September 2018 | Vol. 18 Iss. 09
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TRUTH IN TAXATION DECISION brings 18 percent property tax increase By Erin Dixon | erin@mycityjournals.com n Aug. 18, the West Jordan City Council approved an 18 percent property tax increase . The last property tax increase in West Jordan City was in 2012. Before that was 1988— one tax increase in 30 years. The population has grown from 47,800 residents to 114,000 in that 30-year period. The money from the property tax goes to several places. The majority goes to school districts and Salt Lake County. David Brickey, city manager, outlined the details of the proposal to the council and public at the Truth in Taxation meeting Aug. 18. “[These] dollars do not necessarily end up in the city. The city gets 15 cents for every dollar collected,” Brickey said. “The city would end up with 18 cents of that dollar [with this increase].” Increased population means more residents to collect tax from, but the income for the city is still insufficient to meet the needs of the expanding community. With an average 2.7 percent inflation each year since 1988, $1,000 does not buy as much it did 30 years ago. The same $1,000 now covers only $476 in goods and services. Inflation affects salaries, health insurance and materials for building and repairs. Public comments The proposed tax increase was for 20 percent more than the current tax rate. The council chamber was full of residents with polarizing opinions. Some were in favor of the increase with no hesitation. Others were desperate to keep the rate the same. Jeff Black, a husband, father and 12-year resident of West Jordan said his employer won’t raise his salary just because the city raises taxes. “My income is not going to increase,” he said. “Please do not pass this increase. Do your best and leave things as they are.” Jamie Bevilhymer said that her income is a fixed $14,000 per year and was not in favor of the increase. “Citizens are made to believe they have no choice,” Bevilhymer said. “I wonder if in all your doings you can in your heart and soul say that you don’t waste, abuse or misspend. I am
sure you will find the money somewhere else. It has been done before.” Colleen Laird asked the council to look again at the budget to cut out unnecessary spending. “I would suggest you look at all the wants and the needs,” Laird said. “Clearly, fire and police are needs. What are the wants?” Jake Thomas was in favor of the increase. “Sometimes with police, seconds count for public safety,” he said. “It is your responsibility to protect all the citizens.” Some of the resident comments came from West Jordan police officers. Patrol Sgt. Hawn spoke about the needs for his force. “We’ve had the most calls in the valley,” he
said. “We are all in favor of this. This is not raises for us. We have domestic violence, we have rapes, we have priority calls. It takes us three or four hours to get to the lower priority calls. Let us recruit and retain the officers. Please help us out.” In total, there were nine resident comments in favor of the increase—nine opposed and two that were fence-sitters. Councilmember comments Mayor Jim Riding addressed a concern that was brought up several times during the public comments: cutting unnecessary spending. “I put budgets together for this city for years,” he said. “Working through those budgets, I never felt we had any fluff.” continued on page 5...
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David Brickey, city manager, gave a presentation before the public hearing that outlined what the increase of property tax would fund. (Erin Dixon/City Journals)
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September 2018 | Page 3
Teen anime fans unite at the Viridian By Whitney Cox | w.cox@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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ore than 1,000 teens from across Utah connected at ToshoCON, a two-day anime convention, held at the Salt Lake County Library’s Viridian Event Center the first weekend in August. “ToshoCON is an awesome experience for teens and tweens who love anime to get together, show off their creative talents and have a great time with other teens who also enjoy anime and manga,” said Tavin Stucki, public relations coordinator. Both days were packed with events and merchandise for every fan of manga or anime. The best part: Everything was produced by teens, for teens. “The goal is to create a safe space so when they go to a big convention, like Comic-Con, Fanex or Anime Bonzai, they know what to expect,” said Nyssa Fleig, library program manager. The atmosphere of the convention was as welcoming and electric as any big convention. In the courtyard, there were trucks and tables set up for food. Immediately upon entering the lobby, attendees would see a craft lounge where teens were eating, chatting and creating various forms of anime-related work. At the opposite end of the center were booths, set up and managed by teens selling their own merchandise, most of which was hand-crafted. In the conference rooms, teen panels were entertaining a crowd by answering questions and performing skits. Every square inch of space was filled with the excited buzz of cosplay-clad teens. Months prior to the convention, teens applied to be vendors, panelists or to enter any of the three contests: cosplay, art or anime music video. Alyssa Summers, a vendor at this year’s ToshoCon, started making signature key chains, necklaces and mugs in May to sell at the convention. “I’ve been going to this Con since it started,” said Summers. Although she has been attending the convention for six years, this was the first year she decided to create her own anime-themed art to sell. She was one of many
Teen panelists dressed as the Hitachiin twins, Kaoru and Hikaru, from the manga series Ouran High School Host Club. (Whitney Cox/City Journals)
teens who created merchandise. Booths featured anything from original art of beloved anime characters to full-length written and self-published fantasy novels. In order to be part of a panel, a team had to apply and attend practices before the opening of the convention. Each panel chose their own theme and coordinated costumes. One panel elected to dress up as characters from Ouran High School Host Club, a manga series by Bisco Hatori. Two panelists on this team dressed as the Hitachiin twins. They were first introduced to anime by their peers. The panelist dressed as Hikaru Hitachiin has attended ToshoCON at the Viridian for three years, so when her friend asked for an additional panelist, she was excited to take a part in it. She loves to come to this convention because, “It’s really fun to be around your friends and be in an environment where you can play around,” she said. “Everybody here is basically just the same. We come here to have fun and just be us, really.” Her counterpart twin, Kaoru Hitachiin, said, “I like to see all the people
who I love in the anime and their cosplays. And meeting new people. I actually met one of my best friends.” Cosplay, short for costume play, is the hobby of creating a costume to represent a specific character. While it is customary for all convention attendees to participate in cosplay, ToshoCON held a contest for those who wanted to be recognized for the effort they put into their costume. This year, 19-year-old Lexi Durbin was awarded Best in Show for her Demon Hunter cosplay. Angela Van Beuge was the winner of the anime music video contest for her submission of “Catch Fire/My Hero Academia” by Sweetbee. The art contest winners are on display at util.slcolibrary.org/2018ToshoCONArtContest. The convention succeeds in its goal to create a safe and neat opportunity for teens to hone their artistic talents. It gives teens who are serious about making anime a big part of their future goals a chance to practice their skills, while also giving those who enjoy anime as a hobby a chance to have a little fun. l
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West Jordan City Journal
continued from front page... Chris McConnehey was in favor of the 20 percent proposed increase but was hesitant because he said he understood the impact it would have on some residents. “I really don’t like being in this position,” he said. “You’re here to represent your neighbors, and this is something that is very divisive and emotional for everyone. Call volumes jumped by 97 percent since 2015. As much as I don’t like it, I would support the 20 percent changes.” Councilmember Chad Lamb also addressed the question of cutting out current spending. “I don’t think these are wants,” he said. “We need more than five [officers]; we need 10. We need more than 10. I wish we could fund 20. I’m all for looking ways to cut, but really, we are short on services on most areas in the city. As you listen to us talk, remember we are citizens of the city as well.” Councilmember Zach Jacob was not convinced that the 20 percent was necessary. “Nothing is an urgent need,” he said. “No one’s house is burning down today because we don’t have fire. The bottom line for me is that we need to look at the fund balance.” Councilmember Kayleen Whitelock was the first to propose a reduced 18 percent increase. “While you are in these seats, you make tough decisions,” she said. “While you are in those seats, you’re thinking something different. Most people are in favor of crossing guards, police and fire. My motion mayor is that we increase taxes by 18 percent.” The votes were as follows: Riding, yes;
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Anderson, yes; Jacob, no; McConnehey, yes; Whitelock, yes; Lamb, yes; Burton, no. There are aids available for those who are financially unable to meet the new tax increase. Please see (page 33) for more information. City needs more businesses for tax revenue Another factor for the need for increase in property tax is that most of West Jordan is residential space. Other cities such as West Valley and Sandy have large commercial zones that help offset the costs for the residents. Currently, West Jordan residents spend more outside the city than they do inside. Kent Andersen is the city’s new economic development director. He previously worked for Layton City and instigated much of the economic growth there in the past few years. He is working on the Copper Rim Development as well as an auto dealership that would bring in more than $1 million for the city each year. Brickey also gave suggestions to residents to bring more money to the city. “It might sound strange, but tell your representative that you want a liquor store,” he said. “That could bring in $1 million to $2 million per year. Tell them, ‘I don’t want to shop there, but I want it in my city.’” Scott Langford, community development director, also gave details about improvements to Jordan Landing that could attract more business and income for the city. “Just tonight at another meeting, my staff approved some additional signage [for Jordan Landing],” he said. “[The developer has plans]
Allocation of each tax dollar after it is collected. (Courtesy West Jordan)
to revamp and refresh to infuse more life into Jordan Landing.”
For more information about the increase, visit: www.westjordan.utah.gov/truth-in-taxation. l
September 2018 | Page 5
Neighborhood comradery promotes safe neighborhoods By Whitney Cox | w.cox@mycityjournals.com
He doesn’t stop working for his constituents. That’s why I support Ken. - Jennifer Livsey, West Jordan
Salt Lake County Mayor, Ben McAdams speaks to a community for the National Night Out. (Whitney Cox/City Journals)
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cross the nation on Aug. 7, communities gathered to become familiar with each other in order to help make neighborhoods safer. In West Jordan, the community between 4000 West and 4800 West and as far south as 9000 South met at Teton Estates Park. Local restaurants provided food, and the community was able to enjoy a barbeque while getting to know each other and their city officials, such as Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. In the same spirit of neighborhood safety and comradery, Dirk Burton, the Neighborhood Watch coordinator of this same area organizes a
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monthly “snack-n-stroll” as part of the Neighborhood Watch Program. It started as a neighborhood project and has been consistently taking place every summer for the past four years. On the second Saturday of every summer month, the community meets at Teton Estates Park. It is called a snack-n-stroll because most people are able to stroll directly to the park where snacks are provided. “It is an opportunity to get neighbors together to meet each other,” said Burton, also a West Jordan City Councilman. “Adults get to introduce themselves to each other, get to meet each other, find out where they live and find out who they are and what they do for work.” The idea behind a neighborhood watch is to help keep your neighbors safe, which is a difficult thing to do if you have never met them. “It’s just a way to know your neighbors, so if there’s something strange happening in the neighborhood, or normal, we can tell them apart,” said Burton. The second purpose of the snack-n-stroll is to increase safety through better understanding. “I review items to help increase security in our neighborhood and safety from things such as closing garage doors, turning on lights at night and how to avoid scams with telemarketers. If there is somebody we recognize from snack-n-stroll in the neighborhood, we know it’s OK for them to be there.” l
West Jordan City Journal
West Jordan Alum already making name for himself in comedy By Bob Bedore | bob@mycityjournals.com
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amed comedian Lenny Bruce once said, “The role of a comedian is to make the audience laugh, at a minimum of once every 15 seconds”. No one in their right mind would want to take on that type pressure. Luckily, we have comedians like West Jordan’s Alex Velluto who are brave enough to take the stage with only a thin microphone stand for a shield and provide us with what has often been called the best medicine: laughter. And not only does he survive in the comedy world that can be a constant pressure cooker for many—he thrives. Alex has become a staple in Utah, often headlining at places such as Wiseguys and Dry Bar Comedy. He’s also competed in several comedy festivals, including winning the Finger Lakes Comedy Festival in Ithaca, New York, and being named “Best of Fest” of the Golden Spike Comedy Festival. His videos are also raking up views, and you can catch his special “Alex Velluto: Spurious” on Amazon. And now he can always look up and see his name on a marquee. “It’s weird. I always check the spelling,” Velluto said. Not bad for a guy from West Jordan High School. Like many comedians, Velluto started as a class clown. “I took at creative writing class (at WJHS) that I really liked,” he said. “We were supposed to write slam poems to read at a poetry slam. Since they could be whatever we wanted, I decided to write comedy. When I read the poems, I was basically doing stand-up.” That first bit of performing started Velluto’s love for comedy. “It gave me ‘false confidence’ because it’s not hard to be funnier than slam poetry,” Velluto said, admitting that confidence (even the false kind) is very important to a stand-up comic. From there Velluto started doing open mics, some at the school. Reminiscing on his first show, Velluto admitted, “I remember at the time, I thought I’d done well, but when I think of the jokes I told, there’s absolutely no way it went as well as I thought.” For the most part, those days are behind Alex. He is considered one of the sharpest writers in the market, and his material is a brilliant mix of self-deprecating humor and highly intellectual jokes. “It might seem strange to people, but I like making fun of myself,” Velluto said. “That way I get to control the narrative, and I feel that when people are laughing at self-deprecating humor, they’re emphasizing with the comedian because they can relate to that feeling.” That can really be true when he talks about his love life. We can all relate to many of his jokes, like, “People think I’m gay, but I’m not gay. I’m… what do they call it when you like girls and they don’t like you? Lonely. That’s what I am… lonely.” To be fair, Velluto is dating now, so don’t feel too badly for him.
