March 2018 | Vol. 4 Iss. 03
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GRANGER HIGH TEACHER PERFORMS ‘I HAVE A DREAM’ SPEECH By Jennifer Gardiner | j.gardiner@mycityjournals.com
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ranger High teacher Ken Hopkins will be retiring as a teacher after a career in public education that has spanned more than 30 years. His dramatic recitation of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech has become famous in the community. On Feb. 2, Hopkins performed the speech in celebration of Black History Month. Hopkins said the speech started when planning to do a presentation in his daughter’s class when she was in sixth grade, 23 years ago. His daughter wanted him to do something related to Martin Luther King Jr. so he decided to do the speech. “Practiced and practiced until my daughter couldn’t tell the difference between my voice and the video of MLK. I knew then it was time to take it on the road,” Hopkins said. “I got such a positive reaction from her class that it just took off from there and I’ve been doing the speech since.” Over the past 25 years, Hopkins said he has probably done the speech several hundred times and has had students, teachers and parents approach him telling him it was so touching, moving them to tears. He has had student after student say how they related to the message and hoped one day we could live up to King’s dream. “It’s an awesome opportunity that has driven me for 37 years. I’ve been fortunate enough to be a two-time teacher of the year recipient and am passionate about my profession,” Hopkins said. “I am Granger High teacher Ken Hopkins during Black History Month event. (Photo/Granite School District) originally from Utah and I graduated from the high
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school where I’m currently teaching (Granger High). I have been here for the past five years and feel totally blessed to have a chance to come full circle.” Hopkins said that we have all had teachers in our lives like him who come to work each and every day try to make a difference in their students’ lives. He recalls a sixth-grade teacher of his who inspired him and taught him about his culture. “Taking me on the road from Ogden to Provo doing a presentation (using a collage built from a large appliance box) about African-Americans,” Hopkins said. “What an inspirational teacher and human being he was for me (particularly in 1969) considering the racial unrest in our country and the massive divide among the races. He is the person who I think about as I try to give a message of tolerance, acceptance and togetherness. So I’ve been presenting in front of large groups since the age of 11.” Hopkins said he finds inspiration through others. “I sometimes think my gift in life is the ability to connect with people and this ‘I Have a Dream’ speech has been the vehicle,” Hopkins said. “The principles behind Dr. King’s speech seem at times unobtainable and somewhat impossible. It is all of our duties (each doing what we can) to fix our gaze upon this goal because nothing will work unless we do.” If you would like to see the performance you can find it on Granite School District’s Facebook page. l
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West Valley City Journal
Go for it! Organizations encourage women to enter politics
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By Aspen Perry | a.perry@mycityjournals.com
hile obtaining a seat in local government does not provide much financial reward, there are perks when running for office. Patricia Jones, CEO of the Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI), spent 14 years serving the Utah Legislature and was surprised at just how beneficial learning the system ended up being. As Jones explained during a mid-January interview, having an understanding of how government worked provided her and her family invaluable information when she began looking into long term care options for an aged parent. “There are just so many things you learn, that help you in your own personal life, and help your loved ones,” Jones said. It’s something many Utah women are beginning to discover. Utah’s rank for women in office is on the rise with more projected to run in future elections. “I think we’re seeing more women run, because they’re feeling more confident,” said Jones. In 2016, Utah ranked 45th among state legislatures for percentage of women holding office. A rank that can be disheartening considering Utah’s history of being ahead of the curve when it comes to women in politics. In 1896—24 years before women were granted the right to vote— Martha Hughes Cannon ran as a Democrat against her husband, and became the first female state senator of the United States. Though Utah fell behind the curve in regards to the number of women in office, it appears to be a statistic that is steadily increasing. In accordance with Utah Valley University, within just one year Utah’s rank went from 45th to 38th, with five women gaining seats in the House. Bringing the number of women serving the 104-member Legislature up to 21 (15 House, six Senate). Organizations with programs offering political campaign education to women are seeing a rise in participants as well, meaning Utah will continue to see an increase of women running in future elections. Jones of WLI, an organization formed three years ago with the intent to support women in both business and political leadership, has seen a significant rise in participants for their political development program. “The first year we had 17 women that applied and that were in the class, last year we had 23, and this year we have 50,” said Jones. Jones explained that four of the female mayors elected during the November 2017 election were part of WLI’s political development pro-
