days, around the nation’s Independence Day. Mountain America Credit Union has partnered with West Jordan City to present this year’s festivities. Stampede Days will take place June 30–July 4 this year, offering a range of activities for the whole family—cowboys or not. Please note that the parade route, which has remained the same for years, will be different this year because of construction on 7000 South. The parade will start at City Hall, 8000 South Redwood Road, and head north to 7800 South where it will turn west and end at 2700 West. There will be road closures on Redwood Road and 7800 South to accommodate the parade on July 4. Western Stampede PRCA Rodeo July 1, 3 and 4 7:30 p.m. mutton bustin’ pre-show; 8 p.m. professional rodeo West Jordan Arena 8035 South 2200 West A West Jordan tradition, the rodeo features world champion cowboys in all your favorite rodeo events, including bucking broncos, team roping, barrel racing, bull riding and more. The rodeo royalty will be there, too. Youngsters can sign up to participate in mutton bustin’ or the junior princess experience. Sign-ups take place at the library summer reading kickoff on Friday, June 2 from 6-9 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park ($15). Visit www.WesternStampede.com for rodeo tickets and event details. The Arena Box Office will be open June 26–30 from 4–8 p.m. and the day of the event from 2–8 p.m. Rodeo tickets range from $11–$18. Linda Buttars Fun Run July 1 8 a.m. Veterans Memorial Park 8030 South 1825 West All ages are welcome to participate in this fun run. A timed 5k and also a 1-mile walk that is open to bikes, skateboards, strollers and more honors Linda Buttars, a West Jordan volunteer extraordinaire. “Linda was always the first to say ‘How can I help?’” said former City Manager Gary Luebbers. “She took over the ‘Decked in Red Family Run and Walk’ when help was needed and made it significantly better.” When she passed away in 2006, the city council changed the name of the event to memorialize her. Buttars also worked for West Jordan as a crossing
guard and crossing guard supervisor for more than 25 years. Racers can register online at Active. com any time before June 23 or at the event on July 1, but T-shirts are only guaranteed for those who register by June 17. The cost this year is $5 for an individual, $10 for business teams of five participants (with a $2 charge for each additional runner) and $10 for a family group of up to 10 people. Carnival June 30, July 1, 3 and 4 Veterans Memorial Park 8030 South 1825 West Introduce your family to the tilt-a-whirl while the carnival is in town. Food trucks and vendors will be onsite so you can make a day of it. Rides and food are available for purchase. Hours of operation are: June 30 from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. and July 1, 2 and 3 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fourth of July Parade July 4 at 10:30 a.m. Although the route will be different this year, you can still expect school bands, floats, equestrian groups and community clubs to march in West Jordan’s Fourth of July parade. The parade starts at 10:30 a.m. and typically runs until about noon. Redwood Road from 9000 South to 8000 South will be closed from 10 a.m. to noon; 7800 South between Redwood Road and 2200 West will be closed from 7 a.m. to noon; and no through traffic will be allowed on 7800 South. If your group would like to participate in the parade, please find application instructions at WesternStampede.com. West Jordan Band Concert July 4 at 1:30 p.m. Viridian Amphitheater 8030 South 1825 West The West Jordan Band will be playing patriotic music after the parade. This is a free event.
The Fourth of July parade route will change this year. It will head north at City Hall on Redwood Road and turn west onto 7800 South. (Western Stampede)
Movie in the Park July 4 at Dusk Veterans Memorial Park 8030 South 1825 West “Sing” will be projected on a big screen in the park. Bring a blanket and chairs to enjoy a movie under the stars with your family. This is a free event. Fireworks July 4 at 10 p.m. Veterans Memorial Park 8030 South 1825 West The fireworks show will begin when the Western Stampede Rodeo is over and the livestock are secured at the adjacent arena. Fireworks will be visible throughout the park and arena. This is a free event. Fireworks Laws Personal fireworks are not allowed in city parks but may be discharged according to state code between the dates of July 1–7 and July 21–27 in non-restricted areas. Restricted areas include: 1. All areas west of U-111 (Bacchus Highway) within West Jordan City limits. 2. All areas within 200 feet of the Jordan River Parkway Trail east of 1300 West. 3. All areas within 200 feet of the area commonly referred to as Clay Hollow Wash that run east and west in the area of 7800 South (approximately 4800 West to U-111). 4. All areas within 200 feet of Bingham Creek, located near Old Bingham Highway running the length of the east–west boundaries within West Jordan. 5. All city parks, unless a permit has been obtained for a professional display. Visit WestJordan.Utah.gov for additional details.
JUNE 2017 | PAGE 7
GOVERNMENT
PAGE 8 | JUNE 2017
WEST JORDAN JOURNAL
West Jordan receives $240,000 check for energy conservation By Tori La Rue | tori@mycityjournals.com
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ocky Mountain Power presented West Jordan City leaders with an incentive check of $240,298.50 on May 10 for swapping 5,000 traditional streetlights with LED lights last year. The city switched to light-emitting diode lights in hopes of reducing energy costs, decreasing its carbon footprint and increasing night visibility throughout the city. “It is a great day for West Jordan,” Mayor Kim Rolfe said just after Rocky Mountain Power regional business manager Michael Lange presented the check during a city council meeting. “Three years ago, we started the LED project. It was a big project to take on for the city, but now, thankfully, we are going to see benefits for years to come.” While the incentive check is a onetime occurrence, West Jordan will save approximately 1.6 million kilowatt-hours per year because of the transition, which translates to $180,000 per year in electrical costs. “This is the environmental equivalent of taking almost 243 passenger vehicles off the road for one year,” Lange added. The investment for the project cost the city about $3.7 million. This includes the light fixtures and installation. Existing streetlight poles were used to cut costs and keep pole spacing and height consistent.
Rocky Mountain Power representatives present the West Jordan’s city council with a $240,298.50 rebate check. (Tori La Rue/City Journals)
The $3.7 million was paid for with a bond, but the bond payments are coming from energy and maintenance cost savings, so residents have not seen an increase in taxes to pay for the lights. The lights will pay for themselves within eight years and subsequently will save the city around $150,000 annually, according to city Public Works Director Wendell Rigby.
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LEDs typically get 50,000 hours of life, more than double the lifespan of traditional lights. They also come with a 10-year warranty, though many are expected to last for 17 to 23 years, according to city staff. The LED lights use fewer watts of electricity and are less sensitive to heat changes. LED lights also differ from traditional
lights in their color. While traditional lights give off a pink or yellow tone, LED lights have a cooler, whiter glow that creates a more uniform light distribution and makes it easier to see. While West Jordan officials were busy switching lights last year, West Jordan businesses and residents also got involved in energy conservation and claimed $1,060,910 in incentives from Rocky Mountain Power through hundreds of projects. “These projects have saved a total of over 10 million kilowatt-hours per year, and garnered a total of over $647,000 in annual cost savings,” Lange said. “This is the environmental equivalent of taking 1,500 vehicles off of the road in one year.” Rocky Mountain Power’s energy efficiency incentive program, called Wattsmart, intends to reward customers who decrease energy usage levels. When current users decrease their energy dependency, it allows Rocky Mountain Power to serve more clients while maintaining current infrastructure, thus avoiding the high cost of creating new power plants. For more information on the Wattsmart program, visit rockymountainpower.net.
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JUNE 2017 | PAGE 9
Resident committee to study West Jordan’s form of government By Tori La Rue | tori@mycityjournals.com
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eciding to seek more resident input before adding a change of government question to November’s election ballot, on April 26 the West Jordan City Council confirmed the appointment of nine residents to a study committee. The Forms of Government Ad Hoc Committee will discuss West Jordan’s current council-manager form of government and compare it with other Utah forms of municipal government before recommending a change of government question for the November ballot or advising against one. The committee’s findings will not be binding, and the city council may or may not adhere to its recommendations. Bart Barker, Joel Coleman, Adam Gardiner, Kathy Hilton, Chad Lamb, Joe Martinez, John Price, Randall Rasmussen and Michael Toronto applied for the committee and were appointed to it. The committee appointments came after the city council passed and then rescinded a change-of-government question earlier this year. On Jan. 25, the council passed a resolution that put a government change question on the November ballot. The question proposed a change to the council-mayor form of government. This change would remove the mayor as chairman of the city council and instead make him the head of the executive branch of government, giving him more say in day-to-day city operations. West Jordan’s current form of government, the council-manager form, allows a city manager to oversee city operations. The city manager is a professional appointed by the city council. The original resolution was intended to “let the public have a choice” in their form of government, according to its initiator, Councilman Dirk Burton, but residents said it fell flat because it only gave them two choices. Utah law outlines three other kinds of city governments: the six-member council, five-member council and charter forms. A charter government would allow the city to build its own form of government. In the five- and six-member council forms, the mayor is
Rocky Mountain Power representatives present the West Jordan’s city council with a $240,298.50 rebate check. (Tori La Rue/City Journals)
the CEO of the city and chairperson of the council, and responsibilities may be added or subtracted from the mayor’s job description by a vote of the council. No one spoke in favor of the ballot question during the Feb. 22 and March 8 public hearings. Several members who are now on the ad hoc committee—including Hilton, Barker and Coleman—expressed concerns. Coleman asked that a citizen advisory committee be established prior to putting a question on the ballot. “Maybe some of us citizens could take some time and thoughtfully go through the different options that we have and talk about the potential ramifications—the positives of changing and some of the negative ones—and come back to the council with an official recommendation,”
he said on Feb. 22. “That would be really a great process to go through, even if we end up right where we are here in plenty of time to meet the deadlines for the elections and so forth.” Barker invited the council to give residents more notice about change of government discussions and decisions. “I would encourage the city council to do whatever they can, if it goes forward with any ballot measure, to provide significant notice to the public of public discussions and of the information they need to make a decision,” Barker said. After listening to resident feedback, the council rescinded the original resolution on March 8. The vote passed 4-1 in favor, with Burton casting the negative vote, Mayor Kim Rolfe abstaining and then-Councilman Jeff Haaga excusing himself because of a “conflict of interest.” This removed the change of government question from the ballot. At the same meeting, the council approved the formation of a citizen advisory committee to prepare a government-change recommendation for the council. At the May 10 city council meeting, Lamb said he and the other members are excited to start exploring the government possibilities within West Jordan. The committee will present to the council later this year. Although the resolution that created the committee does not specify a date by which the committee must report, the committee would need to present by June 5 for its findings to influence the November 2017 ballot. Deputy City Clerk Carol Herman said the council would have to adopt a resolution by June 25 to get any government change question placed on the ballot. Prior to the June 25 meeting, the city would have to hold two public hearings, each with a 10-day notice. Residents who are not on the committee are encouraged to voice their opinions on West Jordan’s form of government during the citizen comments segment at upcoming city council meetings.