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But it’s the smart stuff that can really stick with an audience. Velluto might be the only comedian who can get people to laugh at a census taking joke, or by pointing out that the Declaration of Independence is perhaps the greatest break up letter ever written. One has to wonder, how does he come up with his material? “A friend of mine, Rodney Norman (another great Utah comic who has attracted national attention), told me that you should write about things you like, or things you are frustrated about,” Velluto said. “That makes it weird when you get complemented on a joke because you get a compliment, which is nice, but you’re still frustrated by material.” And there lies the basis of comedy. We all know about the laughs, but most comedy comes at the expense, or pain, of someone else. Think about the classic Abbot and Costello bit, “Who’s on first?” It’s funny, unless you take it from the standpoint of the guy who just wants to know the names of the players. Or the classic groin-shot videos we’ve seen a million times on TV. There is great comedy in other’s pain. Luckily for Velluto, there isn’t too much pain for him in his act. But even with a comedian of his record, a few bad shows can make their way into the win-loss column. “I was doing an outdoor festival,” he said. “It was raining, and everyone was in a tent that was 50 years away from the stage. I could have been doing well, but because they were so far away from the stage, I had no idea. The only people I could get to come up to the stage was a 10-year-old girl. I said something like, ‘I’m killing it with this little kid,’ and she yelled back, “I have not laughed once!” With a laugh, Velluto adds, “That was the worst heckle I’ve ever gotten, and I think the worst I’ll ever get. Other hecklers need not apply.” One thing that appeals to many about Alex’s comedy is his ability to keep his material clean. “It’s sometimes hard to stay clean, because most people’s minds go to the dirty,” Velluto said. “But if I can push through the initial dirty thought, I can usually find the clever alternative. Even though dirty things still make me laugh.” “But don’t think that clean comedy is morally superior to dirty (blue) comedy,” he continues. “I just try to stay clean because it seems more inclusive. Hopefully, you won’t even notice that the material is clean, just funny. That being said, it really depends on who you ask. I’m looked at as a clean act, but every now and again — especially in Utah County — they look at me like I’m edgy and unpredictable.” Census taking and Declaration of Independence material is not for everyone. When not working on material for the stage, Alex follows his beloved Utah Jazz and is working on other projects. He’s been writing for local commercials and has started a podcast (Free Lunch with Alex Velluto) where he in-
Comedy and the Utah Jazz are about the only things that Alex Velluto takes seriously. (Gabriel Michael)
terviews random people in exchange for a free lunch. He credits his parents (an illustrator and a teacher) for teaching him the values, support and confidence needed to pursue his dreams. Don’t miss a chance to catch Alex live. He works hard to make his material spot on, concise and crafted to get the most laughs out of
every word. If you can’t catch him live, search out his videos and specials, such as “Spurious” or the new one from Dry Bar Comedy called “Thirst,” or listen in on his podcast “Free Lunch with Alex Velluto.” With Alex, Lenny Bruce’s definition of a comedian’s role is well defined. l
September 2018 | Page 7
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s the construction business in Utah grows, so does the need for quality and innovative outdoor building supplies. US Vinyl Fence has been a leading distributor of fencing, decking and railing products for over 50 years, and they’ve done it all while remaining locally run and employee-owned. Recently, US Vinyl Fence opened their third location at what many remember as the Anderson Lumber building on 1333 W. 9000 South in West Jordan. Gordon Watts, the current CFO, has been with the company since the early days. “The company started as a partnership which was incorporated in 1968. I joined the company in 1976, when the business was made available for employees to buy into. I was part of a small group who purchased the business, and I have been here ever since,” Watts said. Though the name of the business, which used to be located near the TRAX station in Murray, is “vinyl fence,” they carry a wide range of other materials and sell supplies for other projects. “We are the perfect place for the ‘do-it-yourselfer’ and the contractor. We’ve found a special niche,” Watts said. In the areas of decking, fencing, and railing, customers can find wood and metal railing in addition to vinyl products. They also carry Trex, Fiberon and Deckorators brands. In addition to supplies, US Vinyl Fence’s salespeople are also available for custom design jobs. Their impressive on-site workshop has equipment to cut products to any specification. “We sell to the general public, welcome walk-in customers and
Page 8 | September 2018
have tools to help customers who are still in the design stages. We help them build the deck or design the fence of their dreams. And we are happy to direct those who need installation experts to find the right company for the job,” Watts said. To prepare for a visit to US Vinyl Fence, CFO Watts encourages customers to take a look at their website, www.usvinylfence.com. There are numerous photos of beautiful finished projects featuring their products. “Some people bring in some measurements or dimensions of their yard and have an idea of what they want. We have a loyal clientele of contractors. Because we are not an installation business, we can refer our customers to local contractors that we’ve worked with for years,” Watts said. Because US Vinyl Fence has one of the biggest inventories in the state, they can help customers find parts to repair their pre-existing fencing. “We sell replacement fence parts, gates, post caps and any part that might need to be replaced. Vinyl fencing is popular because it’s nearly maintenance free. But when a part breaks or is damaged, we can easily match a part and color,” Watts said. In addition to typical outdoor building supplies, US Vinyl Fence loves to help with custom-made projects. They have a custom-built gate with a steel frame and vinyl exterior – the best of both worlds for strength yet easy upkeep. For more information, visit their showroom in West Jordan, or call them at (801) 2626429 during business hours 8 a.m.-5 p.m. l
West Jordan City Journal
Should South Jordan own Glenmoor Golf Course? By Cassie Goff | cassie@mycityjournals.com
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ore than 400 people flocked to Bingham High School’s auditorium to attend South Jordan’s City Council meeting on Aug. 7. South Jordan’s city council chambers were then filled on Aug. 21. The reason: Glenmoor Golf Course. (To learn more about the history leading up to this council meeting and related action, visit southjordanjournal.com and search for the article: Why the future of Glenmoor golf course is in jeopardy.) A line of people ready to speak on this issue began forming up the auditorium’s isle way. Many were wearing blue T-shirts reading ”Save Glenmoor.” All of the public comments heard that night urged the council to save the golf course. The majority of comments were in favor of placing a bonding question for Glenmoor Golf Course on the November 2018 Election Ballot. Darci Olsen, a PGA professional working at Glenmoor, said, “I am a South Jordan resident, and I support my family based on the golf course. Glenmoor has history and is part of the community. The golf course has been thriving this year. I hope it can stay and continue to thrive.” Throughout the night, many residents spoke about the work Olsen does at Glenmoor. “On record, 160 to 200 kids come and go, in and out, of that course with the youth programs,” said resident Denise Larson. “Darci runs one of the best. There is a nonprofit that refunds the golf course for rounds played by the youth. Glenmoor is in the top five in the nation.” Another PGA professional, Anna Fischer, spoke about the importance of the golf course. “PGA uses that golf course for championships and youth,” she said. “We pay a green fee there. Many kids build livelihoods at Glenmoor Golf Course.” Many residents also spoke about the importance of Glenmoor Golf Course for the youth population within the area. “There’s a young man that comes from West Jordan on his golf cart with his clubs in tow behind him,” said resident Joanne Smith. “I see him drive that golf cart from West Jordan across the old Bingham Highway just so he can go golfing.” Resident Riley Anderson told a similar story. “We met a kid on that golf course,” Anderson said. “He had the scrappiest clubs you could ever imagine. He had no dad, and his mom was an alcoholic. He lived on that golf course. I truly believe that golf course saved his life because it gave him a purpose.” Resident Brad Benthom had more positive experience to share about the golf course. “I have a more unique perspective,” he said. “I’m a retired coach from Bingham; 27 years as a golf coach. I saw futures form at that course. I’ve seen kids drag their bags in with their head down, and I’ve also seen them with their heads high. Just last week, I was at golf tryouts picking up my grandson who made the team. We have a
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SPECIAL NEEDS TRUSTS AND GUARDIANSHIPS
South Jordan may end up owning Glenmoor Golf Course as many residents urge them to take out a bond for purchase. (Horrocks Report)
wonderful community of kids.” “I speak for many West Jordan residents,” said Johnny Wire. “We are also in support of saving this golf course. My son is standing behind me, not lacking in ambition or confidence. The benefits of Glenmoor run deeper than golf, beauty and open space. The youth learn lessons that will benefit them their entire lives.” Johnny’s son, Jackson, said, “I’ve been playing on this golf course since I was 4 years old. It would be a tragedy if you were to take it down.” One of the other main concerns threaded through many of the public comments was concern for the open space provided by the golf course. “I bought a golf cart,” resident Greg Downs said. “I pile my grandkids on that golf cart, and we ride out over to Glenmoor. We saw seven foxes the other night: two big bucks, two pair of mating owls. Glenmore is sort of the central park for us. We want that green space.” Joe Johnson, a developer who owns the villas on the 18th Fairway, spoke directly to the councilmembers. “In your lifetime, you will not see another golf course developed in the city,” he said. “Your predecessors were the founding fathers of Glenmoor. They left a legacy you have an opportunity to maintain and preserve. Preserving that golf course and its legacy will be felt for generations and generations.” “My concern is for our city,” said resident Jackie Pace. “People have moved to South Jordan for a certain kind of living; part of that includes a golf course and open spaces. If we start stacking housing and apartments, one against the other, we are not going to be any different than any other city around us. Why should a city pay for a golf course? We pay for a lot of amenities
in the city that we don’t use. I don’t have children going to school, but I pay all of those taxes willingly.” For three hours, the South Jordan City Council listened to public comment. After the final resident wishing to speak was heard, two presentations were given: One was a Horrocks Report on a public engagement initiative about Glenmoor, and the other was a summary by Y2 Analytics about a survey they conducted regarding public opinion about Glenmoor. The Horrocks Staff pulled information from 2,188 completed surveys with 1,300 submitted comments. Their final report was that the general obligation bond was the preferred option for residents. The Y2 Analytics Report pulled information from just under 1,000 surveys. Results revealed that many people already thought the golf course was city or county owned. A concern from councilmembers was using $40,000 of tax payer money to put this issue on the ballot, especially after representatives from Y2 Analytics concluded that the vote would fail. On Aug. 21, the city council unanimously voted to put the issue on the ballot. Every elected official voiced support for keeping the golf course as is, though were skeptical of doing so through the currently proposed bond. Council and city staff are looking for alternate solutions. They plan to revisit the matter at the Sept. 4 city council meeting. The issue of Glenmoor Golf Course is still ongoing. City Attorney Ryan Loose has been asked to negotiate for a lower price in order to take out a bond. There is also uncertainty about what happens with the ballot if a private buyer comes into the picture. For more information on this issue, visit: www.sjc.utah.gov/glenmoorgolfcourse/. l
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September 2018 | Page 9
Over 1,000 calls for domestic violence in West Jordan By Erin Dixon | erin@mycityjournals.com
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n 2017, West Jordan police officers responded to 1,713 calls for domestic violence. Domestic violence is not a crime that is not just for “other people”; the poor or for those already under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Sergeant J.C. Holt from West Jordan police has responded to countless of domestic violence calls from every walk of life. “[T]hese are not people with a criminal history,” Holt said. “I’ve been involved in investigation with medical staff, fellow police officers from other agencies where the police officers were the perpetrators. It’s every single social class that you can imagine.” The number of domestic violence reports has increased in recent years. However, this is not necessarily an indication that it is becoming a bigger problem; it may simply mean that it has always been behind the neighbors closed doors. Through several organizations, people are becoming more aware that violence in their home is unacceptable and that there are resources to get help. “There’s been a lot more education and outreach in the form of advertising for help, such as South Valley Services,” Holt said. “They have a housing facility where they have approximately 60 beds where they house both male and female victims of violence.” There are two local organizations that provide immediate and long-term help for those
in abusive relationships. South Valley Services (https://svsutah.org/en/home/) and Utah Domestic Violence Coalition (http://udvc.org/). Both websites have “safety exits” that erase the history on your device so no one else can tell that you have visited. Close relationships mean higher stakes Because of the personal nature of the crime, successful prosecution can be difficult. In Utah, there is a spousal protection law, which means that a spouse cannot be forced to testify in court. “In Utah, we have what is known as the spousal privilege act,” Holt said. “It is a law that protects you from having to be forced to testify against your significant other. Oftentimes, they’re back together trying to fix their relationship; the suspect manipulates the victim into not testifying, which is illegal.” Or, a victim will not cooperate with police to follow through with the accusation because of the psychological consequences in an abusive relationship. Sometimes, victims will simply not show up to court, and the case must be dropped. Police must then rely on their own evidence for prosecution, if they have any. Prosecution without cooperation Conviction often needs to come from police reports because victims are unwilling to follow through with the prosecution. Holt de-