gram. Those four are: Michelle Kaufusi from Provo, Holly Daines from Logan, Kelleen Potter from Heber City, and Katie Witt from Kaysville. “The great thing about the [program] is they get to know one another and want to help each other. It’s really a magical thing to see,” Jones said. Real Women Run (RWR) is another organization created to empower women, founded in 2011 at YWCA Utah. Erin Jemison, director of public policy with RWR, reported of the 98 women who were elected to office in the 2017 election, 23 were RWR participants. Kristie Steadman Overson, newly elected mayor of Taylorsville attended one of Real Women Run’s events six years ago, as preparation when she ran for a seat on Taylorsville City Council. Overson won the council seat, where she continued to serve until running and being elected mayor. During her campaign, Overson knocked on almost 3,000 doors and discovered communication was a top concern for her constituents. “Connecting with someone on their doorstep is a lot different than getting perspective during a council meeting. As I did that… I thought I can take this knowledge and use it, so communication is absolutely the key,” Overson said. Cottonwood Heights recently elected District 3 Councilwoman Tali Bruce also attended training through Real Women Run and found the personal testimonials of women who had run beneficial. “You can spend a lot of time prepping for something like this, but their advice was solid. To just go for it,” Bruce recounted of her experience. Along with Bruce, Christine Watson Mikell was the other woman who altered the all-male demographic of Cottonwood Heights previous city council. “I think boards or councils are better when there’s a diverse perspective. [Being] a mother, business owner, I offer a diverse perspective that may have not been on the council throughout the life of the city,” Mikell said. Though Mikell had planned to participate in one of WLI’s groups, due to schedule conflicts she was unable to attend before running for council. “I think those organizations are fantastic, and I wish I’d had the benefit [of one of those programs],” Mikell said. Although Mikell was unable to prep for her campaign through WLI or RWR her experience working on the board of Utah Clean Energy provided hands-on experience for collaboration. Newly elected South Jordan Mayor Dawn
Taylorsville Mayor Kristie Overson and District 4 Councilwoman, Meredith Harker. (Mayor Kristie Overson)
Ramsey, shares a similar path with her years of service on the Utah PTA State Board of Directors, which provided an opportunity to work with other female elected officials. “I work with a lot of women who hold positions of capacity that make a big difference… I’ve learned a lot from those women,” Ramsey stated. For Ramsey, growth is the main issue that she will focus on during her term as mayor. “Working with other local mayors and legislators, to try to help protect what we love most about South Jordan, and to work hard to get the services and funding that we need to continue to enhance quality of life for all of our residents,” Ramsey said. All in all, it is looking to be promising year as more women enter the political arena in Utah. When asked what advice they would offer other women thinking of running for office in the future, the advice from all women was the same: Go for it! “We need more women in the legislature,” said Jones with WLI. She added, “There are real structural benefits of having gender balance… it’s not good enough to have just one woman at the table.” With the rise of females enrolled in political development education, Utah is sure to see more women on the ticket for 2018. l
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Page 4 | March 2018
West Valley City Journal
Lunar New Year brings together multiple generations By Keyra Kristoffersen | keyrak@mycityjournals.com
Students and members of the community joined together to celebrate the traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year. (Dalton Bach)
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he Vietnamese-American Student Association at the University of Utah sought to bridge the gap between generations by holding a celebration of the traditional Lunar New Year at the Miss Saigon Reception Center in West Valley on Feb. 3. “What we try to do as an organization is try to appreciate and commemorate the culture that we have as Vietnamese-Americans,” said Ahn Cao, the president of VASA this year. “We work really closely with the Vietnamese Community of Utah which is made up of a lot of the elders of our community.” One of the common problems, Cao said, is
the communication barrier that exists between the older and younger generation and VASA’s goal is to bridge that gap by bringing the community together in traditional celebration. Through the work of VASA’s members, sponsors from the community of Vietnamese and Asian stores provided raffle prizes as well as food such as Vietnamese woven vermicelli and stir fry noodles for a menu that guests could order from restaurant style. “We had a lot of generous donations from restaurants around the valley,” said Cao. The Miss Saigon Reception Center had been utilized for years for various community events
put on by the Vietnamese Community of Utah, so VASA wanted to use a place familiar to the older attendees as well as offer a space that could accommodate the number of people anticipated and provide a stage area for the performers. “In Vietnam, this is one of the biggest holidays that we have in our culture,” said Cao. “We just really wanted to make it super fun and commemorate how Vietnamese traditionally celebrate Lunar New Year.” Performers from the community and schools entertained the crowd with traditional lion dancing, Tycho drumming and singing by K-Pop group, X-Moment, Hana, and Kelly Le, a local high school student. The F.P.S Dance Crew performed along with members of VASA who danced a traditional co-ed Vietnamese dance with umbrellas and wearing Ao Dai. Other cultural performances and games showcased the talents of the participants like face painting, crafts and games such as lover’s leap. With over 450 guests, this was the largest Lunar New Year event that VASA has put on. VASA began planning the Lunar New Year celebration in May of 2017 with fundraisers like a car wash and seeking sponsors over the summer. Beside getting involved in the community and Lunar New Year, VASA also teams up to hold the Lunar Moon Festival in October at Sugar House Park. When the sun goes down, participants hold lanterns and follow lion dancers around the lake.