EDUCATION
PAGE 10 | JUNE 2017
Remembering West Jordan Middle School’s history
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WEST JORDAN JOURNAL
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
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he community came together to celebrate the history and the future of West Jordan Middle School at the May 1 groundbreaking of its new school building. “We see this school as being a community center, and by that I mean memories are made in our schools,” said Principal Dixie Garrison. The school has been a key feature of the south valley for 59 years. It has educated students from West Jordan, South Jordan, Riverton, Bluffdale, Herriman, Copperton and Lark. It was formerly known as West Jordan Junior High and included grades six through eight. Its pool has provided thousands of children with swimming lessons. Its auditorium, the largest in the district, has hosted numerous community events. Built in 1958, WJMS is the oldest school building in Jordan District. When it is replaced by the new building in two years, it will not be forgotten. Tim Brooks, who taught for 12 years and was assistant principal for six years at the beloved school, has preserved the memories of generations of WJMS students. Brooks digitally catalogued the school’s history from scrapbooks, photos and artifacts (T-shirts, band uniforms, text books, school records, etc.) and posted them on Facebook. “The response was epic,” Brooks said. Former students and faculty saw the photos and reminisced through posted comments. More than 3,000 pictures are accessible to the community in photo albums on the school’s Facebook page. Current WJMS student body president Isaac Atwood said the historical collection has motivated the student body to think about their legacy. “We can look back on the past and use it as inspiration to do even better in the future,” he said. The photos document, school traditions, the transition of the school mascot from Shamrocks to Lions and activities, as well as a proud history of sporting and staff and student achievement. “I can’t go anywhere without talking with people who have been touched by events throughout time that have happened here at WJMS,” Garrison said. “It seems to be family to most of us here.” And for her it is. Her father, Bruce Garrison, was also a principal at WJMS. Retired Custodian Scott Bateman’s father was a principal at the school, too. Before he was head custodian for 25 years, Bateman attended the school as a student. Bateman has seen a lot of changes to the building. He remembers when the auditorium seats were shipped to Texas to be reupholstered and when water was pumped for the sprinkling system from the school’s well and when there was a storage closet where the elevator is today.
Twins Tyler and Katelyn Blodgett participate in the groundbreaking of the new WJMS building. They will be in the first seventh-grade class when the new school opens for the 2019–2020 school year. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)
As much as the community has loved the old building, educators are eager to move forward with the new one. Garrison said she is grateful to the staff for creatively working with the limitations of an old building. “The teachers at this school deliver a quality education and a high level of effective instruction on duct tape and twine,” said Garrison. The new building, which will be completed for the 2019–2020 school year, will have much needed technology upgrades, a bigger cafeteria and shared learning spaces. “The whole layout is really designed around a learning community,” said MHTN architect Brian Parker. Faculty, students and community members were joined at the groundbreaking by various dignitaries including Superintendent Patrice Johnson, Utah School Board members; West Jordan Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Aisza Wilde; Police Chief Doug Diamond; Fire Chief Marc McElreath; Utah State House of Representatives Susan Pulsipher and Kim Coleman; West Jordan City Councilman Dirk Burton; West Jordan Mayor Kim Rolfe; Community Council President Kim Underwood; WJMS PTA President Melissa Gardner; and Region Six PTA President Dawn Ramsey. “The children deserve this building, and I couldn’t be happier for them,” Rolfe said. “It’s been a long time coming.” In addition to remarks by Garrison, Johnson, Rolfe and the SBO president, the school’s combined choir, advanced orchestra
and symphonic band performed the school song. Then dignitaries and community members were invited to shovel dirt at the construction site in the field behind the existing school. Those who have been a part of WJMS’s history realize it is not just about the building but the community it creates. “The experiences you have and the memories you make are not a result of where you are but the people you are with,” said Atwood. “What really makes this school something special are the people in it.”
The ceremony was held May 1, 2017, exactly 58 years after the school’s original dedication, held near the end of its first school year. (Tim Brooks/West Jordan Middle)
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W ESTJORDANJOURNAL.COM
Face to face with poverty By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
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tudents put a real face on poverty as they created personalized portraits of impoverished children living in Bolivia. They worked from snapshots of the children provided by the nonprofit organization, The Memory Project, which delivered the portraits along with donated money to the children. “We get to interpret what we think their futures could be and what they can become just from seeing one picture of them,” said Amelia Green, a junior, who volunteered for the project to give hope to the children despite their current circumstances. “The way we see ourselves is a lot different than how other people see us,” she said. “So a picture drawn of us really gives a different view on how we look and who we are.” Green hoped to inspire the boy she drew by adding a busy background made up of various tiny objects to suggest that there are a lot of possibilities in his future. West Jordan High School students were only told the name and favorite color of the child they were drawing. Many decided to add some of their own personality into the portrait. One student added a dragon on the shoulder of the child. Others included personal elements in the background. “When they get these, they kind of get to see us, too,” Green said. Students also wrote a personal letter to the child they had drawn, sharing their interests and encouraging them to dream of a better future. Dorilyn Loring, a senior, drew her subject with feathers in her hair and dream catchers in the background. “I used to have a hard time in my life,” Loring wrote to the girl. “But then I made a dream catcher, and it has given me hope for my life in the future. I hope the same for you. Don’t let your dreams
West Jordan High School students drew colorful portraits of poverty-stricken children from Bolivia, and then gifted those portraits to the children whom they tried to portray in the art pieces. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)
fade away.” Portraits were an advanced skill for the Drawing II students who accepted the assignment. Instructors Robyn Briggs and Angelica Barney taught them the grid drawing method. Gridlines were drawn to transfer a 4-by-6 snapshot to a 9-by-12 portrait. “Instead of drawing everything at once, they break it down into smaller pieces so each little chunk is drawn separately,” Barney said. “Then they look at it as a whole and revise it and refine their work.” She was impressed with the quality of the students’ work and how they captured the faces and personalities of the children. Junior Landon Brown made a small change to the boy in his portrait; he drew him with a smile.
“I know sometimes it is hard to smile and be happy,” Brown wrote in an encouraging letter to the boy. “I think that the secret to happiness is finding reasons to smile.” A picture of the high school students was sent to Bolivia with the finished portraits and personal letters as gifts to the children, who have poor living conditions. The participation fee and additional donations will be used to improve the children’s lives, said Barney, who was the one who suggested the project to her students. Students were encouraged to explore different mediums and techniques for the voluntary project. Kirsten Barber used Prismacolors for the first time, and Abril Susunaga experimented with abstract style. Brown applied a photography method— an acetone transfer—to his piece. In addition to the 42 students who drew a portrait, instructors invited others in the community to be involved with the service project. Donations were encouraged during a public showcase of the portraits. Money was raised through Chalk the Walk, where West Jordan High students paid for a square of the school’s front walk to draw a chalk art piece. Students also earned money for the project by taking Polaroid pictures at school dances. “Everybody was able to participate in one way or another,” Barney said. She said service like this can help students forget about their daily problems and focus on others. “I feel the majority of them really did put their heart and soul into it,” she said. “They knew this was a gift for somebody.” Barber said knowing her portrait had a purpose inspired her to do her best. She was happy with the finished portrait. “The pieces I’ve done that have meaning behind them look so much better,” she said.
EDUCATION
PAGE 12 | JUNE 2017
WEST JORDAN JOURNAL
Teachers mindful of brain health By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
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eachers at Terra Linda Elementary are mindful of the brain health of their students. Principal Karen Gorringe has implemented tools such as Brain Breaks, a “drumtastic” fitness program and even fidgets that help students deal with their stress. “These techniques help them to be healthy,” Gorringe said. “We want healthy kids.” Teachers recognize there is a saturation point when their students can no longer take in any new information. Brain Breaks give their minds quick breaks from instruction while students engage in physical activity. “As we switch from reading to math, we take a break to stand up, stretch, meditate or just move and get all our wiggles out,” said teacher Tammy Fulmer. “When we return to direct instruction, they are more alert and prepared to learn.” Fulmer uses brain breaks about every 45 minutes with her fifth-grade class. She said they are easy to implement at any time during the day when she notices frustration, boredom or fatigue in her students. She uses online resources that provide a quick song, dance, stretch or handclapping activity for students to follow. “In those few minutes, they are increasing their capacity for learning,” Gorringe said. “That’s the key—that two- or three-minute break for their brain and body. The increased heart rate and oxygen from doing jumping jacks, running to the fence or relaxing to music gives the brain a boost.” Feeling overwhelmed by schoolwork can cause students to misbehave, cry or have anxiety, Gorringe said. Brain Breaks prevent kids from getting overloaded, which reduces frustration, which then decreases instances of misbehavior. Gorringe said the goal is for students to use these brain break techniques to self-regulate their emotions. Fidgets are a self-regulating tool that have been successful. After researching ways to help a frustrated third-grader, the school provided a fidget—a hand-held mechanism to help with calming, focus and active listening. Gorringe said the student, who is autistic and has high anxiety, has learned to get the tool when he realizes he is getting frustrated or anxious. He used to rock his body and walk around, disrupting the class. Now, his fingers quietly manipulate the fidget, siphoning off some of his energy and reducing his anxiety and urge to move. The fidget enables the student to stay focused and work through the challenge, said Gorringe. “He is still anxious but not to the point that he’ll misbehave,” she said. Terra Linda also uses a physical fitness program called Drums Alive! which creator Carrie Egan developed to include drumming, fitness, music, cognition and brain health. Students use drumsticks to pound on exercise balls set in buckets, incorporating full-body movement and various styles of music as they
Drumming is a fun and aerobic outlet for students. “They have a blast,” said Principal Karen Gorringe. (Jordan School District)
follow the patterns and rhythms of drumming. “Drums Alive! gives students a positive, creative and aerobic way of letting go of their stress,” Fulmer said. “They may be struggling with school work, friends, depression, family, health issues and more, but when they are given the time to drum, a lot of these things dissipate— even if just for a moment. Hopefully pounding out their anger on the drums will keep them from pounding it out on someone else.” Gorringe said there have been improvements in behavior and learning since implementing the Drums Alive! and Brain Breaks programs last
factors at home that negatively affect student learning. “Some students’ home situations aren’t ideal,” she said. “We can’t control or combat some of the things, they deal with.” She is hopeful that the life skills these programs provide will give kids a better way to cope with their circumstances. “I will do whatever it takes to increase the level and capacity and skill of the students,” she said. Terra Linda will be a pilot school next year for Egan’s complete brain health curriculum.