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Page 10 | September 2018
Domestic violence is a widespread problem, even in West Jordan, Utah. (Pixabay)
scribed a case when the victim was not cooperative, but there was still a successful prosecution. “[One victim] basically told the judge, ‘I’m not willing to talk.’ I was the detective, and I [ had] interviewed her outlining all the abuse and it was recorded,” Holt said. “[W]e had several pictures we had taken. The court decided to move on without her cooperation because we feel like this guy needs to be held accountable. It was a success.” “That’s what we want to do; we want to hold these offenders accountable, and we want to be pretty aggressive with our approach and our enforcement. [W]e have a pretty good team approach, and our prosecutors are super aggressive.” Why is violence in the home such an extreme problem? “The whys behind all of it have to do with raw emotion of the situation,” Holt said. “Children relationships bring the most sensitive of feelings to the surface for most people. We live in a society where family is important [which] seems counter-intuitive. If people could keep their emotions in check and not lead to actions, police would have a lot less work to do. It’s a very emotional crime.” Abusive situations are complicated and damaging For someone not in an abusive relationship, tolerance of domestic violence may come as a surprise. A victim will stay in a relationship for myriad reasons that don’t make sense to others. “There’s a lot of psychological effects that go into effect with victims,” Holt said. “It is really about power and control and manipulation.” “That [psychological] process doesn’t stop after a police report has been filed or even after a person’s arrested. Generally, it will continue, these victims that get left behind they’re easily manipulated back into the cycle abuse that
they’ve had over such a long time.” People may stay in an abusive relationship because they are afraid what will happen if they try to leave; they may be dependent financially or physically; or they may have low self-esteem and feel deserving of the treatment. Some people have a great love for the abuser and wish for the violence to end, not the relationship. A long-term struggle It is not uncommon for the same police officers to respond to the same family’s calls, year after year, to just diffuse the situation. “These people are fighting at home, and they have children,” Holt said. “As a veteran officer, it’s really sad when you go into a house to assess what’s going on, and there’s kids there, and they act like there’s nothing wrong. They’re watching TV; they’re coloring; they’re just hanging out just like it’s another day to have a police officer there. That to me is very telling. We have victims that come in after an incident, and we learn that there’s an established history that’s been going on for years, and finally they get the courage to go to the police.” Recently, Holt was involved with a victim who had endured the violence in her marriage for 35 years. She finally decided that she could tolerate it no longer and has cooperated with the police to have her spouse prosecuted. Are 1,700 cases in a single city unusual? Holt thinks the numbers are typical for any city in the valley. “I don’t think we’re above or below average,” he said. “We’re in the normal.” If you or a loved one need help with an abusive relationship, call this free and confidential hotline: 1-800-897-LINK (5465) For more information to cases involving domestic violence, see the article here from July 2018 about struggle to prosecute domestic abuse. l
West Jordan City Journal
Attend City Council on your couch By Erin Dixon | erin@mycityjournals.com
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ity council meetings are streamed live on youtube.com. City council is each month on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Chamber doors in City Hall are always open, and there is always time given at the beginning of each meeting for public comment. The meeting typically lasts between two and six hours. Unfortunately, getting there immediately after work is a struggle for most. Meetings are sparsely attended by the public, and the council chamber is generally empty except for those who have a presentation to give or for the press. There are one or two regular resident attendees that give comment in the meeting. West Jordan’s population is more than 114,000. In person attendance is on average 0.001 percent of the population. Chambers are more likely to fill when there is a property rezone on the agenda, but rarely is there a resident otherwise. For several years, the meeting audio has been available on youtube. com the following morning. Now, it is broadcast live with audio and video. The West Jordan City Hall Facebook page also displays the live feed and allows running commentary. The average number of people watching live online is 10. A viewer can see the city council on the dais, the presenters’ podium and the slides given during presentations. If you are interested in watching from your home, from work or from your phone, you can watch on youtube.com by searching “West Jordan City Council.” You can also log-in to Facebook, search for West Jordan City Hall, follow the page and on the city council nights the video will appear at the top of the page. Go to www.westjordan.utah.gov/agendas to read the agenda for the upcoming council meeting. Each new agenda is posted the week before.
WestJordanJournal .com
Screenshot from August 8, 2018 meeting, with live feed of the council members, presenting podium and presentations. (courtesy/Erin Dixon)
Planning Commission meetings are also available live on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 6 p.m. Periodically, construction open houses or other events will be
streamed live. l
September 2018 | Page 11
Food is a ‘principal’ concern
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hen two boys were sent to her office for acting out with aggressive behavior, Principal Cherie Wilson asked them if they’d had breakfast. They hadn’t. “That’s the first thing I usually ask kids if they’re acting out or can’t concentrate—‘Did you have breakfast?’ or ‘Can I get you a snack?’” said Wilson, who is principal at Foothills Elementary. “Even just a little fruit snack can make a difference in the fact that they can pay attention.” Meeting this basic need is a top priority for principals. All 57 schools in Jordan District have a Principal’s Pantry to provide students and their families with food. Because they value this resource, 185 administrators, Jordan District employees and members of the Utah State Board of Education met this summer to assemble 1,800 weekend food packets and 1,800 school-day snack packs. While principals traditionally focus on testing scores, discipline and graduation rates, meeting students’ basic needs is a top priority. “I know if their basic needs are not met, then none of the other stuff matters and it’s not going to happen,” said Jen Ludlow, principal at West Jordan Elementary. “I have to make sure they are fed, that they are getting enough rest. My scores aren’t going to improve with tired and hungry children. I think that’s really key.” The pantry’s resources are available to any student — no proof or paperwork is required. “We always have food available for kids who are hungry — if they need a snack or if they just need a little something,” said Ludlow. Jim Groethe, assistant principal at Copper Hills High School, said to be able to focus on learning, students need to feel loved and to have their basic needs met. “If we can do that, then we can begin to expand into deep learning,” said Groethe. “Without it, it’s just kids sitting there wondering about their next meal.” Groethe knows from personal experience. “I grew up in a one-bedroom house, son of a custodian, so I know what it is to struggle and wonder where my next meal is coming from,” he said. As a young teacher, he utilized the free summer lunches for his own children and felt guilty that they ate a lot of ramen noodles at home. But he knows there are kids who would be grateful to even have noodles in their house to eat. And that’s what they’ll have. The assembled packets included noodle cups, macaroni and cheese, fruit cups, granola bars, crackers and cheese, applesauce, oatmeal and chocolate milk. A note from the Jordan Education Fund was included in the packets. “We hope to let recipients know that our entire education community cares and is providing solutions,” said Steven Hall, executive director of the JEF. Brian Larson, assistant principal at Copper Mountain Middle School, said the packets of food are a great resource for administrators and teachers to be able to support their students. “It allows us to immediately impact their afternoon, their school day and their weekend for
Page 12 | September 2018
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
Principals have found that snacks can diffuse behavior issues. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)
the better,” said Larson. Ludlow said she is grateful the district chose this as their annual service project as part of their summer professional development conference. “The district is really generous,” she said. “Not only do they give us the food, but they give us the people to help manage it so I’m not putting these together myself every weekend.” She said her assistant spends a lot of time each week preparing backpacks of food to send home with students for the weekend. It took the volunteers just one hour to assemble and fill 504 boxes to stock the pantries of 36 elementary schools. The $10,000 Jordan Education Fund spent on the packets was mainly from donations from charity drives and fundraisers (such as the Super Bowl of Caring) held last year at elementary, middle and high schools, said Hall. “Mainly it’s kid to kid,” he said. “Our kids are helping other kids—they don’t care what school they go to.” JEF raises $50,000 each year to stock all the Principal’s Pantries. l
Administrators from all 57 Jordan District Schools were involved in preparing food packets for students. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)
West Jordan City Journal
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September 2018 | Page 13
Beginning teachers begin to see better salaries By Jet Burnham and Julie Slama | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com, Julie@mycityjournals.com
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anice Voorhies began her teaching career in Alpine School District in 1969, a time when it was the lowest-paying school district in a state with the lowest teacher salary in the nation. “I arguably was—for a brief while—the lowest paid teacher in America,” she said. Voorhies is now Board of Education president for Jordan District and was thrilled to announce a pay increase for Utah teachers for the 2018-2019 school year. The raise includes an $875 step increase for every teacher and a $2,500 cost-of-living adjustment for every licensed employee for a total raise of $3,675. “We had a goal to retain quality teachers and attract new teachers,” Voorhies said. “This compensation is something I never could have dreamed of when I started my first-year salary at $4,800.” When the package was announced, some teachers argued the raise was unfair because, by percentages, new teachers got a bigger raise than experienced teachers. Others, like Jordan Ridge Elementary’s Laurie Christensen, thought it was a great package. With the announcement, she reminded her colleagues that it incentivizes college students to enter and remain in the profession.
Page 14 | September 2018
“We’ve got to shift our view,” she said. “We’ve got to look at what’s best for all of the educators out there.” West Hills Middle teacher Victor Neves has been teaching for 27 years. He said before the raise last year, he was making about twice as much as a first-year teacher. “I certainly don’t work twice as hard as first-year teachers,” he said. “I’d say I work about one-tenth as hard as first-year teachers. And because I know what I’m doing, I think I teach better than them — but not twice as well as them.” In Canyons District, first-year teacher Whitney Lott will be teaching Midvale Middle School eighth-graders. “My contract begins Aug. 17 and already I’ve been getting the room ready,” she said in late July, adding that she has read the core curriculum, a teaching strategy book and will have attended a teaching “base camp” before her contract begins. “Being a new teacher may be more work than a veteran as I’m learning everything and creating a curriculum while veteran teachers usually are not on the same learning curve. (But) I truly, truly believe this is the one of the most important jobs we can do.” Neves said the salary arms race among the
districts competing for new teachers is encouraging. “If we’re going to attract and retain new teachers, which we need to do, we have to pay them market rates,” he said. Voorhies said the board had beginning teachers in mind when they approved the raise. “It’s never easy for a first-year teacher — financially or with the workload—there’s a huge learning curve,” she said. “But anything we can do to allow teachers to earn more money—they’ll go someplace else if they can’t feed their family.” Emily Oscarson is a first-year teacher at Golden Fields Elementary in Jordan District, starting at $42,800 a year. She survived on her intern wage last year—50 percent of a teacher’s wage—even while she ran her classroom independently. “Like any career, you have to work your way up,” she said. “You’re not going to start fresh out of college making some huge salary.” Utah Education Association spokesman Mike Kelley said that school districts together worked to “set the mark above $40,000 in all school districts here in the valley,” but that starting salary is not across the state as rural school districts may not have the same resources.
Murray Education Association President and Murray High School government teacher Mark Durfey is grateful for the pay raise. “Murray Education Association members are appreciative of the 2.75 percent raise,” he said, adding there won’t be an additional increase in insurance rates. “With this increase, added to the considerable adjustment from last year’s negotiations, we think Murray is a great place to work.” Utah teachers have always been quick to point out they are some of the lowest paid in the nation. According to statistics from EdBuild.org, a nonprofit organization in support of public schools, (see table), Utah’s salary ranking moved up from 35th to 31st when average teacher wages were adjusted for cost of living. However, the study used 2013 wages. The recent raises—nearly 12 percent last year and the additional bump from this year’s packages— may have moved Utah closer to the middle of the pack. However, there still is a need to make the pay scale equal to those of starting professionals, such as a computer programmer or a medical technician. (see table). In a recent article, the National Education
West Jordan City Journal
Association states: “It is true that most educators decide to enter the teaching profession because of a desire to work with children, but to attract and retain a greater number of dedicated, committed professionals, educators need salaries that are literally ‘attractive.’” In a 2006 NEA study, half of new U.S. teachers are likely to quit within the first five years because of poor working conditions and low salaries.
However, with salaries on the rise, the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Educational Statistics study found in 2015 that after three years, only 17 percent of teachers leave their field. The determining factor was money. Their study of 1,900 teachers showed that 97 percent of teachers who earned more than $40,000 their first year returned the next year, compared with 87 percent who earned less than $40,000.