What about Fidgets?
By definition, fidgets are self-regulation tools to help with focus, attention, calming and active listening. But fidgets have become popular with kids and are being used as entertainment. Amy Whittaker, LCSW, who works with struggling students at West Ridge Academy, said fidgets are a legitimate tool for some kids. “They are obviously made for kids with ADHD and anxiety who need to be moving and have a tough time staying in their chair,” she said. Having something physical to manipulate can help these students have better focus. In her classroom, Whittaker has found that fidgets are more effective than traditional coping mechanisms like rubbing a worry rock, squeezing a stress ball, bouncing one’s knees or doodling. But the problem is that fidgets are no longer a tool for struggling students. They are now a collectible toy, available in various colors and styles—even glow in the dark. They used to only be available through specialty catalogues for special needs educators; now they are everywhere. “The industry has taken them to the next level—they’ve become trendy,” said Whittaker. Fifth-grade teacher Tammy Fulmer had just one student using a fidget as a tool to help them focus during instruction. Soon more and more fidgets were showing up in the classroom. Spinning fidgets were being spun on fingers, desks, pencils, water bottles and noses. “They’ve become a toy and a distraction,” Fulmer said. “I think that fidgets could be a tool if used properly, but otherwise, they are a major distraction in the classroom. I’d rather have a student that taps their pencil or swings their legs under their desk.” For this reason, many schools have banned the disruptive fidgets. Whittaker said teachers know which students benefit from using them and which ones are just using them as toys.
November. She knows there are a lot of
JUNE 2017 | PAGE 13
W ESTJORDANJOURNAL.COM
Letter to the Editor
NEW EAGLE SCOUT Congratulations to Daniel Alvarez on obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Daniel was honored and presented his award at a Court Of Honor held on April 28, 2017. Daniel’s Eagle project consisted of collecting and donating children’s books to his new school library, Ascent Academy. Daniel is 13 years old. He is the son of proud parents, Ricardo and Gabriela Alvarez. Josh RagsdaleAccount Executiv City Journal josh.r@mycityjournals.com801-824-9854
EDUCATION
PAGE 14 | JUNE 2017
WEST JORDAN JOURNAL
Three valley school districts increase teacher pay, benefits By Mandy Ditto | m.ditto@mycityjournals.com
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hree school districts—Granite, Canyons and Jordan—have increased teachers’ pay for the upcoming school year, in an effort to retain and hire enough teachers for growing classrooms in the valley. Granite School District Even if every graduate with a teaching degree from Utah colleges and universities chose to stay and teach in Utah, there still wouldn’t be enough to fill classrooms across the state, said Ben Horsley, communications director for Granite School District. “The reality is that we’ve been in a teacher shortage crisis for quite some time. Granite District has been fortunate that we’ve been able to almost 100 percent staff the last two years,” Horsley said. “Our board feels strongly that every kid deserves a great, instructional leader, a full-time teacher that is there and committed to that class for the full year.” However, as the district looked into hiring for the coming year, they found they had about half the applications they would typically receive, and would be short around 100 needed hires to fill positions across the district, he said. The board looked at their options, and seeing that Jordan and Canyons districts were looking to raise their pay as well, decided to make changes. The increases include the starting salary going up to $41,000 annually, which includes a 3 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) across the board for all teachers and administrators. The board also added an 8.67 percent market adjustment to salary schedule across the board, making it the 11.67 percent increase for all in the district, Horsley said. He said the district does anticipate some sort of tax increase through the local levy to offset the costs. The board is looking at any other cuts they can make to pursue other funds, and will use the 4 percent increase in the Weighted Pupil Unit (WPU) from the legislature to help with increase, as well as increase in levy. The legislature funds education through the WPU, which is money from the general PACs fund from the state, and that money is given to state districts to pay teachers, fund programs and other needs. Whatever increase the WPU goes up to each year—currently 4 percent—is what teachers can typically expect to negotiate as a raise amount each year. As for the increase in the local levy, “it would be anywhere from $75 to $100 on a $250,000 home within Granite School District (boundaries),” Horsley said. It isn’t just about increasing pay because it’s fair, said Susen Zobel, Granite Education Association president and a seventh-grade history teacher at Bonneville Junior High. It’s about keeping teachers in the districts they work in, while continuing to hire.
Those attending the Association Representative meeting for Granite School District in April wave the newly presented salary schedule that had to later be approved by the district board. (Granite Education Association/Cindy Formeller).
“What Granite did was honor the existing salary schedule and send it all the way across, so every single teacher will see an increase,” Zobel said. “This is a good start, we’ve got a really great salary schedule, if you look at the schedule and starting and where you could retire, it is more comparable to other professional salary schedules. I would hope they keep this momentum up.” Other states pay at higher rates, even with increases in these districts, meaning that districts in Utah need to be competitive, Zobel said. “If we are going to get teachers to come, we need to be competitive and Granite has made a great start. Our school board has done an amazing job to make this happen for us this year, but it’s not over,” Zobel said. “I think that this shows what a good working relationship between a teacher’s association and a school district can do to benefit teachers, that regardless this was a collaborative effort between the association and the school district and without that strength of membership in the association, it would not have happened.” Since the presentation and then official approval of the pay increase this spring, the loss of contracted teachers has slowed significantly, and many who opted out of contracts have come back to the district, Horsley said. Canyons School District Pay increases were approved for Canyons School District on April 25, with increases for beginning teacher’s salaries going to $40,500, said Jeff Haney, director of communications for Canyons School District. Every licensed educator in the district will receive at least a 4 percent increase, though the average increase is at 6.5 percent for teachers across the board, according to their teaching experience and education. “The Board of Education believes, and always has believed, it’s important to invest in the district’s people. The reason for that is
that we believe the students will benefit, we want our classrooms to be led by the best and the brightest educators that we can attract and retain, especially in this era of a national teacher shortage,” Haney said. Along with these pay increases to create a competitive pay schedule, the Canyons District has been working to make sure that other benefits are clear to potential educators since the district creation in 2009, he said. Since voters approved a $250 million bond to renovate and build new schools, the district has almost completed all 13 projects identified in 2010. A new middle school and elementary school will open this upcoming fall, Haney said. Achievement coaches and technology specialists are also at every school in the district to improve the teaching experience, he said. As for how the increases will be paid for by the district, taxes aren’t expected to go up as an increase in the local levy. “The law governing countywide equalization sunsets at the end of 2017. Under the parameters of this law, and because of increasing assessed valuations, Canyons District expects the certified tax rate to remain virtually unchanged in order to collect the funds necessary to operate the district at the same level of service while also providing a salary increase for teachers,” Haney said. Potential teachers from the valley and elsewhere were instantly interested in applying for Canyons District positions when they heard about the increases in the starting salary, he said. “The students will benefit from this. The vision of the Canyons School District is to make sure that every student graduates college and career ready, and the way to do that is to have amazing teachers in every classroom, in every grade level,” he said. “This new salary schedule will help us attract the best and the brightest to our classrooms.”
Jordan School District Jordan School District is no different from others in Utah looking to constantly fill teacher positions, and with their newly approved salary schedule they are hoping to continue to attract quality employees. Negotiations for a new salary schedule in the district began with a committee of five teachers from the Jordan Education Association, two administrators and three board members that met every other week through February. The new salary schedule has been officially approved by the Jordan Education Association and the district board, said Janice Voorhies, president of the Jordan School District Board of Education. The beginning salary has been raised to $40,000 a year, and every teacher on the scale has been moved up through the schedule from that, Voorhies said, effective for the upcoming fall. “We are working on a phase two for our experienced teachers with the Jordan Education Association, and our goal is to increase compensation for them through a menu of things they may already be doing or would like to opt into, like mentoring or teacher leadership or curriculum development,” she said, “and we’ll pay them more for that.” Another change the board approved was to take away a cap in the salary schedule, so that experienced teachers can now continue to get increased compensation after 15 years of teaching. The district will also be paying for increases in benefits costs for teachers in the coming school year. To pay for the increases, the district has adjusted their budget and are “applying a portion of our unassigned resources to increasing teacher pay for the next several years,” Voorhies said. “Additionally, we appreciate the legislature’s generous WPU allotment this past session and we intend to use those taxpayer dollars very carefully in order to continue to support reasonable compensation for all employees.”
William Pettit assists students during web design lesson. (Allie Nannini/City Journals).
G O OD NE IG H B OR
NEWS
J U N E 2 017
Paid for by the City of West Jordan M AY O R ’ S M E S S A G E
Honoring the Legacy of Those Who Have Served
West Jordan City Band presents
A Concert to Honor our Veterans
Recently, I was again reminded of how fortunate we are to live in the “land of the free and the home of the brave.” That freedom is paid for with the blood of many brave men and women who we honored during our Memorial Day Tribute. The city holds many different events throughout the year, but the Memorial Day Tribute is particularly important because it reminds us that freedom isn’t free. The Memorial Day Tribute took place in our beautiful Veterans Memorial Park behind City Hall. If you haven’t visited this park, I invite you to come enjoy almost 100 acres of grass, trees, playgrounds, pavilions, tennis courts, ball fields, an adaptive ballfield, arena, and more. Veterans Memorial Park is also the site of many community events including our upcoming Western Stampede where we will celebrate our nation’s birth June 30, July 1, 3 and 4. The Stampede has been a community tradition since 1954 and is packed full of action and family fun. My family and I have been going for over 40 years. If you haven’t been to a rodeo before, I invite you to come see what it’s all about. Other Fourth of July activities include our carnival, parade, movie in the park, band concert, pie eating contest, fireworks finale, and more. Thank you to the many great community partners who help make the Western Stampede possible. I’d also like to say thank you to West Jordan Copper Hills Baseball for their donation of a fallen officers memorial at the Ron Wood Baseball Complex. The memorial was unveiled on May 20 during a special ceremony to honor the fallen officers of the West Jordan Police Department. Officer Tom Rees was killed Feb. 23, 1986 when a handgun discharged and accidentally struck and killed him during a training accident. Officer Ron Wood was shot and killed by an armed juvenile on Nov. 18, 2002. I have great respect for our police officers and appreciate their willingness to serve and protect. Because of this monument, visitors to the park will be reminded of their sacrifice. We cannot bring back our fallen officers – or those who have died serving our country – but we can honor their legacy.