Utah teachers, like Neves, are hopeful additional funding for education will be approved by the state legislature. He said it’s important to ease the burden of the high rent many young teachers are facing. “The raise is big and it’s great but the legislature needs to step up,” he said. “If we are going to get teachers, we have to pay new teachers enough to pay their rent.” Voorhies said those employed by taxpay-
ers—police, fire fighters and teachers—have traditionally been underpaid and undervalued by the community. “I don’t think they have to be rich, but they should be able to make a living so we can encourage good people—people that really care about the community—to work in the fields that will influence our children for better and keep us safe,” she said. l
Whitney Lott, a first-year teacher stands outside her classroom at Midvale Middle School a week before school starts. (Photo/Daniel Davis)
WestJordanJournal .com
September 2018 | Page 15
Top five ways to avoid an accident
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ccidents are inevitable. Or are they? We’ve all met someone who says (more like “claims”) they have never experienced a car accident before. While we might doubt the veracity of such a statement, there are countless ways to avoid those nauseatingly time consuming situations — the ones where you wait for law enforcement on the side of the road (or middle of the intersection), deal with insurance companies and figure out finances for fixing the fender. There are countless ways to avoid an accident, here are the top five. 1. Attitude You probably weren’t expecting this one first. As a driver, you control over 3,000 pounds (or more) of metal that can cause incalculable damage. Driving with maturity and the right mindset makes a world of difference. Speeding to beat another car to the exit or to get back at the person who cut you off a minute ago may give you a moment of satisfaction, but is it worth the risk and ramifications? If all drivers commit to having a responsible attitude, imagine how much less we’d find ourselves in bumper to bumper traffic waiting to pass the accident. 2. Speed From 2012-2016, 40 percent of motor vehicle traffic crash deaths in Utah were because
of speeding, according to Utah Department of let someone else go first. Public Safety’s crash data. This also applies when driving in poor Slowing down isn’t going to kill you, but weather conditions. Heavy rainfall and snowflying past others just might. storms blot windshields and make roads slick, 3. Distraction adverse circumstances to traveling safely. BaStay focused. Keep your guard up. Though sics become even more vital like keeping your you may be a phenomenal driver, others aren’t. distance from the vehicle in front of you. Be aware of your surroundings by paying 5. Maintenance attention to what’s in front of you and checking The best way to avoid car malfunction is your mirrors. Knowing where everyone else is the maintenance of said car. helps avoid collisions. If you’re distracted by Ensure tires and brakes are operating withyour phone, music, or billboards with cows out issue. Keep fluids to their proper levels. writing on them, it limits your response time to Oil changes and car washes make a difference. what another driver may being doing in front These simple, but effective maintenance tips of you. ensure your car remains a well-oiled machine 4. Defense (pun intended). l This was one of the first concepts taught in driver education and one of the first we forget: drive defensively. Failing to yield caused 12 percent of deaths from 20122016 in the same data mentioned before. That comes to 154 people who died because they didn’t Here are some ways to avoid a car accident, like this one. (Photo by David Shankbone)
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Page 16 | September 2018
West Jordan City Journal
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT R
eliable water quality data is critical to understanding the overall health of our watershed, specifically how development and other landscape-altering activities can impact the health of our streams. To gain a better understanding of water quality data and trends, Salt Lake County’s Watershed Planning & Restoration Program has been collecting chemical and biological data in county streams since 2009.
Routine monitoring of water quality allows the Watershed Program to analyze stream segments where watershed conditions appear to be changing, identify potential areas of concern, and plan restoration activities to address impacts and improve stream health. It also helps in understanding the impacts of seasonal high flows and irrigation and storm drain inflows to streams. The distribution of sampling sites throughout the county is based on the availability of water, therefore not all streams are monitored on the same schedule and at the same intensity. The Watershed Program’s goal is to regulate both sampling frequency and sampling density per each creek subwatershed to accurately establish the best estimate
The importance of monitoring water quality in Salt Lake County streams By Salt Lake County Watershed Planning & Restoration Program
of overall watershed health. But there are limiting factors. Some west side streams flow only during irrigation season from April to October. Some east side streams are unsafe to access during winter months. Stream hard freeze, construction activities, instrument failure, and so on, can all inhibit data collection. Considering these barriers, the County collects as many samples as possible. The chemical data collected include temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total dissolved solids, and turbidity. The biological data include E. coli bacteria and aquatic macroinvertebrates (a.k.a. bugs). Aquatic bugs are an especially helpful tool, as the presence and/or absence of certain species provides a clear picture of the overall health of the stream ecosystem. Monitoring changes in the bug community can determine if pollutants are widespread in the waterbody, as well as what those pollutants might be. In addition to water quality monitoring, the Watershed Program maintains a network of 21 streamflow gauges (and 15 rain gauges) placed strategically throughout the watershed. Understanding the flow of water in streams plays a vital role in flood protection, water supply, pollution
control, and environmental management. Streamflow measurements are key to modeling watershed pollutant loads and flow data are also used to assess the relationship between precipitation and streamflow (e.g., how quickly streamflow reaches its peak), which can vary significantly depending on the level of watershed development. While the County data are collected to provide a general assessment of water quality, and not to meet any regulatory requirements, the Watershed Program does work with agencies collecting data for regulatory reasons. Utah Division of Water Quality collects water quality data at various locations in the county for the purpose of supporting regulatory programs. Salt Lake City Public Utilities collects water quality data for the purposes of drinking water source protection and treatment. Ultimately, the goal of Salt Lake County’s ongoing water quality monitoring is to serve as a check and measure of the stresses put on our urban streams, understand the type and severity of water quality impairments, and set achievable targets for improvement. l
(Top) Collecting aquatic macroinvertebrate samples (a.k.a. bugs) in upper Little Cottonwood Creek. (Bottom) Stonefly macroinvertebrates are a reliable indicator of excellent water quality.. (Salt Lake County Watershed Planning & Restoration).
ALL NEW West Jordan McDonald’s New McDonald’s Restaurant Opens in West Jordan with Modern Experience Just 109 days ago, the familiar red roofed McDonald’s at 1780 W. 7800 S. was knocked down. Today, the West Jordan Chamber of Commerce and City Manager David Brickey joined McDonald’s owner operator Rob Sparrer to celebrate the opening of a brand new and modern restaurant for the West Jordan community. “Everything at this restaurant is the latest and greatest,” said Sparrer. “We have the latest Play Place toy, contemporary seating. We have transformed the customer experience inside and out.” The renovated restaurant features: • Modern dining room and contemporary exterior design. • An enhanced customer experience with digital self-order kiosks Bringin g co and h mfort to the ope o and a rphaned childr bandoned en of Roma nia.
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• Counters that allow for table service • Bright and easy to read digital menu boards inside and at the drive through • Designated parking spots for curbside pick-up through mobile order and pay • McDelivery through Uber Eats This McDonald’s restaurant employs 70. To join the team visit mcdonalds.com/careers.
September 2018 | Page 17
Got notebooks? Donations still needed in area schools By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com
J Visitors are always welcome! Mountain Vista uMc Fall KicK-oFF: septeMber 9 Meet new pastor cherie cobb sunday worship 8:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.
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Page 18 | September 2018
ordan Education Foundation Executive Director Steven Hall calls this year’s Tools for Schools an “absolutely wonderful way to provide for students who are really, really in need.” This year, school supplies, clothing, food and hygiene items were donated by the community in early August during the second annual Tools for Schools drive for students, which benefitted students in eight school districts statewide. Other area districts include Granite, Canyons, Salt Lake and Murray. During the three-day drive, Z104 KSOP radio personalities Dave and Deb lived on school buses at the Shops at South Town to broadcast the need. Salt Lake Board of Realtors, district volunteers and others accepted and organized donations. “It was a combined effort of everyone,” Hall said. “All the districts said what their greatest needs were, and we split up the donations accordingly. Everything we received goes to a needy kid some place. We stressed to the listening audience if they each could help to make a difference for one student, together we could make a huge impact for these children.” Hall said Jordan District serves 55,000 students per year, with the growth increasing about 1,500 to 2,000 students per year. It currently is the state’s fourth-largest district. “There always are students in need, with some districts being more intense,” he said.
Community members were encouraged to bring donations to school buses parked in the Shops at South Town as part of a supply drive for students. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
“But if we can help one child, then it’s one we’re making a difference for. Some of these children we don’t know what is going on in their lives, if they’re sleeping in a car…or what, but we want to give them what they need to be successful in school” Last year, Jordan Education Foundation provided “hundreds and hundreds” of backpacks for students, so the need is ongoing to secure donations. “Each donation makes a difference, an impact on a student, and we’re most grateful for that,” he said. The idea to hold a collaborative drive came from Jackie McKay, on-air promotions director for Z104. “It’s a way we can help our community as there is so many kids in need,” she said. “We’ve had people dropping off notebooks, backpacks,
cash donations, food and other items we listed on a website. With some of the cash donations, we’ve gone out to buy more needed items like socks and underwear and flash drives so students can save their work if they don’t have computers at home. We have a great group of listeners who love to support the community and are helping to stuff backpacks full for all the students in need.” Aside from Tools for Schools, Hall said that Jordan students are expected to benefit from South Jordan Chamber of Commerce’s Taste of South Jordan as school food pantries will receive a portion of the proceeds. In addition, donations can be made online at JordanEducationFoundation.org. “We’re always looking for ways to help the kids and are appreciative for those who contribute,” he said. l
West Jordan City Journal
G O OD NE IG H B OR
NEWS
SEPTEMBER 2018
Paid for by the City of West Jordan
Shop local and support your community STUDY REVEALS $1.4 BILLION IN POTENTIAL SALES FOR WEST JORDAN By Kent Andersen, Economic Development Director Where do you shop or dine? Many West Jordan residents spend at least half or more of their retail dollars outside of West Jordan. Because retail expenditures generate sales tax and sales tax represents the largest revenue generator for the city, this behavior of spending community dollars outside of West Jordan has a significant negative impact on the city’s budget. This also limits the city’s ability to retain and recruit new retail tenants. Conversely, it has a significant positive impact on neighboring communities. The West Jordan Economic Development Department recently received a “Retail Leakage and Surplus Analysis,” which examines retail opportunities for the community. Retail leakage occurs when residents spend more than local businesses capture. Surplus means a community is capturing the local market plus attracting non-local shoppers. The May 2018 analysis showed the Total Potential Sales for West Jordan as $1.4 billion with Estimated Sales at $778 million, representing a $622 million leakage! This is not the only method of analyzing retail opportunities and losses, but does provide a sobering big picture view. Examining the loss of the point of sale portion of sales tax revenue, which is 0.5 percent of all retail sales, this leakage represents a loss of $3.1 million annually for city services (or what a 30 percent increase in property taxes would generate). Shift your spending challenge: The community purchasing power is astounding, so rally around our local businesses, assist in attracting new businesses and provide additional revenue for city services by shifting your spending and shopping West Jordan.
LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT CoreBrace LLC is a recent recipient of the 2018 President’s Export Award. They are the first Utah company to receive this award. CoreBrace manufacturers Buckling-Restrained Braces, which assist in seismic protections. They work on anything from hospitals to office buildings to stadiums. As a wholly owned subsidiary of SME Industries, we are proud to have them in West Jordan.
M AY O R ’ S M E S S A G E
City to Get Additional Police, Fire and Crossing Guards On August 14, City Council voted 5-2 to increase the City’s portion of the property tax rate by 18 percent. Raising taxes is never popular and can be downright scary for an elected official. A recent Salt Lake Tribune article may have stated it best with the following quote: “Some officials said after taxpayers showed up with pitchforks and hanging rope, they would rather run across the state naked than go through Truth in Taxation again,” says retiring Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, who is also president of the business-backed Utah Taxpayers Association and helped pass that (Truth in Taxation) law in 1985 as a lobbyist. (Davidson, Lee. (2018, July 15). “Did Truth in Taxation . . .” –Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved from www.sltrib.com) I don’t know that I’d rather run across the state naked, but the Truth in Taxation process is grueling – which it should be. Raising taxes should be a last resort after all other reasonable cost-cutting, creative-budgeting and alternative revenue-generating efforts have been exhausted. I believe wholeheartedly that we met that standard, and I’m proud of our City Council for having the courage to approve something that was potentially unpopular, but ultimately necessary to maintain the level of safety within our city. I also applaud the residents who participated in the process by attending the public hearings and speaking up whether “for” or “against” the increase. The 18 percent increase works out to be about $50 per year on the average-priced home of $295,000. The additional funds generated will be used for the following: • Five additional Police personnel. Our officers are currently handling more calls per officer than any other agency in the entire County. • Nine additional Fire personnel. Call volume to the Fire Department since the year 2000 has increased 75 percent. The additional firefighters will greatly improve our emergency response time. • An increase in crossing guard wages. The current wage is not enough to recruit and retain the number of crossing guards required to protect our children, and we were in the position of having to use police officers to fill in the gaps. • One additional city prosecutor. It’s not enough to just catch criminals. We need to convict them to keep them off our streets. If you have any questions about the property tax increase, why it was necessary and how it will affect you, please go to the City website at WestJordan.Utah. gov. or stop by and see me any second or fourth Wednesday between 3 and 5 p.m. I’d be happy to spend a few minutes talking it over with you. Sincerely,
Jim Riding Mayor
GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWS: WEST JORDAN NEWSLETTER PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN
Garbage and Recycling Survey Results In late June, the West Jordan City Council discussed solid waste collection and the associated fees. The city faces increased costs to collect and dispose of garbage, green waste and recycling. To meet increased costs, it may be necessary to raise collection fees from $12.81 per month to up to $16 per month to meet current expenses. The City Council wanted to explore other options beyond simply raising rates and asked for resident input. The city surveyed over 1,200 residents on the topic of recycling, trash and green waste. A Facebook post with a link to the survey was posted in July. West Jordan
Citizen Panel participants were also notified via email of the survey. Just over 1,200 residents completed the online survey. The following infographics simplify the results. Additional analysis of the survey can be found by visiting WestJordan.Utah.Gov/ GarbageandRecycling. Thank you to all that competed the Recycling Survey. The City Council will meet soon to determine the next course of action. If you’d like to participate in city surveys, please email info@wjordan.com to sign up for the Citizen Panel. The infographics below summarize the survey results.
GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWS: WEST JORDAN NEWSLETTER PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN
Schorr Gallery to Host ISA Art Competition The Schorr Gallery is hosting the Intermountain Society of Artist’s annual art competition and exhibition. Artists from throughout the intermountain area will compete and display their art at the Schorr Gallery from Sept. 6 to Oct. 29. Winners will be announced during a reception Thursday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. The public is invited to the reception and light refreshments will be served. The public can also view the exhibit Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The Schorr Gallery is located on the third floor of City Hall, 8000 South Redwood Road.
West Jordan Introduces Citizen Service Request Tool
Crossing Guards Needed The City of West Jordan is in need of several more crossing guards to help children safely arrive at school. This is a great part-time job for someone looking for flexibility and extra income. Crossing Guards positions pay $15 per crossing (each crossing is approximately 40 minutes). For more information about the job posting, visit WestJordan.Utah.Gov.
With just a few clicks, citizens of West Jordan City can now connect with the city using the new Citizen Service Request (CSR) web and mobile tool. The tool allows residents to submit non-emergency requests. With the CSR, citizens can report issues such as potholes, broken street lights, and stray animals using their smartphones, desktop computers, or tablets. The request is then routed to the appropriate department and staff. Sending a request is easy. Snap a photo of the problem (optional), select the location, add a little detail, and press submit. The CSR gives city employees an easy way to manage requests and communicate back to citizens when their issues have been fixed. “That’s not all we are excited for,” says Clint Hutchings, Geographic Information Systems Manager. “This data will provide city staff and elected leaders a better foundation upon which to make decisions, allocate resources, and deliver services.” Mayor Jim Riding added “The CSR will save city staff time that would have been used manually assigning the tasks. We think this service will make it much easier for our residents to get problems in their neighborhood fixed quickly.” The Citizen Service Request is located at WestJordan.Utah.gov/Service-Request.
GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWS: WEST JORDAN NEWSLETTER PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
SEPTEMBER
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LABOR DAY CITY OFFICES CLOSED
SEPTEMBER
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PLANNING COMMISSION
SEPTEMBER
6
INTERMOUNTAIN ARTISTS EXHIBIT OPENING RECEPTION
City Hall 8000 S. Redwood Rd. 6 p.m.
City Hall Schorr Gallery 8000 S Redwood Rd., 7 p.m.
SEPTEMBER
SEPTEMBER
SEPTEMBER
ARTS COUNCIL LITERARY COMMITTEE OQUIRRH CHAPTER WORKSHOP
DEMOLITION DERBY
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
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City Hall Development Services Conference Room 8000 S Redwood Rd., 7 p.m.
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West Jordan Arena 8035 S 2200 West 7 p.m.
City Hall Council Chambers 8000 S. Redwood Rd. 6 p.m.
SEPTEMBER
SEPTEMBER
WEST JORDAN YOUTH THEATRE FALL TALENT SHOW & SILENT AUCTION
LITERARY WORKSHOP WITH UTAH HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION
PLANNING COMMISSION
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City Hall 8000 S. Redwood Rd. 6 p.m.
Viridian Event Center 8030 S 1825 West, 7 p.m.
City Hall Development Services Conference Room 8000 S Redwood Rd., 7 p.m.
SEPTEMBER
SEPTEMBER
SEPTEMBER
HEALTHY WEST JORDAN COMMITTEE SUICIDE PREVENTION CLASS (QPR)
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
HEALTHY WEST JORDAN COMMITTEE CPR/FIRST AID COURSE
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City Hall Council Chambers 8000 S Redwood Rd., 6:30 p.m.
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City Hall Council Chambers 8000 S. Redwood Rd. 5 p.m.
This family event entertains thousands each year while boasting $30,000 in prize money! Stirrin’ Dirt Racing and West Jordan City are bringing you the first 4-man team demolition derby with 6 teams (24 cars) battling team vs team with the winner of each heat advancing to the main event! Spectators will also enjoy a heat of farm trucks smashing it down to the last one! Tickets start at just $10 for north and south bleachers, $13 in the main grandstands, and $18 in lower reserved chair seats. All seats reserved, and kids 3 and under free if they sit on a lap. Ticket prices increase $3 the day of the event. Tickets can be purchased online at WesternStampede.com.
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SEPTEMBER
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Don’t Miss West Jordan’s Famous Demolition Derby!
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Fire Station 53 7602 Jordan Landing Blvd 6:30 p.m.
The City of West Jordan 8000 S. Redwood Rd., West Jordan, UT 84088 Join the conversation! Follow (801) 569-5100 www.wjordan.com West Jordan – City Hall.
West Jordan Police Dept. 8040 S. Redwood Rd. West Jordan, Utah 84088 801-256-2000 801-840-4000 Dispatch
Youth Theatre Fall Fundraiser Sept. 12 The West Jordan Youth Theater is holding a Fall Fundraiser and Talent Show Wednesday, Sept. 12 from 7-9 p.m. The cost is $5 per person or $20 for a family of up to six members. The event will be held at the Viridian Library at 8030 South 1825 West. The talent show will be provided by the cast of Hunchback. You will be entertained! The Youth Theater needs your help acquiring items to auction including family-friendly products and services. If you or a business you know is interested in donating, please email westjordanyouththeatre@yahoo.com. If you can’t donate, please attend the auction. Your winning bids will be used to help fund future productions of plays you can enjoy.
‘American Ride’ host offers ways to connect students with history By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com
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WestJordanJournal .com
“American Ride” creator and host, Stan Ellsworth, inspired Jordan School District teachers to find more ways to teach and engage students in U.S. history. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
American frontiersman Davy Crockett. The former linebacker for the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks coached college football before eventually becoming a history teacher at Highland High. “I never taught class,” he said. “I taught people, and we have to see the value in every kid and person. I tried to motivate the next generation to make the connection that it’s not ‘them,’ but they are part of history and need to make their own connection to education. What I loved was when I saw it in their eyes that they got it and understood what we were talking about. Education isn’t something you can give to students; they’ve got to take it for themselves.” In 2000, he was approached by a film director about playing the role of a “mean coach” for a film. “I didn’t have any acting experience, and I’m really a nice guy who was never looking to get into this kind of entertainment, but once I heard about the pay,” he said, willing to give it a shot. That rolled out a new career where Ellsworth has been an actor in movies and performed stunts on his motorcycle. This lead to him developing a new career that also included his love of history and teaching. Now, as the motorcycle-riding host of “American Ride” and YouTube series “History and the Highway,” Ellsworth hopes it will inspire and educate more people outside the classroom walls. “On the website, I have small segments where students and teachers can tune in and watch about the Declaration of Independence
and what it means, or what the Constitution says or why the American Revolution is important,” he said. “It provides a quick, open discussion for students, and it engages the kids so they may want to know more and want to know why.” Sau’u, who also is a member of the National Humanities Center Teacher Advisory Board, said that the segments are a great way to introduce subject material or summarize subjects. West Hills Middle School social studies and instructional coach Janet Sanders appreciated Ellsworth’s words. “Teachers do have an important role in shaping the kids’ lives and empowering them to learn,” she said. “Through this workshop, we’ve been making specific lessons and sharing them and bringing in technology into the curriculum. I’m excited for the new ways we’ll be teaching this fall.” South Jordan Middle School eighth- and Compare Our CD Rates Bank-issued, FDIC-insured
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ninth-grade U.S. history and geography teacher Geneava Boland had plans to watch Ellsworth’s segments. “I’m excited to watch them and see how I can use it in my class,” she said. “Kids can catch on, and he’s a storyteller, not a boring instructor or a document. Introducing more primary sources to students will be fun. Not only are we teaching students critical thinking skills, in a way, they are becoming more like their own investigators, digging in texts to come up with their own conclusions and realizing not everything is black and white.” South Jordan Middle School Assistant Principal Tim Heumann said Ellsworth provided a twist to the typical teaching approach. “I like that it’s different,” he said. “He’s real, and you have to admire his honesty of who the people are in history, whether it’s what you may or may not think. He digs in and rides through our history, telling all of us stories that engage us.” l
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his fall, Jordan School District teachers will introduce more methods for students to make connections with history, thanks to a weeklong workshop sponsored by the Library of Congress and the Metropolitan College of Denver. “Teachers were introduced to ways to find primary sources through diaries, articles, first-person accounts, newspapers and analyze who wrote it and their audiences,” said Pam Su’a, District social studies and world language content administrator. “For example, with the Battle of New Orleans, there could be multiple accounts of what happened from [U.S. President Andrew] Jackson, his officers, people who live in the area, those they battled. Think of how many ways their accounts differed and what they gained from telling their stories and to whom. It helps to determine how trustworthy the documents are.” A team of 19 fifth- and eighth-grade teachers — who were selected from more than 100 teachers who include U.S. history in their classes and had applied for the workshop — learned about primary sources from Brigham Young University associate professor Jeff Nokes. “We want to teach kids how to read, how to carefully think about and how to be engaged in history,” said the former Elk Ridge and Bingham High teacher. “We like them to ask good historical open-ended questions and gather evidence, understand the perspectives involved and have the skills to analyze it. These teachers are learning strategies and discovering sources that will help students.” Although these teachers already have a passion for history, Su’a thought it would be special to find a way to spark their interest with a surprise guest, Harley Davidson rider and former Highland High history teacher Stan Ellsworth, who created and starred in the history series “American Ride” on BYUtv. “I ride because I love it,” he said. “I teach because we need it.” Ellsworth told the teachers that he wasn’t much of a student and “was a free, independent thinker.” However, his family was direct descendants from the “Robert Lees of Virginia” and that was pounded into him at an early age. “I had to tuck in my shirt tails and always behave an appropriate way,” he said. “At an early age, I was well aware that American history was intertwined with my family and my identity.” Ellsworth’s family lineage also includes Revolutionary War patriot Ethan Allen, U.S. President and Commanding General of the United States Army Ulysses S. Grant and
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September 2018 | Page 23
SPOTLIGHT
NOAH’S Event Center 322 11000 S, South Jordan, UT 84095
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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any people in Utah know of NOAH’S Event Venue as the premier location for weddings, business meetings and events. With two state-of-the-art venues in South Jordan and Lindon, NOAH’S is often the first location that comes to mind when someone thinks of events in Utah. But what many locals don’t know is that over the past decade, NOAH’S has expanded nationwide and is now the largest event venue corporation in the country. NOAH’S was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in South Jordan. Every year more than 4,000 events are held at NOAH’S across the country. “The buildings are gorgeous, and we are known for having the best customer service in the industry, but I think what really draws people in is our flexibility,” said NOAH’S Design Director, Bella McCorvey. One of the most unique things about NOAH’S is their open-vendor policy. Customers have the flexibility to bring in the vendors of their choice (including their caterer) to fit their budget and their tastes. Customers can rent each room individually or the entire building for the block of time
Page 24 | September 2018
that they would like. NOAH’S provides event essentials for no extra charge including tables, chairs, tablecloths, audiovisual, setup and cleanup. NOAH’S also provides countless ways to customize each space. The most notable involves NOAH’S unique movable ceiling. This revolutionary technology can only be found at NOAH’S and it allows decorations to be suspended above the Main Hall without the need for a ladder. With various ceiling décor packages available, the space can be completely transformed. “I’ve worked at NOAH’S for 12 years, and I’ve never seen two events that look the same,” said Nick Redd, the vice president of marketing at NOAH’S. “We have so many different layouts and ways that each customer can customize the space with lighting, tablecloths and ceiling décor. When someone comes in with a vision, we love making it come to life.” Unlike most venues that have hidden fees and closely guard their pricing, NOAH’S has a very straightforward pricing structure. All prices can be found online at www.NoahsEventVenue.com. There are currently 39 NOAH’S venues
operating nationwide and an additional four venues are under construction. The company’s largest venue is the 32,000-square-foot building in South Jordan (322 W. 11000 South). NOAH’S of South Jordan features 11 rentable event spaces including an ice skating rink, a racquetball court, the Main Hall, conference rooms, a theater room and four board rooms. NOAH’S of Utah County in Lindon (1976 W. 700 North) features a streamlined one-story layout and a new high-end design.
While NOAH’S has rapidly grown into a household name nationwide, the industry leader is proud of its Utah roots. “When you host an event at NOAH’S, you’ll get the kind of attention and genuine service that you would get from a small, family-owned business,” said Redd. “But at the same time you will benefit from the expertise and experience of working with the best in the business.” l
West Jordan City Journal
Amateur motocross riders compete at nationals By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com
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he Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship included three riders from Utah. The prestigious national race is held every year at country singer Loretta Lynn’s ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. “I love the adrenaline that comes with the sport,” said 14-year-old Tayler Allred. “The results are up to me.” Tayler is a three-time champion. She won the girls junior division (ages 9–13) in 2016, the girls (ages 11–16) in 2017 and the girls division again this year which was held July 30–Aug. 4. Loretta Lynn’s is the largest amateur race in the country. She is not alone. Cierra Candelaria finished 19th overall in the same division, and Tayler’s younger brother, Jace, finished 19th in the 85cc 9–11 division. “It takes a lot to stay fit to race as much as I do,” Candelaria said. “When I race, it is challenging. My parents tried to get me to do dance, but I always just wanted to be on my motorcycle.” Candelaria has raced at nationals for three seasons. “This is like a motocross vacation,” Tiffany Candelaria said. “It is like the Super Bowl of motorbikes. CC (Candelaria) got involved when she was 3 or 4. She would always sit on the bikes. She races almost every other weekend. I have no idea what we spend to keep her racing,” Tayler and Candelaria have been competitors since they were 6 years old. Now, they race as opponents on a national level.
“We became friends and hung out at the races,” Tayler said. “She is older than me, but we grew up together at the track.” Both families vacation around where their kids are racing. Tayler and Candelaria can race in the girls class until they are 16. “It is the best feeling in the world just to know that I am one of the fastest riders in the nation,” Tayler said. “The title of a national champion is incredible.” The three racers compete on motocross tracks all across the United States. The typical racing surface has jumps, bumps and ruts. The grueling 20-minute races require the riders to be physically fit. “I train every day at the gym and ride two to three times a week,” Tayler said. “I train a lot in Preston, Idaho, at Cache Valley MX. I do cardio and some weight lifting to stay in shape for my racing.” Jace recently turned 12 and is a student at South Hills Middle School in Riverton. His older sister Tayler is in ninth grade at the same school. They began racing when they were 4 years old. “I am so amazed by my kids,” Sabrina Allred said. “There is nothing better than seeing my kids do what they love at such a great level.” Candelaria is 16 years old and is a junior at Riverton High School. “It is the highest of highs and the lowest of lows when we are racing,” Tiffany said. “If things are going well, we love it and spend lots of time together as a family. She also gives up a lot with
Riverton’s Cierra Candelaria competed at the Amateur National Motocross Championship in Tennessee finishing 19th overall. (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Candelaria)
friends and hanging out time. She is a great student and a pretty busy girl.” For a rider to qualify to race at the ranch, he or she must advance through a two-tier race network—first at area qualifiers and then onto a region qualifier. Some riders travel all summer to try to earn a position at the amateur nationals.
The ranch hosts roughly 40,000 family members for the event. It is a week-long activity with many family-based outings. Only qualified riders in each class can race at nationals. The race has been held for 37 years. For five days, the competitors race in several motos scoring for the overall championship. l
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September 2018 | Page 25
New principals excited for school year By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
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eet the new principals at West Jordan schools. Abram Yospe, Principal at Columbia Elementary 3505 West 7800 South Having taught at both Westland Elementary School and West Jordan Elementary School, Yospe said he is thrilled to be back in West Jordan. “I have loved teaching students in West Jordan for 12 years, and I look forward to being able to help even more West Jordan students in my new role as a school leader,” he said. Yospe is excited about meeting the students and getting to know the community. He plans to spread this enthusiasm and energy to students and faculty. “I would like every student to boast about going to Columbia and every teacher to boast about teaching here,” said Yospe. One focus for this school year will be building school spirit and pride. Yospe plans to celebrate with School Spirit Days, encouraging students to wear school colors. Yospe feels his most important role as principal is to advocate for student learning. “Every decision a principal makes should be in favor of what is best for student safety, growth and learning,” he said. He expects students to come to school with a deep desire to learn and expects the West Jordan community to support them. “I would love to see parents, grandparents and community members lining our halls, working with our kids on a regular basis,” said Yospe. “The more influence our students have from positive adult role models, the more likely they will be to succeed.” Kathe Riding, Majestic Elementary 7430 South Redwood Road Riding is excited to be the new principal at Majestic Elementary. “Majestic is the best-kept secret in the district,” she said. She said the amazing teachers, office and support staff are dedicated to doing what is best for kids. “I want each child to feel that he or she is valued and important,” she said. “I have always had one goal in my educational career and that is to help children learn and excel, so they can have choices in life, face challenges, embrace opportunities, and pursue their goals and interests.” Riding is starting a few new traditions at Majestic to recognize students’ accomplishments, outstanding efforts, positive behavior, academic mastery, attendance, good choices and punctuality. Students who complete Honor Roll requirements and who demonstrate outstanding academic effort will be recognized during regular assemblies. She expects students to be willing to learn and do their best. She asks parents to support and recog-
Page 26 | September 2018
nize their child’s efforts in learning. A Challenge Enrichment pull-out class will be provided for students who excel academically. Those who need extra support will receive support through individualized interventions based on student need. “My focus is to help students make academic progress and create opportunities for them to learn social skills that will help them throughout their lives,” she said. Riding will also be introducing PlayWorks at recess. The program engages students in learning games that are inclusive, teach conflict resolution and provide leadership opportunities. “I enjoy the energy that comes from being around children and feel very fortunate to work with future leaders of America,” she said. “I am looking forward to meeting you and working with you as we take your child on this all important educational journey. I feel a huge responsibility and obligation to ensure each child has every opportunity for success. I will strive to make sure your child feels special and enjoys learning.” Bryan Veazie Copper Hills High School 5445 New Bingham Hwy Veazie started his teaching career and later his administrative career at Copper Hills and now feels like he is coming home for his first position as principal, or as he calls it “lead learner.” “I am so excited to be returning to the home of the mighty, mighty Grizzlies!” he said. “I feel as if this is where I belong.” As principal, Veazie feels his role is to establish good relationships, create a culture of mutual kindness and to encourage teachers and students to do their best. “I pursued administration because I wanted to expand my sphere of influence,” he said. “I wanted to have a strong impact and positive influence on more programs, more teachers, more coaches and most importantly, more students.” Veazie values community support and wants people to know that he is passionate about education and working with youth. A focus for the year will be establishing a strong relationship of trust and cooperation with parents and teachers. “I respect the role of the parents and appreciate their involvement in their children’s education and their service to the school,” he said. “I appreciate the amazingly talented and truly invested faculty and staff.” He is most excited to be an example to the students. “I admire, respect and value the students of Copper Hills High School,” he said. “Through the halls of Copper Hills High School walk some of the greatest minds of our times, the future leaders of our communities and our nation. Our students are passionate about life and education and are fierce competitors and resilient individuals.” He will challenge students to set high expectations for themselves, to hold themselves account-
able for achieving greatness, to advocate for themselves, to become a part of something bigger than themselves, to give back, to embrace diversity, to learn from others and to value and respect all. “I need our students to know that they are enough, that they matter, that they have everything they need to succeed within in them,” he said. “I need them to engage, to buy in and to take ownership of their path to happiness and success.” Veazie believes students can be part of the solution to many problems by treating everyone, including themselves, with kindness, consideration and respect. Shauna Worthington, Principal at Oquirrh Elementary 7165 South Paddington Road Worthington believes a principal’s most important role is doing all the behind-thescenes work that supports students, teachers and families. “We all want to see students make progress as they grow up, and this happens best with a coordinated effort from a strong team of adults,” she said. She plans to use this year to get to know the school and community. “I first want to learn about the traditions we already have in place, and then I want to see what I can do to help enhance the experience our students and their families have at our school,” she said. By understanding the school’s culture and history, she said she can create a plan to “ensure that its future is bright and full of possibility.” Worthington is no stranger to West Jordan— the first eight years of her career, she taught in West Jordan. She is a positive person who cares for others and works hard. “I genuinely want to help people learn to love learning,” she said. “I think this work is most exciting when you help someone find new ways to take actions that improve their lives and the lives of other people around them.” She expects kindness and hard work from her students. “More than anything, I want them to be happy,” she said. “I also want them to find success by challenging themselves and doing things that are hard for them. I want them to have confidence in who they are and reach out to others in kindness. I want them to have big dreams and work hard to learn how to make them happen.” April Gaydosh, Principal at Westvale Elementary 2300 West Gardner Lane Gaydosh chose a career in education because she loves kids. “I want to be a mentor and support for our students at Westvale,” she said. “I love being in classrooms, and
I am a very active principal.” She is looking forward to developing new and creative connections with students, families and the community. “Building community/school relationships is one of my goals for the year, so my plan is to implement some fun activities that bring everyone together through the school year,” said Gaydosh. This includes traditions that are already in place as well as new ones. “I will work hard to continue the great work that Westvale teachers are doing, while always looking for ways to improve,” she said. Gaydosh is beginning the school year with the theme #WEareWESTVALE. “It emphasizes that it’s the people that make Westvale great,” she said. “Good people are our most valuable resource. We have to bring our A-game every day, because our kids deserve it.” She plans to build school and classroom communities so that everyone feels like they are a part of the Westvale team. “My most important role as principal is student safety and well-being,” she said. She also believes being a good listener is an important skill for a principal. “Sometimes people just want to be heard,” she said. “I definitely want to hear feedback as we continually improve practices.” Gaydosh also has a communication plan that includes regular updates on Facebook (Westvale Elementary), twitter (@WestvaleWolves) and weekly newsletters via email. Jim Birch, West Jordan High 8136 South 2700 West Coming to West Jordan High as principal feels like coming home for Jim Birch. WJHS is where he started his teaching career 30 years ago and where he served as assistant principal for eight. In this time, he has grown to truly care about the students. “Each child who walks through our doors is one of my kids,” he said. “I will treat them with love and respect. I want them to be successful and feel that they are welcome and safe.” He encourages students to be involved in school activities and clubs and the honorable school traditions. Birch looks forward to getting to know the community better, to “learn the flavor” of the community so he knows how to best meet their needs. He encourages them to be involved. “The community should know that WJHS is an outstanding school, with an amazing staff,” he said. “Get involved and come see for yourself the great things we are doing.” Other new principals in the area include: Cynthia Vandermeiden, West Hills Middle 8270 Grizzly Way Kim Searle, Sunset Ridge Middle 8292 South Skyline Arch Drive l
West Jordan City Journal
Improvement is key as Meifu heads into fourth year By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com
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n his fourth year as head football coach at West Jordan, Mike Meifu continues to press his program to become better and better. Practice had scarcely ended. Meifu sat with his head down on the bench contemplating the complexity of what had just happened. The Jaguar offense had looked sparse and its defense finely tuned, yet he knew the season held the potential to be a great one. “Sometimes I wonder, today at practice our defense was flying around; they have gotten better every year,” Meifu said. “They play with an aggressive mindset and are extremely fast. They are doing what we have coached them for the last four years. This is all they have known the whole time I have been here.” The summer preparation on offense has included a healthy Oakley Kopp. He was injured in the team’s fourth game last year and was forced to sit out. The 6-foot-2 senior quarterback threw for 628 yards in four games with four touchdowns. “Our summer stuff has been good,” Meifu said. “Kopp is absolutely one of the top quarterbacks. Not playing his entire junior year will make him a surprise.