Notice of the 2017 Municipal Election CANDIDACY DECLARATION
June 3, 2017 7 p.m. Viridian Event Center 8030 South 1825 West
The City of West Jordan will be electing Council Seats for Mayor, two At-Large Council Members, and a two-year term for Council District 4 during this year’s municipal election. To declare Candidacy to run for a Council District position, the filing period this year is as follows: Thursday, June 1, 2017, through Wednesday, June 7, 2017, 5 p.m., in the City Clerk/Recorder’s Office, City Hall, 8000 South Redwood Road, 3rd floor. For more information regarding the upcoming Municipal Election, please contact Melanie Briggs, City Clerk, 801-569-5117. All positions have four-year terms, except Council District 4. If you are interested in running, listed below are the requirements: 1. Be a United States citizen. 2. Be at least 18 years old. 3. Be a resident of the municipality or a resident of the recent annexed area for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the date of the election. 4. Be a registered voter of the municipality. 5. If declaring for Council District 4, live within the boundaries (which are in the area of 7800 South and Old Bingham Highway from Bangerter to west of U-111).
GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWS: WEST JORDAN NEWSLETTER PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN
western Stampede
June 30, July 1, 3 & 4 EVENTS TAKE PLACE AT: Veterans Memorial Park (8030 South 1825 West) and the Rodeo Arena (8035 South 2200 West) Details online at WesternStampede.com
Mutton Bustin’ Sign-ups • June 2 • 6-9 p.m. Mutton Bustin’ sign ups take place Friday, June 2 from 6-9 p.m. at the Library Summer Reading Kick Off in Veterans Memorial Park. Mutton Bustin’ takes place during the preshow rodeo and intermission every night at the Western Stampede Rodeo, July 1, 3 & 4. This is a fun opportunity for little cowpokes to try their skills at riding sheep in the rodeo arena and win great prizes! Kids must be at least 4 years old, no taller than 4 feet and weigh less than 50 pounds. Parent and child must be present to register and when checking in on the night of the rodeo. There is a $15 nonrefundable registration fee per child.
Junior Princess Sign-ups • June 2 • 6-9 p.m. Girls 6-12 years old can sign up to be a Junior Princess during the Western Stampede Rodeo! Princesses receive a tiara, sash and enjoy a buggy ride during the Grand Entry at the rodeo. There is a $15 nonrefundable registration fee per child. Sign ups take place Friday, June 2 from 6-9 p.m. during the Library Summer Reading Kick Off in Veterans Memorial Park.
Carnival • June 30, July 1, 3 & 4 The carnival is in town! Admission is free and rides and food are available for purchase. Hours of operation are: June 30 from 3 p.m.-11 p.m.; July 1 from 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; July 3 from 10 a.m.-11 p.m. and July 4 from 10 a.m.-11 p.m. A variety of other activities will take place in the park during the carnival hours. See event listings on next page.
Western Stampede PRCA Rodeo • July 1, 3 & 4 7:30 p.m. mutton bustin’ pre-show; 8 p.m. PRCA Brought to you by Mountain America Credit Union, the Western Stampede rides into town for the 63rd year of rodeo excitement! Cervi Championship Rodeo is back for their fifth year as our stock contractor and brings their award-winning “Born to Buck” program. They will be celebrating their 50th birthday! Hollywood Harris, the EhCapa Bareback Riders and more join top-ranked cowboys and cowgirls. Get your tickets online now for best availability. Visit www.WesternStampede.com for tickets and event details. The Arena Box Office will be open June 26-30 from 4-8 p.m. and the day of the event from 2-8 p.m. Rodeo tickets range from $11-$18.
Linda Buttars Memorial Fun Run • July 1• 8 a.m. All ages are welcome to participate in this fun run. A timed 5K and also a 1-mile walk that is open to bikes, skateboards, strollers and more honors Linda Buttars, a West Jordan volunteer extraordinaire who passed away in 2006. Registration is just $5 for an individual, and $10 for families of up to 10, and $10 for business teams for the first five and then $2 for each additional member. Register online at Active.com by June 17 to receive a t-shirt. (Walk-up registration available but does not guarantee t-shirts.)
Photos courtesy of Scott Anderson, Michael Bateman, Reed Scharman, Tyson Wilde
GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWS: WEST JORDAN NEWSLETTER PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN
PARADE ROUTE 2017
stampede days events END
Events take place at Veterans Memorial Park (8030 S 1825 W) and the Rodeo Arena (8035 S 2200 W). Details online at WesternStampede.com.
VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
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VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
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PARTICIPANT PICK UP
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Movie in the Park • July 4 • 9 p.m. “Sing” will be projected on a big screen in the park. Come enjoy a movie about a koala impresario who stages a gala singing competition in order to save his theater. The contest attracts the attention of such musically inclined animals as a harried pig mom, a teenage gorilla, a shy elephant and a punk porcupine. Bring a blanket and chairs to enjoy a movie under the stars with your family and friends.
Fireworks • July 4 • 10 p.m. The fireworks show will begin when the Western Stampede Rodeo is over and the livestock are secured at the adjacent arena. Fireworks will be visible throughout the park and arena. Personal fireworks are not allowed in city parks but may be discharged according to state code between the dates of July 1-7 and July 21-27 in non-restricted areas. Visit WestJordan.Utah. gov for additional details.
VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
10a-8p Food & Vendors 10a-11p Carnival 10a-11p Photo Scavenger Hunt
7:30p Pre-rodeo mutton bustin’ 8p PRCA Rodeo
VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
8a 10a-11p 10a-11p 10:30a 12p-8p 1p 1:30p Dusk 10p
Free City Council Breakfast Carnival Photo Scavenger Hunt Grand Parade Food & Vendors Pie Eating Contest Band Concert Movie in the Park - “Sing” Fireworks Finale
7:30p Pre-rodeo mutton bustin’ 8p PRCA Rodeo
to our sponsors!
Viridian Amphitheater, 8030 South 1825 West. The West Jordan Band will be playing patriotic music after the parade.
7:30p Pre-rodeo mutton bustin’ 8p PRCA Rodeo
WEST JORDAN ARENA Western Stampede Rodeo
THANK YOU
West Jordan Band Concert July 4 • 1:30 p.m.
Linda Buttars Memorial Fun Run Food & Vendors Carnival Photo Scavenger Hunt Children’s Parade Home Run Derby
WEST JORDAN ARENA Western Stampede Rodeo
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The parade starts at City Hall, 8000 South Redwood Road, and runs north to 7800 South where it turns west and ends at 2700 West. There will also be road closures on Redwood Road and 7800 South to accommodate the parade. We are also looking for parade entries. Applications are online at WesternStampede.com.
8a 10a-8p 10a-11p 10a-11p 1p 5p
WEST JORDAN ARENA Western Stampede Rodeo
JULY
Fourth of July Parade July 4 • 10:30 a.m.
3-11p Carnival 3-11p Photo Scavenger Hunt 5-9p Free Family Fun Night (inflatables)
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JUNE
JUNE
JUNE
WJC BAND CONCERT TO HONOR VETERANS
PLANNING COMMISSION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Viridian Event Center 8030 S 1825 West 7 p.m.
City Hall 8000 S. Redwood Rd. 6 p.m.
City Hall 8000 S. Redwood Rd. 6 p.m.
JUNE
JUNE
JUNE
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20 PLANNING COMMISSION City Hall 8000 S. Redwood Rd. 6 p.m.
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22, 23, 24, 26, 29, 30 & July 1 WEST JORDAN THEATRE ARTS SUMMER MUSICAL “CURTAINS”
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24 “CURTAINS” MATINEE Midvale Performing Arts Center 695 W Center St 2 p.m.
Midvale Performing Arts Center 695 W Center St • 7:30 p.m.
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CITY COUNCIL MEETING
PLANNING COMMISSION
“CURTAINS” MATINEE
City Hall 8000 S. Redwood Rd. 6 p.m.
City Hall 8000 S. Redwood Rd. 6 p.m.
Midvale Performing Arts Center 695 W Center St 2 p.m.
J U LY
J U LY
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WESTERN STAMPEDE PRCA RODEO
LINDA BUTTARS MEMORIAL FUN RUN
West Jordan Arena 8035 S 2200 West Pre-rodeo 7:30 p.m. • 8 p.m.
Veterans Memorial Park 8030 S 1825 West 8 a.m.
INDEPENDENCE DAY CITY OFFICES CLOSED INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE – 10:30 A.M.
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The City of West Jordan
West Jordan Police Dept.
8000 S. Redwood Rd., West Jordan, UT 84088 (801) 569-5100 www.wjordan.com
8040 S. Redwood Rd. West Jordan, Utah 84088 Join the conversation! Follow West Jordan – City Hall.
801-256-2000 801-840-4000 Dispatch
Victim Advocate Training VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Would you like to make a difference in the lives of violent crime and domestic abuse victims? If so, please consider volunteering as an on-call victim advocate. No experience is necessary, just a clean record, empathy and a willingness to learn and commit some time. Volunteers are trained on how to offer support, guidance and available resources. Training can be completed in one 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday training session. Available training session dates are June 10, 17 and 27. For more information, contact the West Jordan Victim Assistance Program at 801-566-6511 or email ceciliab@wjordan.com.
Volunteers Needed for Airport Advisory Board The City Council is looking to appoint seven members to serve as an airport advisory board. Applicants should be knowledgeable in avigation (or the navigation of aircraft), and will provide information and recommendations to the mayor that he can use in his role as a member of the Salt Lake City Airport Board. If you’d like to be considered for this position, please email a cover letter and resume to heathere@ wjordan.com by June 16.