He has worked his butt off. He has a different perspective. He has a fire in him.” One of the keys to the Jaguar offensive production is its line. They are returning three starters from last season: Jayden Webster, Terrell Lupeamanu and Devon Slater. “When these guys are together, they do some amazing things,” Meifu said. “They are great returning players. Jayden will anchor our offensive line. He is a three-year-starter. They all started every game for us last year.” Despite Kopp’s strong passing arm, the Jaguars will rely on a slashing and powerful running game. McKendrick Johnson and Isaiah Lapale combined for 174 yards and a touchdown. “They are two very explosive players,” Meifu said. “They have different running styles that really contrast one another. Isaiah is bigger and more of a downhill back. McKendrick is shifty has great vision.” The defensive line is all brand-new. They have depth and are explosive, but Meifu said the linebacking corps is the nucleus of the defense. “I love our defensive line,” Meifu said. “They are great kids and play with
good technique. Our linebackers are very experienced. Helaman Sosi has been playing since he was a freshman. They are senior heavy.” Tavake Ngalo and junior Dallas Brown have plenty of experience in the middle of the defense. “For us to win, we need to dominate up front in our line,” Meifu said. “We have skill players that can contribute if we win in the trenches. We are not outmatched. It will come down to us executing.” Meifu has worked to create an environment for the youth of the West Jordan to build a connection. “We do not have negative things with these kids,” Meifu said. “I really like how committed they have been in the offseason. They have put in the work, and I am excited to see what they can do.” West Jordan opened its first two games of the year, 29-27 over Westlake and 48-26 against Kearns. The Jaguars will compete in the Utah High School Activities Association Region 3 against Copper Hills, Riverton, Herriman, Taylorsville and East. l
2018 West Jordan High School Football Schedule Aug. 24
vs. Kearns
7:00 p.m.
Sept 7.
@ Hunter
7:00 p.m.
Sept. 13
vs. Riverton
7:00 p.m.
Sept. 21
@ Taylorsville
7:00 p.m.
Sept. 28
@ Herriman
7:00 p.m.
Oct. 5
vs. Copper Hills
7:00 p.m.
Oct. 12
vs. East
7:00 p.m.
Oct. 17
vs. Pleasant Grove
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September 2018 | Page 27
Grizzlies football prepared to take the next step By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com
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opper Hills quarterback, senior Dallon Jones, scampered backward, faked to his right turned and fired a 45-yards bomb down the sideline, just missing the streaking wide receiver at the team’s open scrimmage. His blue squad defeated the Silver team 13-7. As the Grizzlies prepare for their upcoming season, they have hope that many of these missed plays early can turn into successful game changing experiences. “We have been grinding really hard all summer,” Grizzlies head coach Corey Dodds said. “We have been polishing things up and getting ready for the season.” Dodds runs the Grizzly program similar to what he experienced as a linebacker for the University of Utah. His hardnosed, aggressive play has translated into an important part of the Grizzlies football program he oversees. “I think I have gotten a bad rap from some kids,” Dodds said. “They say, ‘He runs it like a college.’ I’d say yeah sort of. We have worked the kids hard. Statistics show that about 5 percent of players show up for all of their offseason workouts. Amazing enough, about 5 percent get college scholarships. If they want to play college ball then showing up now and then is not going to cut it.” The Grizzlies have opened their 2018 football season hoping to improve on last season’s 1-9 record. Dodds expects his team to improve and show the talent he has seen. “I have some guys that are on the bubble,” he said. “We have some guys that could play D1 (top level college football) and for sure what was D2 (second level college football).” DJ Jackson is a leader of the Grizzly offensive line. The 6-foot-1 295-pound senior secures what Dodds calls the most important part of his team. “I played linebacker,” Dodds said. “I know that offensive line and linebackers need to be the nastiest guys on the field. As a defensive coach, I lean heavily on the offensive line. When you have leadership at linebacker and offensive line then you generally have a good football team. DJ has led the way with this team. We have plenty of senior leaders.” The line players include Jackson, Carston Hiller, Gabe Conriquez, Chris Arellanes and Jay Archibald. “Jay was lifting with the wide receivers and now is repping like three plates (about 300pounds) with the lineman,” Dodds said. “Watch our offensive line this season.” Jones has shown the skills at quarterback to lead the Grizzlies. Dodds likes the
leadership he contributes 2018 Copper Hills High School to the team. “Dallon is shifty and Football Schedule very athletic,” he said. “Keep your eye on him Aug. 17 vs. Kearns 7:00 p.m. at quarterback. We have some important skill players that will make a vs. Ben difference this year. We Aug. 24 7:00 p.m. Lomond have not been traditionally good. I think it comes down to connecting with Aug. 31 vs. Cyprus 7:00 p.m. our youth teams. That is something we are working on.” Copper Hills has won Sept. 7 @ Ridgeline 7:00 p.m. 45 games since its initial season in 1995. They last played in the state tournaSept. 14 vs. Herriman 7:00 p.m. ment in 2004. They have only defeated West Jordan High School once in their 24 meetings (in 2013). Sept. 21 vs. Riverton 7:00 p.m. Dodds has seen the improvement statistical@ West Jorly. In 2016, the Grizzly Oct. 5 7:00 p.m. offense averaged 10.4 dan points per game. Last season, they improved vs. Taylorsto 11.8. They scored a Oct. 12 7:00 p.m. ville season-high 26 points at Cyprus. In the game, they kept it close until Cyprus Oct. 18 @ East 7:00 p.m. hit two long passes to break it open. Copper Hills lost to Kearns 29-14 to open the High School Activities Association Reseason Aug. 17. The Grizzlies beat Ben gion 3 against East, Herriman, TaylorsLomond 22-10 on Aug 24 and will play at ville, West Jordan and Riverton. l home against Cyprus Aug. 31. The Grizzlies compete in the Utah
The offensive line group for the Grizzlies knows it will be a key in the team’s success this season. (Greg James/City Journals)
West Jordan City Journal
WestJordanJournal .com
September 2018 | Page 29
Officials look for solutions to housing shortage By Lana Medina | l.medina@mycityjournals.com
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ousing costs are rising throughout the Salt Lake Valley, and both renters and buyers are struggling to manage. But it’s low-income families that are getting hit the worst. In a recent study by the University of Utah Gardner Institute, Utah’s housing unaffordability crisis was found to be reaching alarming levels as a rising population comes up against a shortage of new apartments and homes for sale. While high-income and middle-class families are paying more for housing, low-income families are turning to subsidized programs, only to find a years-long waiting list. “I think that happens often, the people who need the housing, they don’t get it. I think it’s frustrating for all involved,” said Janice Kimball, executive director of the Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake. Kimball explained the Housing Authority manages a program called Section 8, which helps place low-income families with subsidized rent. There are 1,200 units of affordable housing, but the waiting list to get one of those apartments or homes is six to seven years. There’s another public housing program that has another additional 600 units with a shorter waiting list — only two to four years, Kimball said. “Think about the average family who calls us with an emergency who gets told that,” Kimball said. “We’re a great long-term solution but we don’t have any short-term solutions.” In Salt Lake City, the Housing and Neighborhood Development office is spearheading a five-year plan called Grow SLC, which is dedicated to addressing the problem with affordable housing, specifically for low-income families. “In Salt Lake City, we have a gap of about 7,500 units for those making about $20,000 a year — that’s anyone working a minimum wage job,” explained Melissa Jensen, director of Housing and Neighborhood Development in Salt Lake. “In Salt Lake City, you have to make $20 an hour to afford a $950 apartment. That’s $20 an hour just to find an apartment in the city.” Jensen said half the people in the city are paying more than 30 percent of their income toward housing, and one-quarter are paying more than 50 percent. But the city has a plan. Within the next one to two years, the city plans to have three permit-supportive housing buildings — that’s 262 units — available for low-income housing applications, specifically designed to help people struggling with substance abuse disorders or mental health issues. Jensen said over the next two years, they
also plan to have an additional 1,000 units that are affordable at different rates. For example, some would be available for low-income families and others available at market rate. But while that helps Salt Lake City, the rest of the state is facing the same affordable housing crisis. In the last legislative session, Utah lawmakers developed a housing commission to discuss the current housing shortage and rising costs to find a solution. But Jonathan Hardy, division director for housing and community development for state of Utah, says the problem is vast. One of the solutions on the table is transit-oriented development. “If we can produce more housing within half a mile of a transit stop, we can reduce affordability,” Hardy explained. “Some households might not have to have a second vehicle. They might pay more in housing if they don’t have to pay as much for transportation.” But Hardy admits while it may cut down on some housing costs, it won’t solve the problem for many families. Hardy says the easiest way to solve the low-income housing crisis is subsidized housing, but it’s an expensive solution. For low-income families at a 30 percent area income, it costs $175,000 per housing unit, Hardy explained. “That’s the reality. (For each) new apartment creation is $200,000 per unit. That’s what we’re seeing along the Wasatch Front,” Hardy said, explaining that low-income families would pay the remainder in rental costs every year. Kimball said the families who need those low-income housing units don’t need them forever. “Thirty-eight percent of the people on public housing stay less than two years. Another 25 percent stay less than five years,” Kimball explained. But with housing costs rising, it’s unclear if those numbers will rise as well. Jensen says affordable housing is important for everyone, because even families who are making higher than minimum wage can struggle with unemployment or other emergencies that force them to seek low-income housing. “Affordable housing is really everyone at some point in their life, whether they’ve lost a job, whether they’ve just graduated and living in their parent’s basement, or whether they’re elderly,” Jensen explained. “People jump to a conclusion. But it’s for everyone.” l
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Page 30 | September 2018
West Jordan City Journal
Artwork raising awareness, appreciation of Jordan River By Joshua Wood | joshw@mycityjournals.com
T
he Jordan River is often overlooked as a natural asset of the Salt Lake Valley, but one local nonprofit is working to raise awareness among the community’s youth. Hartland Community 4 Youth and Families recently completed a three-year project that focused on beautifying the area around the Jordan River and raising awareness of the river’s importance. The project also provided at-risk youth with the opportunity to get outside to enjoy this underappreciated natural area that flows through their neighborhoods. The river serves the Salt Lake Valley as a unique and diverse ecosystem running right through its heart. The project was conceived as a way to beautify the Jordan River Trail while helping to connect young people in the area with the river. “The initial idea for the project was that there were so many old signs along the trail that had been tagged,” Project Leader Van Hoover said. “They were these old dilapidated signs that were structurally sound, and the thought was how cool it would be for people who were passing by to see cool art to appreciate rather than an old sign.” During the first two years of the project, five directional signs were painted each year to cover graffiti and to add art to the area expressing appreciation for the river and the trail. The concept evolved to focus on art created by kids
and community artists. Inspiration for the artwork was derived from activities that Hartland organized for local kids to enjoy, such as canoeing the river and biking the Jordan River Trail. “The overarching goal was to help the community have ownership of the river and the trail,” Hoover said. “They’re a lot less likely to destroy public spaces when they made it better or got to play a part. Now kids can go on the trail and say, ‘I got to help paint that mural.’ To me that’s a powerful connection.” During the third year of the project, which concluded this May, larger murals were painted on buildings facing the river near 1700 South and 300 South and a river overpass. The project involved dozens of kids from Hartland’s programs as well as community artists and other volunteers. “Everybody that participated saw the city in a new light,” said Pete Vordenberg, project volunteer and Hartland board member. “They discovered this thing flowing through their city that they had no idea was there. They cross over the river in their car or the bus. People don’t think of it as a natural resource.” Project organizers hope this will be part of a larger movement to appreciate the Jordan River and what it can mean to the community. “It’s an opportunity for the city and the whole valley to enjoy this natural thing,” Vordenberg said. “Cities can revolve around a river like the
Artists paint a Jordan River overpass. (Van Hoover, by permission)
Jordan River. This is such a great step in the right direction.” “People can think of the river in a different way,” Hoover said. “What sections of the trail are safe? People ask me that all the time. The river is being stigmatized. We can change the way people see it, that it is a positive place to be.” The artwork along the river depicts natural
features of the Jordan River like pelicans, turtles and trees. The images also show ways that the river can be enjoyed like canoeing. “The artwork was very connected to what the kids did on the river,” Hoover said. He hopes their connection to the river will continue to grow and that more people in the community will value the Jordan River as a resource to be protected and enjoyed. l
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Page 32 | September 2018
West Jordan City Journal
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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT D
esert Star’s latest parody takes on several current classics for a pop-culture mash up you’ll have to see to believe! Once upon a time, a beautiful theater named the Desert Star put on a hilarious show that delighted the whole family! This zany parody of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ opens August 23rd and it’s a hilarious musical melodrama you don’t want to miss! This new show, written by Ben Millet, with an update and adaptation by Scott Holman and Ben Mayfield, and directed by Scott Holman, follows the story of Beauty, who runs away from home to avoid marrying the evil Duke. She finds herself in a strange castle, hosted by a Tim Burton-esque butler and a mysterious Beast. But when Beauty is caught stealing, the Beast holds her captive and introduces her to his wacky collection of Fantastic Beasts, which are stored in his very fashionable fanny pack. Will the Beast be able to win over Beauty and gain her hand in marriage? Will Beauty’s less striking sister, Average, be forced to marry the evil Duke in her place? Only the tale as old as time will tell. Intrigue, romance, and adventure are all on the docket for this delightful send up
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of several current classics, as well as comedy torn from today’s headlines. “Beauty and the Fantastic Beast” runs August 23rd through November 3rd, 2018. The evening also includes one of Desert Star’s side-splitting musical olios following the show. The “Zombie Stomp Olio” features hit Halloween themed songs and hot, spooky steps mixed with more of Desert Star’s signature comedy. Food is available from an á la carte menu and is served right at your table. The menu includes gourmet pizza, fresh wraps, appetizers, and scrumptious desserts. CALENDAR: “Beauty and the Fantastic Beast” Plays August 23rd - November 3rd, 2018 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday at 7 PM Friday and Saturday at 6 PM and 8:30 PM Saturday matinée at 11:30 AM & 2:30 PM Tickets: Adults: $24.95, Children: $14.95 (Children 11 and under) 4861 S. State Street, Murray, UT 84107 Call 801.266.2600 for reservations For additional information, visit our website at www.DesertStarPlayhouse.com l
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Just over two years ago, the United Nations asserted that the internet is a basic human right. Comcast – the Philadelphia based video and high-speed internet company – has been doing its part since 2011 to democratize online access. To date, Comcast’s Internet Essentials program has connected more than six million people with low-cost, high-speed internet. The program has steadily expanded, but has swelled considerably in the last year, increasing from 4 to 6 million total connects. Since its inception, Internet Essentials has taken hold in our own backyard, with 88,000 individuals in Utah connected. The breakdown: 20,800 individuals in Salt Lake City; 10,800 individuals in West Valley City; 8,400 individuals in Ogden; 4,000 individuals in West Jordan; 3,600 individuals in Orem; 3,200 individuals in Logan; and 2,400 individuals in Provo. Now, in its latest expansion, we’re extending Internet Essentials to low-income veterans. There are about 1 million vets living within Comcast's national footprint, and upwards of 27,000 in Utah alone. "We are excited to extend this to Veterans who have stood up for our country, now it’s time for us to stand up for them by providing access to life-changing digital tools and resources," Comcast Senior Executive Vice President David L. Cohen said in a statement. And the data thus far has been compelling. Comcast released a seven-year progress report detailing how IE is changing lives. Ninety-three percent of households have seen a positive impact on their child’s grades and 62% said the broadband at home has helped them or someone in the family find a job. Ninety-six percent of IE households would recommend IE to friends and family, and 84% already have. This is good news for veterans in our community. Elizabeth Mitchell External Affairs Director Comcast Utah
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Tax aid for low/fixed income By Erin Dixon | erin@mycityjournals.com
O
n Aug. 14, West Jordan city council voted to increase property taxes by 18 percent. The residents were split on the issue and voiced their opinions at the Truth in Taxation meeting. There are many residents on a fixed or low income that can barely make ends meet and a tax increase would make their finances unmanageable. Dick Humphries is retired, has paid off his house and is debt free. He is also on a small fixed income and cannot afford to pay more in property taxes. “I’m proud of West Jordan; I love it here,” he said. “But I can’t
spend any more money.” There were three more retired, disabled or low-income individuals who voiced concern about meeting the cities increase. Councilmember Dirk Burton referenced a tax relief that is available to residents of Salt Lake County that cannot afford the tax increase. “There is the Circuit Breaker program to help with property taxes for those on a fixed income...I think that the deadline ends in September,” he said. There are a few programs available through the county, including the Circuit Breaker program.
● Circuit Breaker is for individuals 66 or older with an income under $32,738. ● Indigent is for individuals 65 years or older, disabled or in extreme hardship with an income under $32,738. ● Hardship is for an individual in extreme financial hardship at any age with income and assets not exceeding $32,738. The limit is increase for each household member by $4,180. ● Veteran, disabled or on active duty is for a veteran with a service connected disability, or the unmarried surviving spouse or minor orphan of deceased veteran that was
killed in action. ● Blind is for individual who is legally blind in both eyes or the unmarried surviving spouse or orphan of a deceased blind person. Visit https://www.slco.org/treasurer/ tax-relief-applications/, or call 385-468-8300 for more information and applications. See (article about truth in taxation meeting reference here, with page # for print, URL for digital) for more information about the Truth in Taxation meeting. l
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h no! Summer is just about over — September 22 is officially the last day of the season. Are you worried there won’t be anything fun left to do? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! Make the most out of your time with the new Ultimate Pass of all Passes that is currently on sale. (https://coupons4utah.com/) The pass includes: unlimited admission to Seven Peaks Waterpark in Salt Lake City, Seven Peaks Fun Center in Lehi, and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo during public skate times; select admission to Rocky Mountain Raceway events, Brigham Young University athletic events, University of Utah athletic events, Utah Valley University athletic events, Orem Owlz home games, Utah Falconz games, Utah Warriors games, Utah Grizzlies games, REAL Monarchs, and Utah Royals FC games; one 10-minute tram ride at Snowbird; one lunch at the Lion House Pantry; one admission to SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre production, Scales and Tails, RC playgrounds, Crystal Hot Springs, Dome Theatre Screening, Clark Planetarium IMAX Screening, Discovery Gateway, Museum of Natural Curiosity, Natural History Museum, Red Butte Garden, Thanksgiving Point Ashton Gardens, Thanksgiving Point Museum of Ancient Life, Tracy Aviary, This is the Place Heritage Park, The Leonardo, Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Utah Olympic Park and Lagoon. Whew! Usually this pass is priced at $149.99, but it is currently on sale for $129.99. After purchase, redeem the pass within 90 days and the offers will last for one year. It’ll be good for next
summer! If you don’t need the entire Ultimate Pass, smaller package passes are available such as: Sports ($9.99), Amusement ($59.99) and Culture ($79.99). Additionally, Groupon is offering the classic Pass of all Passes for $24.99. Looking for an event a little different during the month of September? Check out these festivals and conventions: Snowbird’s Oktoberfest began on Aug. 18 and will continue every weekend until Oct. 21. The festival begins at noon every Saturday and Sunday and closes around 6:30 p.m. Admission is free but parking is $10 per car. For more information, visit www. snowbird.com/oktoberfest/. Salt Lake City’s Greek Festival will be held from Sept.7 through Sept. 9 at the Holy Trinity Cathedral Greek Orthodox Church, located at 279 S. 300 West. On Friday and Saturday, the festival runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. On Sunday, the festival will close around 10 p.m. Check them out for all the Greek food you can imagine, including: baked Greek chicken, gyros, keftedes, souvlaki, baklava, macaroons, loukoumathes, roasted lamb, tyropita and more. Admission is $3 per person with children under 5 free. For more information, visit www.saltlakegreekfestival.com. Downtown Salt Lake City’s Dine O’Round will begin on Sept. 15 and run until Oct. 1. The Dine O’Round includes 45 of downtown’s top restaurants featuring $5 to $10 two-item lunches, as well as $15, $25 and $35 three-course dinners. Some of the featured restaurants include Bocata, Gracie’s, Green Pig Pub and Tony Caputo’s. Attendees can
post their photos on Instagram for a chance to win dinner for one year (remember to use the hashtag dineoround and tag downtownslc). For more information, visit www.dineoround.com. The Utah State Fair will be from Sept. 6 to Sept.16 this year at the Utah State Fairpark on 155 N. 1000 West in Salt Lake City. Doors open at 10 a.m. almost every day. Adult tickets are $10 per person, while senior and youth tickets are $8 per person. Fan-X (Salt Lake City’s version of Comic Con) will be held from Sept. 6 through Sept. 8 at the Salt Palace Convention Center on 100 South Temple in Salt Lake City. Hours vary for each day and tickets range from $45 to $250. For more information visit www.fanxsaltlake.com. Enjoy the last days of summer! P.S. Did you know you can follow us on social media? Check us out of Facebook by searching for the Coupons4Utah Group Page. Check us out on Instagram by searching coupons4utah. Or visit our blog at coupons4utah.com. l
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Page 38 | September 2018
(tax included) Expires 9/30/18
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West Jordan City Journal
Life and Laughter— Things We Forget
Life
Laughter AND
by
PERI KINDER
WEST JORDAN
T
here was a time, before we got all jaded and grumpy, that our main purpose was to have fun. As kids, we jumped out of bed every morning, eager to find the best ways to a) get candy, b) meet friends, c) watch cartoons and d) avoid chores at all costs. We had it all figured out. Why did grown-ups make everything so difficult? Politics, manipulation and sociopathic behaviors were things we didn’t understand. (I still don’t understand.) After life punches us in the face for several decades, we get out of bed a little slower and rarely find time for cartoons or candy. Friends become precious. Chores increase exponentially. But maybe those 10-year-old versions of ourselves were right all along. Maybe we need to remember some basic rules about life that were totally obvious to us before we finished elementary school. These things are truths at any age. • Going to the bank is boring— unless there are those chain-attached pens you can play with • If you’re good at the store, you might get a Butterfinger • Going to the zoo sounds like a good idea, but it’s actually exhausting • Visiting grandma gets you
spoiled • Sometimes you need to stay in bed all day reading a good book • Making friends is easy • Going to bed early is a punishment • It’s okay to cry when your feelings are hurt • Saturday morning cartoons are awesome • Spending an afternoon in the park is the best use of your time • A $20 bill makes you rich • When your friend is mean, it’s okay to tell them that wasn’t nice • It’s fun to be excited for birthdays and Christmas • Eating cold cereal for dinner is the best • Throwing a water balloon at your sister is thrilling • You never have to watch your carbs • Shoes aren’t always necessary • Cloud watching is not a waste of time So how did we go from being fun-loving kidlets to cranky adults? When did we decide it was better to be busy than to have fun? As with most terrible things, I blame the teenage years. Being 13 years old can
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WestJordanJournal .com
PLACE AN AD: Call
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Reasonable Prices, Quality Work, Prompt Service Flat work, Driveways, Patios, RV Pads, Sidwalks, Etc.
Call Dan: 801.518.7365 VEHICLES WANTED
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Painting
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be devastating. If you watch the movie Eighth Grade, be prepared for some serious junior high PTSD as a beautiful young girl destroys her own self-esteem with anxiety, junior high romance and pool parties. Seriously triggering. Once we drag ourselves out of the primordial swamp of high school, we’ve become a little less trusting and optimistic. Then we double-down on our cynicism as we enter the workforce. When you were in elementary school, dreaming about the time you’d be a grown up with your own car and the ability to eat ice cream after midnight, you never considered the possibility that working sucks. Sure, we saw our parents come home from work, down a bottle of gin and collapse on the couch like a
bag of old pudding, but that was because they’d had SO MUCH FUN at work! Something needs to change. If you find yourself scowling at happiness, it’s time to check back with your inner fourth-grader and do something fun. Skip work and go hiking. Have an ice-cream sundae, without promising to jog later (because 10-year-olds don’t jog). Start a conversation with a stranger. Spend $20 on something entirely useless. Have Lucky Charms for dinner. We need to remember, it’s fun to a) get candy, b) meet friends, c) watch cartoons and d) avoid chores at all costs. Life’s too short to grow old. l
FENCING
HANDYMAN SERVICES
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PAINTING
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801-819-9158 September 2018 | Page 39
Biomat USA Taylorsville thanks the following businesses for their support of the
2nd Annual Cruisin’ for Charity Car Show
Additional thanks to: Clark Executive Car Detail, Wing Nutz of Taylorsville, Five Guys of Taylorsville, MetroPCS at Taylors Landing, Salt Lake Bees, and Uinta Golf
GRIFOLS Biomat USA Taylorsville proudly supports the following charities whose services elevate the well-being of members in our communities
Mission
SVS Mission
The mission of Granite Education Foundation is to improve educational outcomes by strengthening the Granite School District Community. This is accomplished through the engagement of business and community partners in the support of Granite School District and the academic achievement of all its students. Our vision is that we will help prepare Granite District students with opportunities to succeed in higher education, career, and life. 385-646-KIDS (5437) • www.granitekids.org
Women in Utah will experience domestic abuse
To provide options through counseling, case management, prevention and shelter to women, children and men who have experienced domestic violence to live lives free from violence.
South Valley Services To Donate, Volunteer or if you Need Help Call 801-255-1095 www.svsutah.org