JUNE 2017 | PAGE 19
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Daybreak Elementary’s math tournament challenges South Valley students By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com
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t took Jordan Ridge sixth-grader Michael Pond less than one minute to solve the second tie-breaker to win first place in Daybreak Elementary’s seventh annual math tournament. “It was awesome, just amazing,” he said. “I never expected to do that well.” Even though Michael earned a perfect score on his individual test, he still had two tie-breakers before he beat Gavin Gann of Blackridge Elementary in Herriman, who edged him out last year to take the fifth-grade title. Six students tied for third place in this year’s tournament. With a sudden death playoff, Pond’s classmate Nethra Suresh took home the award. Students Ryker Anderson, of Ascent Academies in West Jordan; Caleb Weaver, of Eastlake Elementary; Tyler Martin, of Blackridge; Colby Wright, of Riverton Elementary; and Parker Strong, of Blackridge, received honorable mention awards. Daybreak’s 4.5-hour math tournament that involves solving about 25 challenging math problems on a variety of math topics was founded and organized by parent Katherine Harbaugh, who wanted to give students a chance to excel in math. “The tournament is an opportunity for higher-level math kids to be challenged,” she said. It’s a chance for them to put their mathematics to the test.” Harbaugh, who follows the Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools’ rules, invites public and charter schools within the south part of the Salt Lake Valley to send individuals and teams of five students to the tournament. “Several schools will send a fifth- and a sixth-grade team; others will pull their top 10 fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders and create mixed teams,” she said.
About 325 students took part in Daybreak Elementary’s seventh annual math tournament, which gives students a chance to be challenged and excel in mathematics. (Daybreak Elementary)
Riverton Elementary’s team 1, with team members Derek Ball, Sarah Chen, Peyton Cole, Sterling Lund and Christopher Shevalier, won the first-place team trophy. Blackridge team 1, with Anne Castleton, Dawson Jepson, Tyler Martin, Eli Rush and Jaxon Smith finished second. Riverton’s team 2 with team members Max Austin, Elise Chiari, Gabi Fenn, Ethan Hall and Colby Wright was third. Harbaugh said usually the teams that have the most sixthgraders do better since they’ve learned more math skills. “We also honor the highest individual fourth- and fifth-grade competitors with medals,” she said. This year, Jack Beckstrom, of Eastlake Elementary; Jaren
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Gordon, of Westland Elementary in West Jordan; and Reed Stewart, of North Star Academy in Bluffdale, were recognized as the highestscoring fifth-graders. Isaac Turley, of Jordan Ridge Elementary, was the highest-scoring fourth-grader. Harbaugh, who learned about hosting their own tournament through Math Olympiad eight years ago, said the first tournament featured 37 teams. This year, 325 students competed on 65 teams representing 26 schools. The tournament involves several volunteers from each school grading and regrading students’ tests for accuracy. In addition, through the years, Chris Merle, and this year, Daybreak sixth-grade teacher Wendy Babcock, have been emcees, keeping students in check. “There’s a lot to learn in the tournament-setting in an academic competition,” Harbaugh said. “It’s valuable to try your best and put yourself out there.” With Daybreak’s teams, Harbaugh met twice during the school year to go over techniques for the story problems. “We go over previous years’ problems so they can see the difficulty level and how it builds up from the first question to the last one,” she said. “There’s a lot of problem-solving and teamwork involved. While Daybreak didn’t win this year, it had success in its first three years of the tournament, with Harbaugh’s son even taking the top honors. “There’s not much for math contests compared to athletics competitions, so it’s worthwhile to see students have a chance to go after their academic pursuit and get the glory they deserve,” she said.
LOCAL LIFE
PAGE 20 | JUNE 2017
WEST JORDAN JOURNAL
Stampede Days and more: 14 Salt Lake County festivals to check out this summer
Introducing...
By Tori La Rue | tori@mycityjournals.com
I
t’s summertime, and that means Salt Lake County cities are gearing up for their biggest celebrations of the year. From Draper Days to West Valley’s WestFest, here’s a chronological list of festivals to help you get your sun days on.
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SoJo Summerfest | May 31–June 3 Last year, South Jordan’s summer festival came back with a new name, SoJo Summerfest, instead of its traditional Country Fest title. “It’s all part of trying to meet the need of the community,” Melinda Seager, South Jordan’s acting director of administrative services said about the change last year. “The community is everchanging, and the festival is too.” Featured events on June 3 include a traditional parade followed by an all-day outdoor market and a brand-new event—SoJo Summerfest Battle of the Bands—from 4 to 10 p.m. Two age groups will be performing, amateur (under 18) and professional (over 18), and the winners from each group will get a paid gig at South Jordan’s Tour of Utah Kickoff Party on Aug. 2. For a full list of events visit sjc.utah.gov/ sojosummerfest/. Fort Herriman PRCA Rodeo | June 2–3 While most of Herriman’s summer activities will occur at the end of the month, its rodeo comes a little earlier this year. Visit herriman.org/prcarodeo/ for more information. WestFest | June 15–18 West Valley’s annual WestFest intends to celebrate the various cultural backgrounds of its residents through communal activities. Held at Centennial Park, 5415 West 3100 South, WestFest will offer multicultural entertainment, international cuisine and artisans, crafters and hobbyist booths from many demographics. A carnival, movie under the stars, West Valley Symphony concert, police K-9 demonstration and firework demonstration are also part of the schedule. Visit westfest.org for specific dates and times of each event. Taylorsville Dayzz | June 22–24 From tribute bands to camel rides, Taylorsville’s summer festival promises diverse activities. Carnival games and rides will run all three days, and each evening a free concert will be offered. IMAGINE, a Beatles tribute band, will perform with the Utah Symphony & Cannons on June 22; Lisa McClowry’s rock the ‘80s show will hit the stage on June 23, and Celine Dion and Neil Diamond tribute singers Brigitte Valdez and Jay White will perform the final Taylorsville Dayzz 2017 concert on June 24. Taylorsville’s celebration is also one of the few that offers fireworks on two nights (June 23 and 24). For the most updated information, follow Taylorsville Dayzz on Facebook.
Above: Children enjoy a carnival ride at Butlerville Days 2016. (Kelly Cannon/City Journals) Right: Fireworks peak over Sandy City Hall. (Sandy City)
Fort Herriman Days | June 22–24 Fort Herriman Days held at the W&M Butterfield Park, 6212 West 14200 South, may be shorter than some other town celebrations, but the city crams a lot of activities into those three days. June 22 will feature carnival rides, a children’s parade, food trucks, an animal show and a magician show. June 23 will feature a carnival, water games, food booths, a foam party, a hypnotist show and a movie in the park at dusk. The last night of the festival includes races, a parade, more carnival games, a car show, live entertainment from the band Groove Merchants and fireworks. Exact times of events can be found at https:// www.herriman.org/fort-herriman-days/. Riverton Town Days | June 29–July 4 A tradition since the early 1900s, Riverton’s Town Days is back again for 2017. The festival’s traditions include the Riverton Rodeo, July 3 parade, haystack dives and more, but there are several newer items coming to the celebration this year, too. Last year the city swapped out a traditional carnival with an inflatable “Fun Zone” that includes slides, zip lines, obstacle courses and boxing. This relatively new zone will find its place at the Riverton City Park, 1452 West 12800 South, again this year. The city’s recreation department is also offering mechanical bull rides, pony rides and a petting zoo before the rodeo on June 30 and July 1. Events pick up again on July 3 with the Town Days Parade that ends at the Riverton City Park where food and activity vendors will be on site prior to a movie showing in the park. On Independence Day, Riverton will be hopping with activities from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. From races to free swimming to sports competitions, the celebration will keep going until sundown when residents will gather in the park to watch the annual firework show. Visit rivertoncity.com for more information.
Stampede Days | June 30–July 4 West Jordan’s festival is centered around its rodeo, the Western Stampede. The rodeo runs on July 1, 3 and 4 at the rodeo arena located at 8035 South 2200 West. Other recurring events throughout the stampede include a carnival and photo scavenger hunt at Veterans Memorial Park, 8030 South 1825 West. The Independence Day celebration will also include a parade at 10:30 a.m., pie eating contest at 1 p.m., band concert at 1:30 p.m., movie in the park at dusk and a firework finale at 10 p.m. For a full and up-to-date list of activities, visit westernstampede.com. Fun Days | July 4 Murray City’s 58th annual Fun Days celebration at the Murray Park, 296 East Murray Park Ave. offers Salt Lake County residents with yet another set of Independence Day activity options. The day will start out with a sunrise service and will end with community members looking into the sky once again for a firework display. In the middle of those two bookends, the city will offer a breakfast, a 5k race, a children’s race, a parade, games and a talent show. Visit murray.utah.gov for more info. July 4th Parade and Festival | July 4 South Salt Lake residents and others will gather at Fitts Park, 3050 South 500 East, on Independence Day for a patriotic celebration. A fun run kicks off the day’s activities at 8 a.m., followed by a parade at 9:30 a.m. and a festival from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. Check southsaltlakecity.com for more information. Sandy City 4th of July | July 4 This one-day celebration consists of vendors and a parade. Details are still being worked out. Visit sandy.utah.gov mid-June when more information becomes available. continued on next page…
LOCAL LIFE
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Draper Days | July 6–8, 11–15 Traditions like the Draper Days Rodeo, Draper Idol, a children’s parade, the Heritage Banquet, movies at the amphitheater and the Draper Days Parade are almost here. The eight-day Draper Days festivities tout activities for people of all ages, and even dogs. A Splash Dogs Jumping competition will hit the Draper City Park (12450 South 1300 East) on July 14 and 15. Human competitions, like a strider bike race, three-on-three basketball tournament and 5k race, will also abound. Check out a full list of activities at draperdays.org. Butlerville Days | July 21–22 Cottonwood Heights’ website boast about its Butlerville Days, named after the Butler family who originally settled the area, saying it will have the “most mouth-watering fare you can imagine” and “the best firework show in the Salt Lake Valley.” Don’t believe it? Head over to the Butler Park to find out. The festival will also offer a carnival, chalk art festival, free bingo and the Mayor’s Cup Pickleball Tournament. More info can be found at cottonwoodheights.utah.gov. Old West Days RMPRA Rodeo | July 28–29 While the majority of Bluffdale’s Old West Days celebration will occur the second week of August, its rodeo kicks off Bluffdale’s celebration at the end of July. Visit bluffdaleoldwestdays.com for more information. Harvest Days | Aug. 1–6 Midvale’s Harvest Days provides resident an outlet to celebrate their city in small black party groups and larger communitywide events. For a list of block party activities, visit midvaleharvestdays.com. The communitywide events include an art show, a group breakfast, a parade, live band performances and fireworks— quite an expansion from the humble first Harvest Days celebration in 1938 that was based off the parade. Blue Moon Arts Festival | Aug. 5 Holladay doesn’t have a weeklong festival like some cities. Instead, the city hosts smaller celebrations all summer long with its concerts in the park series. Holladay Arts also hosts an evening music and artist festival called the Blue Moon Arts Festival.
Last year South Jordan added a mermaid show and swim to its summer festival. Catch the mermaids again Saturday June 3 at 1 p.m. at the South Jordan Fitness and Aquatic Center. (Utah Mermaids)
This year, the festival will feature the Joe Muscolino Band. The band performs a wide range of covers from Frank Sinatra to today’s pop hits. Other musicians and artists will be selected by June 30. In addition to live music, the event will feature culinary and traditional arts vendors. Visit holldayarts.org for more information. Old West Days | Aug. 7–12 Bluffdale’s weeklong festival is “like turning back the clock,” according to volunteer coordinator Connie Pavlakis. The Western-themed celebration is highlighted by its ‘“Chuck Wagon” food cart and wooden facades that pay tribute to the city’s pioneer roots. The prices are also old-fashioned. With $10, a child can play every carnival game to win prizes, ride an inflatable water slide and buy lunch. The prices are possible because Bluffdale relies solely on volunteers to put the event together. Because it’s one of the later summer festivals, exact times and events have not yet been publicly announced, but the celebration has consisted of monster truck shows, concerts and car shows in the past. Check bluffdaleoldwestdays.com for updates. More to come Still not partied out? Don’t worry. Sandy’s Heritage Festival; Riverton’s Home, Hand and Harvest market; the South Jordan’s farmers’ market; and Herriman’s Pumpkin Festival are just around the corner. Keep reading your City Journal for updates.
Catch this year’s Draper Days Parade on July 11. (Draper City)
JUNE 2017 | PAGE 21
SPORTS
PAGE 22 | JUNE 2017
WEST JORDAN JOURNAL
Jazz dancers embrace emotion of playoffs By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com
The Utah Jazz dancers are an integral part of the Jazz community, team and fan base. (Melissa Majchrzak/ NBAE via Getty Images)
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he biggest Utah Jazz fans may not be sitting in the stands. The Jazz Dancers were disappointed the team was swept from the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors but were excited to be a part of the team’s first playoff appearance in five years. “The playoffs have been super incredible,” Jazz dance team coordinator Ro Malaga said. “It is completely different than the regular season. The fans bring so much energy to the arena, and the dancers are more pumped up. As they are getting ready in the tunnel, they are rooting right along with the fans. It is madness. We feel the losses and want to celebrate the wins too.” The Utah Jazz Dance Team consists of 16 women. They are teachers, students and dance teachers or coaches, and consider themselves the team’s biggest fans. Being a member of the team is a second job and opportunity for each of the women. McKenna, a Herriman High drill team coach, finished her first season as a Jazz Dancer. She has been dancing since she was 4 and has turned a hobby into a career. “I love being a member of this team” McKenna said. “It is not just about dancing; it is about community and entertaining and mingling with kids and trying to be a role model. Looking up at all the fans is unreal. I have loved this opportunity.” The dance team makes in-game appearances and off-site appearances at charity events. They do get paid, although McKenna joked it is not as much as the players. The team is considered an important part of the entire Jazz experience. “I have been fortunate to be involved with the Jazz family for some time now,” Malaga said. “I was a judge for dancer tryouts and then produced a routine with The Bear. This year they had me come in as the dance coordinator. We revamped the entire system to a hip-hop-based theme. The alumni and previous directors have set such a high standard it has been great for us.” The NBA has embraced the hip-hop genre. Its commercials and timeout music have transformed into high-energy enthusiasm for
the teams. The Jazz have also followed suit. The dancers try to support the community and give the fans as much energy during the game as they can. Dancers from Spanish Fork, the Salt Lake Valley and farther north are all part of the team. Each team member practices twice a week and performs at every game. They have a catalog of routines with videos and music and choreography. The team captain, Alexia, schedules the performances beforehand but during each game routines can change depending on the game situation. “Being a professional dancer is similar to being an athlete,” Malaga said. “They need to take care of their bodies and watch what they eat and stay in shape. At this level, we have injuries like ankles and back problems. We are always monitoring them so they can stay healthy.” Kendal, a West Valley resident, just finished her second season with the team. She began dancing in eighth grade and was a member of Hunter High School’s drill team. She enjoyed her opportunity to perform in the NBA playoffs. “The playoffs have been more intense,” she said. “It has been amped up. As a dancer, we try to bring as much energy as we can. We make lots of appearances and try to represent the team well. Every year we go to Primary Children’s hospital, and it is fun to see the kids light up when we see them.” The dance team is sponsored by American First Credit Union. The dancers are different than other NBA dance teams, according to Gina Calvert, corporate communications manager. The music and costumes they use reflect the community they represent and high morals maintained by the Utah Jazz, she said. “We really keep our fan base in mind,” Malaga said. “I am so proud to be a part of this team.” Editor’s note: The last names of the dancers have been intentionally omitted to help them maintain privacy. Team security is important to Jazz management.
W ESTJORDANJOURNAL.COM
SPORTS
JUNE 2017 | PAGE 23
Grizzlies fall short of playoff goal By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com
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he outcome was not what it desired, but the Copper Hills boys baseball staff embraced its first season and is proud of its results. “As a first-year staff and my first coaching experience, and for all of us involved, even though we did not make the state tournament, I am really proud of the way the boys learned how to compete,” new Grizzlies coach Sunny Sundquist said. “We came together really well. I think we played incredibly well.” Sundquist and his staff took over this season for John Morgan, who stepped away after more than 10 years at the helm. “When he (Morgan) took over, the program was in dire straits,” Sundquist said. “There were financial problems and facility issues. During his tenure, he did a lot of great things for all of us. He was ready to do something else. I am appreciative of him. He was nothing but supportive of me when I turned to him for help.” The seniors stepped forward with leadership for the Grizzlies. Justin Kelly and Copper Wyllie have both signed to play college baseball. Kelly has signed to play at College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls. He had 42 strikeouts in 37 innings pitched this spring. His 1.67 earned run average led the team.
The 2017 version of the Copper Hills High School baseball team had something to prove. (Sunny Sundquist/Grizzlies baseball)
Wyllie will continue his baseball career in Washington at Big Bend Community College. He held his opponents to a .306 batting average and struck out 25. “These two young men were wonderful leaders,” Sundquist said. “Our pitching was very strong. Bryson (Llewellyn) was another one that stabilized our pitching staff. We have some young men going on missions and to
school with academic scholarships. They are going to continue to grow.” Llewellyn had a 2.74 ERA. Sundquist said the team pitching was important in their success, but they had balance on offense too. Junior Broc Talbot led the team in hitting. He had a .348 batting average and had 14 runs batted in. Freshman Kyle Hoffman had 11 stolen bases.
Blake Gillen was awarded Academic All-State by the Utah High School Activities Association. He maintained a 3.98 cumulative grade point average during his high school career. This award is considered the most prestigious by the activities association. As a senior, Gillen set the expectations for the program. Sundquist said it has a trickledown effect. He is trying to teach the studentathletes that one day they will not play the game anymore, and they need skills and abilities to rely on. “This last fall we did mandatory community service,” Sundquist said. “The boys figured out their own opportunities and went out and did their best. Some served at the Miracle League in West Jordan. They all did a lot of things. They are great young people. Some of these kids work. We bought into the idea of creating great young men. We will win baseball games along the way. I relish putting quality young men out into the world.” The Grizzlies finished in fifth place in Region 3 with a 7-11 record. Bingham, Cottonwood, Jordan and West Jordan are scheduled to represent the region in the state tournament (which got underway after press deadline).
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SPORTS
PAGE 24 | JUNE 2017
WEST JORDAN JOURNAL
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McOmberTeam@hotmail.com The 2017 West Jordan High School boys soccer team has several reasons to be excited about this season. (Tao Tran/West Jordan soccer)
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he seniors on the West Jordan High School boys soccer team had won two games in their entire high school careers. The team never gave up and tasted some success this season. “I am extremely pleased with the boys and their efforts this season,” Jaguars head coach Tao Tran said. “They have worked extremely hard and have played extremely well. We had some great games and a great season. Our freshman finally became seniors and matured and finally understood what we wanted to do. Mostly they had a great desire to do something different this year.” The start of the season seemed to be destined to repeat the past. An opening match 0-0 tie with Herriman and losses to Box Elder, 3-0, and Desert Hills, 1-0, made the team think it was headed toward another rough season. That’s when things changed. Shazer Sloan scored the team’s first goal of the season against Hunter. Then senior Logan Brinton held tight in goal and secured a shutout. The Jaguars captured a 1-0 win over Hunter. The victory was the team’s first in three years. “It felt good to win,” Brinton said. “We really did not know what it was like until this year. Our last game of the season (a 2-1 loss to Copper Hills) was disappointing, but we had a great season.” The team’s initial win vaulted them to another, a 3-2 victory over Riverton. Senior Jojea Kwizera notched all three goals for the Jaguars. They overcame a 2-1 deficit before earning the hardfought win. “The nine seniors were the leaders of the team,” Tran said. “They played and worked together. They knew this was their last year together, and they
started off prepared.” Brinton recorded four shutouts, a school record. Tran said he could not have done it without his teammates. “He is one of the keys that made the difference, but there were many players that all played important roles,” he said. “It is not about one player; it is about the entire team doing a great job. It is about the balance of the team coming together at the right time.” The Jaguars’ playoff hopes came down to the final match of the season against crosstown rival Copper Hills. West Jordan held a 1-0 lead at halftime, but Copper Hills mounted a furious comeback and tied the game on a goal that sneaked past the Jaguars. A lategame Grizzly free kick secured their victory. The loss meant the team fell just short of a playoff appearance. “We have called Region 3 the region of death; it is a tough region,” Tran said. “There are excellent teams— very fast and technically very good. The momentum definitely swung to our opponents in the final game. They had some energy.” Kwizera led the team with nine goals. He had two hat tricks (three goals in a single game), the first against Riverton and the second against Taylorsville. “It was the right mix of players this season,” Tran said. “We had good defense, good midfield and good forwards. The passion and desire they had was unbelievable. They wanted to win. Last year, we had no wins, but they had a desire to progress, and it paid off this year. The desire and dedication is incredible. I appreciate them very much.”
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JUNE 2017 | PAGE 25
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Educators named outstanding by Jordan Education Foundation By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com
S
eventeen Jordan School District teachers were recently named “outstanding educators” by the district’s foundation. They were surprised with the honor by Superintendent Patrice Johnson, their principals and Jordan Education Foundation members. “It was a total surprise,” Monte Vista sixthgrade teacher Alicia Rasmussen said. “I didn’t see it coming. I walked into the library, and there was a line of people there starting with the superintendent all congratulating me, giving me balloons. I had to let it absorb what was happening.” Rasmussen and the 16 other teachers throughout the district were honored April 27 at a banquet where each teacher was presented an award and $1,000. Johnson said she looks forward to the day when the “prize patrol,” goes from school to school to surprise the honorees. “It’s the best day of the year when so many schools have recognized outstanding educators who lift young people,” she said. “Every year, this gets bigger, and every school is filled with gifted teachers who are deserving of this award. These teachers are being recognized for their heart, and why they do what they do is all for the love of the kids.” Rasmussen said she appreciated being recognized for her efforts. “A lot of teachers could receive this award, as we all put in a lot of hard work,” she said. “I’m grateful that my hard work is recognized and that I have the support of the parents, administration and community. I care about the kids, and not just those in my grade, but the entire school.” Rasmussen is also a member of the collaborative leadership team and coordinates the school’s spelling bee and Walk with Wishes service project for Make a Wish Foundation. Her principal, Meredith Doleac, said Rasmussen fit the rubric of helping with student academic growth, showing excellent instructional practices and having an impact on student life. “One of the things that stands out about her is her leadership and involvement in our school,” Doleac said. “She has lead Walking for Wishes ever since we started it. She has organized activities for students, such as contacting the Salt Lake Astronomical Society and having them bring huge telescopes to our school one night so sixthgraders who were studying about space could have a stargazing night. She has built trust with students and has made a positive impact on students’ lives.” After Monte Vista, the “prize patrol” traveled to South Jordan Elementary to surprise fifth-grade teacher and student leadership adviser Kaylee Todd. Todd’s students and other fifth-graders had just finished performing an assembly program when the “prize patrol” said they were there to present the outstanding educator award. “The kids started chanting my name, and I tried to hush them, but they just kept going,” she said, recalling feeling embarrassed as she stood
against the multi-purpose room wall. However, unknown to her, the students nearest to the “prize patrol” saw Todd’s name on the file. “I just love these kids,” said a nearly speeches Todd. “This is all just so amazing.” Her principal, Ken Westwood, who was bordering on tears, recalled when he first met her. “She was a student teacher, and I was a principal here in my first year, and you could just see she had a way with students—an electric connection—from the beginning,” he said. “She is loved and respected by parents and kids alike.” However, outstanding educator awards can only be given to teachers who have taught at least five years, so the nominations from parents and peers had to wait, Westwood said. “It’s more than just being loved,” he said. “She also had her students getting 96 percent on the CRT (standardized tests) in language arts and math. The proficiency rates were the highest in the DWA (direct writing assessment) and SAGE (standardized tests). Everything about her is extraordinary.” Jordan Education Foundation Director Steven Hall said this year the organization received 55 applications—one from each school. The committee, made up of five Jordan Education Foundation Board of Directors members and three community members, reviewed all the nominations to select this year’s recipients. All nominees received a plaque and gift basket, and the top 17 teachers were honored at the award banquet. “It was neat to read all the quotes and comments from parents, students and principals, but it was really hard to judge,” Hall said. “We want all these teachers to know that someone notices them and cares. The kids absolutely love what these teachers have done for them and who they mean to them.” Other educators who were recognized at the award banquet include the following: Columbia Elementary’s Susan Locke, Copper Mountain Middle’s John Schneggenburger, Fort Herriman Middle’s Michael Farnsworth, Heartland Elementary’s Leslie Fiskell, Herriman Elementary’s Sarah Burton, Joel P. Jensen’s Cindy Horrocks, Kauri Sue Hamilton’s Laurie Tovey, Oakcrest Elementary’s Randi Frehner, Oquirrh Elementary’s Lisa DuVernay, Riverton Elementary’s Ashley Calhoun, Riverton High’s Katherine Borgmeier, Rose Creek Elementary’s Christina Stout, Southland Elementary’s Allyson Pulsipher and Westvale Elementary’s Sandra Burton. In addition, Michele Daly of Southland Elementary was selected as Principal of the Year. At the banquet ceremony, the following six students were also honored as 2017 student scholarship recipients: Javier Gallardo, West Jordan High School; Nardos Hammond, Riverton High School; Diana Hays, Bingham High School; Hunter Peterson, Copper Hills High School; Alisha Record, Valley High School; and Dawson Stout, Herriman High School.
PAGE 26 | JUNE 2017
SPORTS
WEST JORDAN JOURNAL
Grizzlies climb to second place in Region 3 By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com
C
opper Hills High School’s track team has established itself as one of the best teams in the state. Its second-place finish at the 2017 Region 3 meet helps prove this to its fans. “Our team is definitely like another family,” Grizzly senior Gabe Stock said. “It is always great to spend time with people who can talk the language of track and have the same love for it. This is an individual sport, but your teammates are the ones pushing you and cheering you on.” At the Region 3 championships held at Copper Hills High School May 10–11, Bingham captured the region title. The Grizzlies placed second, and West Jordan finished third. “There have definitely been ups and downs this season, but I feel this was a good year,” Stock said. “I definitely hoped to get faster PRs (personal records) and higher finishing spots in region, but it is what it is.” Stock qualified in the boys 100 and 200 meters for the state track meet. His time of 11.38 seconds in the 100 was third-fastest in Region 3 at the championships; a 22.56 in the 200 earned him fourth place. “In my 200, I need to definitely spend time working my curve and not conserve as
Grizzly runners Amberly Lazenby and Katie Shepherd prepare to take on their competition. (Greg James/City Journals)
much,” he said. “I know hitting practice this week with endurance workouts will help with having the stamina to maintain the speed. At state it is going to be an all-out sprint.” The Grizzlies sent 10 runners to compete in six different distances at state. Senior Autumn Babcock placed fourth at region, right behind junior Natalie Mandujano in the 1600 meters. In the boys’ race, sophomore
Logan Anderson placed fourth overall. Joshua Memmot finished third in the boys 400, and senior Corban Allen took second in the 800. The Grizzlies had four athletes running over hurdles at state: Brandon Hammond, Shelbie Larsen, Parker Scholes and Daniella Rivera. Three athletes participated in field events: freshman Carlin Sheperd, and seniors Scholes
and Bailee Smith are scheduled to compete in the high jump. “Track has definitely taught me that nothing is achieved by standing around,” Stock said. “If you want something, you better be willing to put the work in. You get out of it what you put in.” The Grizzlies’ track team demonstrated its willingness to improve on the track as well as the classroom. The Utah High School Activities Association awarded six Copper Hills athletes with the Academic All-State Award. This award is given to seniors that excel in the classroom as well as on the track. Grizzly seniors Tabitha Brady, Whitney Brownlee, Shelbie Larsen, Olivia Smith, Rowland Bolman and Joseph Gregory were recognized at the state track meet. The Grizzlies’ 4x400 boys relay placed first, nearly three seconds ahead of the Miners’ relay team. The victory qualified the team for the state track meet. The Grizzlies will send four relay teams to the state meet. The Utah State Track meet was held May 19–20 at Clarence Robison Track on the campus of BYU (after press deadline).
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JUNE 2017 | PAGE 27
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Salt Lake County Council
MESSAGE
S
Funding for additional jail beds approved by Council
alt Lake County’s largest budget expenditure is the jail and over 60 percent of the General Fund is used for criminal justice-related expenses. As an elected official in Salt Lake County, I believe keeping our public safe and our jail system operating effectively and efficiently is one of our most important duties. In recent months we have seen a lot of conversation around the issue of capacity at the Salt Lake County Jail. Since the state-driven Justice Reinvestment Initiative, the County jail has been shouldering an additional burden in the form of additional inmates from the state prison. This effort is part of the broader plan to connect drug offenders with treatment and needed resources, rather than simply prison time. Little funding from the state has been available to put into this new approach until this year. Thanks to our state legislators, counties around the state will start to see some of the financial resources needed to implement this, and we hope it will be fully funded in the years to come. When local police officers are not able to book offenders into the jail due to capacity limits, it makes their jobs incredibly difficult. Our Salt Lake County Adult Detention Center is at capacity. It would cost millions of dollars to make improvements to Oxbow Jail to open additional pods (and several million dollars more annually in ongoing operational costs). We are solidifying
Aimee Winder Newton, County Council District 3
numbers now so we can develop a long-term solution. I, along with my colleagues on the Salt Lake County Council, voted to allocate $700,000 to relocate some jail occupants to other county jails that do have capacity. This will help give us additional space to incarcerate those who need it, and by extension hopefully allow the jail to lift some of the booking constraints. I am grateful to the state legislature, which is partnering with us in this effort and is providing funding for this as well. Sheriff Jim Winder has been an incredible leader on this issue, working tirelessly to find effective, pragmatic solutions. I’m grateful for his leadership. While jail beds are important, they are one piece of the overall puzzle. More and more we are seeing that alternatives to incarceration for those with chronic mental health or substance abuse challenges offer a better path. Rather than simple incarceration in a jail or prison, people struggling with mental health or substance abuse challenges can more successfully get back on their feet and break out of a pattern of poor choices. Our county Behavioral Health division has worked hard on exploring those alternatives as well, and I look forward to continued innovation and reform in our criminal justice system. As this jail bed plan goes into effect, local law enforcement officers should see additional capacity at our jail, so they can
adequately book individuals when needed. I know our officers on the streets bear the brunt of these challenges, and put in countless long hours giving their most devoted effort to make our cities safer. I’m optimistic that we will continue to make progress in the months ahead, and look forward to the continued partnership between Salt Lake County, neighboring counties, and the state.
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PAGE 28 | JUNE 2017
WEST JORDAN JOURNAL
How to Afford Your Bucket List Travel
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ave youbynoticed all the bucket list articles JOANI lately? TAYLOR I don’t know what it is, but all of a sudden, I’ve seen article after article about sky diving over Dubai, riding a camel in the Sahara Desert, or cycling though South African vineyards on a carbon negative tour. I was wondering, if perhaps, I missed a sale on buckets at my local bucket store or maybe it was “national buy a bucket day” last week and everyone but me stocked up on buckets. And now to get some use of them, they are stuffing them up with dreams and lofty visions of travel grandeur. Being a self-proclaimed master planner, this all should be well and good to me. Besides, who am I to tell folks how to use their buckets? But it seems to me that creating a fantasy travel dreamland could end up in a wide-awake letdown when you hit the road. So, in keeping in the spirit of adventurous travel, here are some ideas to keep your dream bucket a reality. Understand your Travel Fund: Part of making travel a reality is to make a budget. Figure out your travel style. Are you a higher maintenance traveler that needs pricier hotels and to be entertained or does camping at a beach or hiking through the mountains meet your needs? No matter which kind of traveler you are and what your financial situation is, you’ll want to make sure to allow extra money for spontaneity and little luxuries. A general rule for us has been to plan for the vacation to cost 15 to 25% more than we think. Set up an automatic savings account: Have your bank put aside a small amount into a travel fund and use it ONLY for travel. It doesn’t have to be much, because as it begins to grow you’ll start to make plans for where you’ll go. Now your travel vision is becoming a reality and this will encourage you to save even more in your day-to-day spending in effect tricking yourself into making it grow faster. Utilize Long Weekends: There’s a lot that can be accomplished in a 3 or 4-day weekend. No, I don’t mean giving the dog a bath and cleaning out the garage. Hop in the car and go explore the gems close to home. I am always surprised how many people I’ve met who have not been to Capitol Reef, taken a ride on the Utah Valley Railroad train, or gone for a dip in the Crater. Yet these places are at the top of someone’s bucket list in other parts of the world. Keep your Expectations in Check: With all the resources we have at our fingertips it’s easy to, over plan, set yourself up for failure, or just expect too much. I recently stumbled on a travel article for a roadside attraction I’ve been to on more than one occasion. I first discovered it while traveling between states and randomly stopped to stretch my legs and let the kids’ blow off some
steam. It’s since become a traditional resting stop that we enjoy every time we pass through. The article however, made this destination look AMAZING, like some kind of bucket list fairytale. It had stunning photos accompanied with an article of interest. A quick search landed me on several similar accountings. In reality, this tiny attraction takes less than an hour to explore and by the articles standard would be a bit of a let- down. Had we gone with the expectations the media set we would have been disappointed. It’s much better to adopt an attitude of discovery, this way you aren’t disappointed. Don’t Over Plan: This is my personal stumbling block. I tend to research and attempt to plan every minute of my vacation. Thinking that it would set my mind at ease and we wouldn’t miss a thing. With many failed attempts, I’ve finally learned that no matter how well planned I was I still going to miss something and having to be accountable for every activity in everyday just made the getaway stressful and me super annoying to my fellow travelers. While researching your destination is imperative, especially if there are tickets you’ll need in advance, it’s important to break from your normal self and let your adventurous side loose to let things roll. Most of us will only be able to afford a very few dreamy bucket list travel destinations, but taking time off is crucial for our mental and physical wellbeing. Travel freely to affordable destinations and restrain yourself from dreaming of what a vacation should be. With the right attitude your affordable travel can become your bucket list …. checkmark. Joani Taylor is the owner of Coupons4Utah. com a blog dedicated to helping people save money on their day-to-day living and 50Roads. com a lifestyle and travel blog for the empty nester.
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JUNE 2017 | PAGE 29
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SPOTLIGHT
Reproductive Care Center
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
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eproductive Care Center is the first private infertility clinic in Utah and has been in business for over 20 years. RCC meets all the most advanced requirements and guidelines for its labs and physicians, making them completely state-of-the-art. Reproductive Care Center has five board-certified physicians who are members of the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), as well as a nurse practitioner, all dedicated to helping couples grow their families. All physicians, embryologists, lab technicians and nurses at RCC are members of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and continually train and educate themselves to ensure that they are at the forefront of the reproductive technology advances. Although assisted reproductive technology (ART) has been practiced for decades, the advancements have changed the way it’s being done. Instead of simply trying to obtain conception with as many embryos as possible, competent specialists at RCC focus on helping a couple achieve a single healthy baby, which increases the chance of a successful pregnancy and minimizes the risk of pre-term births. RCC physicians also conduct research and studies to stay ahead of the curve. Dr. Andrew K. Moore, an infertility specialist at the clinic, recently completed a major research study that showed a strong correlation between healthy habits combined
TEXT
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with couple’s therapy and its improvement on natural conception. With all the success that Reproductive Care Center has achieved, it hasn’t always come easy.
Through continued research and scientific advancements, as well as the openness of many high-profile people, Reproductive Care Center is finally seeing the shift in the perception of infertility. For a long time, infertility was a topic that was not discussed openly. Through continued research and scientific advancements, as well as the openness of many high-profile people, Reproductive Care Center is finally seeing the shift in the perception of infertility. Patients seek out a specialist much sooner than before because they know it is available and acceptable. Another major challenge is that most insurance companies do not offer infertility treatment benefits. While they do often cover consultations and diagnostic treatment, they do not
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typically provide benefits for intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). Legislators are looking at how to improve coverage, but in the meantime, RCC has worked tirelessly to provide affordable treatment options to patients including income-based discounts, military discounts, financing for IVF, multiple IVF Cycle package discounts, and a 100% Money-Back Guarantee IVF Program for qualifying patients. “We understand that so many of our patients, especially those that need IVF, are having to pay for it out of pocket,” said Rachel Greene, the marketing coordinator at RCC. “It is a difficult hurdle to jump and we do as much as we can to accommodate.” Resolve.org, a national organization, has pushed the discussion of infertility to the national level with legislators and insurance companies. They initiated the National Infertility Awareness Week which was April 23-29. RCC participated by offering daily giveaways and providing a free seminar. RCC also sponsored a date night hosted by Utah Infertility Resource Center, a local counseling and support resource with whom RCC has chosen to partner. RCC is focused on providing compassionate and quality care to their patients. Reproductive Care Center has affordable consultation prices and are ready to see new patients in all their locations, visit www.fertilitydr.com to learn more.
PAGE 30 | JUNE 2017
WEST JORDAN JOURNAL SHOP YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES
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Life
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ordes of families will go to Disneyland this summer because parents continue to be stupid. Touted as “The Happiest Place on Earth,” its creators have obviously never been on the Tequila Tour in Cancun. Parents announce “We’re going to Disneyland!” and because kids have no sense of perspective they’ll ask hundreds of times when you’re leaving. You’ll consider canceling the trip to avoid spending any more time with your adorable screeching goblins. Whether you fly (unwise) or drive (equally unwise), the trip to California is never part of the fun. When we took our kids to Disneyland in a covered wagon, they didn’t have iPads to entertain them. Instead, it was 10 hours of whining until my kids finally told me to shut up. Once you find your motel (which is ten times as dumpy as it looked online) and gently scoot the homeless lady out of the doorway, your kids can run to the outdoor pool to contract cholera while you unpack the car. The night before your first day in Disneyland, no one sleeps. Not because everyone’s excited but because your 5-year-old is crying because she’s afraid of clowns. Even though there are no clowns in the area. And you haven’t discussed clowns. And you can’t convince her she won’t be chased by clowns. So you arrive at the Happiest Place on Earth with everyone scowling. If you forked out extra money to eat breakfast with fairies (suckers), you’ll discover everyone else in the universe has done the same thing. Your breakfast with fairies turns into breakfast with someone who might be a fairy but you’re too far away to tell. Turning on your we’re-going-to-have-fun-at-all-costs voice, you’ll exclaim, “Who’s ready for some rides?!” and wander into Disneyland (henceforth called the Park—like Madonna, Cher and God). Everyone wants to go in different directions which begins the first of several fistfights. You must have a plan to tackle the Park. Hopefully, this eliminates the identical rides where you sit in a little car that takes you through a colorful re-enactment of classic Disney cartoons. (Keep saying “Wow!” until you’re
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convinced everyone’s having fun.) Random Disney villains will walk through the Park to excite/terrify your child. Seeing Maleficient striding toward her, your 5-year-old will scream and hide behind a garbage can, crying until she passes by. For meals, there are a variety of food options. But instead of purchasing food in the Park, take a flight home for meals. It will be cheaper. At some point, a random clown will walk by, throwing your 5-year-old into hysterics. Just when you think you’ll collapse if you see one more pirate or ride one more roller coaster, the evening events begin. You’re exhausted, covered in all types of stickiness, and are carrying bags full of souvenirs while wearing mouse ears, but your kids don’t care and dart away to watch light parades, water shows and other adventures that usually end in at least one visit to the Park’s Magical First Aid Center. Repeat this entire experience for 3-7 days. Leaving California, the drive (or flight) home is subdued as family members slump with Disney hangovers and your 5-year-old sniffles quietly in the Belle costume she’s worn all week. Next year, you’ll want to take a closer look at that Tequila Tour.
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Fence/Handyman
LAWN CARE
VEHICLES WANTED
Gumby’s Auto Parts We’ll buy your non-running, wrecked or broken car, truck or van.
(801) 506-6098
“It’s worth your time to call!” FLAT ROOF SPECIALISTS
OLYMPUS ROOFING
801.887.7663 SERVING WASATCH FRONT SINCE 1973
801-244-3542
Call Kim at 801-971-0192
PHOTOGRAPHY
TREE SERVICE
LANDSCAPING
FREE ESTIMATES
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
FREE ESTIMATES
Toni Cox Photography
Weddings . Families . New Born Children . Special Occasions . Graduations
Call or Text 801-718-4906 www.tonicoxphotography.com
TREE TIME – Pruning, Trimming, Hedging – Tree and Stump Removal – Shaping and Shrubs
801-577-7740
All In One
FULL YARD CLEAN-UP, TRIM AND PRUNE, TREES SERVICE, TRASH HAULING, TALL WEED MOWING, ETC. – licensed and insured –
DAVE at 801-455-6705