“It’s one of my favorite events ever since I was a little kid, so it was really cool to be part of the planning process,” said Cao. The Lunar New Year, also known as Tet, tradition is based on the lunar calendar, which the Vietnamese followed before switching to the solar calendar. Families come together to honor ancestors by preparing vegetarian dishes and lighting incense as offerings. Buddhists would go to the temple or pagoda to pray and after midnight, there would be firecrackers and dancing while individuals would receive a Li Xi bag, or red envelope, that contained a coin and a fortune which could be deciphered by the monk to help wish and bring luck for loved ones in the new year. Cao likens it to Americans celebrating Christmas and New Year’s Eve at the same time though it’s the celebration of the beginning of spring. “In times like these where it is traditional to just go all out and have these huge celebrations for Tet, then I think it’s a great opportunity for Vietnamese-Americans to come together to be a part of this,” said Cao. Cao is also involved in the Miss Vietnam Pageant, held every other year at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center and featured contestants in evening wear and traditional dress. “You don’t have to be Vietnamese to appreciate the culture and that’s the message that we wanted to convey,” said Cao. l
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Page 6 | March 2018
West Valley City Journal
Police to provide additional security at West Valley Library By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com
West Valley City Council unanimously approved an agreement that will see two officers assigned to the West Valley Library. The city will be reimbursed by Salt Lake County. (Travis Barton/City Journals)
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n an effort to increase safety at the local West Valley Library—part of the county library system—the West Valley City Council unanimously approved an agreement between the city and Salt Lake County to provide officers specifically assigned to the library. City Attorney Eric Bunderson explained to the city council in January that the county was considering placing Unified Police officers at the library as extra security, but the city felt strongly that it should be West Valley police officers “since it’s so close and next to the police department.” “We negotiated this deal with them where we would commit two officers to be assigned there and the county would reimburse us,” Bunderson said. A supervising officer would receive $60/hour while a non-supervisory officer receives $50/hour. The West Valley Library (2880 W. 3650 South) sits near city hall, the police department and West Valley Central TRAX Station. The agreement is in place for two years which may be renewed by a written amendment. Maximum length the agreement can reach is the end of 2022. Hunter Library was not included in the agreement. Then Interim Police Chief Colleen Nolen (now Police Chief Colleen Jacobs) explained that the officers would be assigned by the department’s secondary overtime sign-up. Officers tasked to the library are free to respond to higher priority threats in other locations when necessary, according to the agreement. Liz Sollis, communications manager for the county library system, said the reasoning for the extra officers are safety and to encourage positive relations with the officers. She didn’t describe there being an uptick in crime as a reason for additional security, but that their libraries see a lot of kids come to the library. “Not surprisingly kids are sometimes rambunctious and they get into trouble,” Sollis said, adding occasionally fines and verbal reprimands don’t always stop them.
“Really, the idea is that with an officer presence, it provides an extra level of safety and security for all of our customers,” she said. It’s also not uncommon, she said, for public places to have close relationships with local law enforcement. “Libraries are one of the very best at community gathering places because they’re open to everybody so we just want people to know they’re welcome at the county library.” Branches in Kearns and Magna also have extra security with Unified officers. Sollis explained that other branches like South Jordan and West Jordan are next to police stations or a justice court. Officers aren’t assigned to the libraries, but will occasionally walk the perimeter. “There’s often an officer present in a lot of our branches, but I would say it’s more a sign of an engaged community than a sign of increased enforcement in general,” she said. The benefits go further than safety, according to Sollis. A favorite moment of hers was witnessing an officer at the Kearns branch with a book in his pocket as he stood outside talking with kids as the entered and exited. “It warmed my heart,” she recalled. There was also an instance in the library’s 2016 annual report at the Magna branch where a police officer, Hank Johnson, and the branch manager, Trish Hull, assisted a 29-year-old homeless man named Hack. Johnson suggested Hack pursue a GED. Hull bought Hack a study guide while Johnson paid for the test. “It’s relationships,” Sollis reiterated. “It’s showing these people that the community cares about them and, of course in this story, it’s an officer who went the extra mile to help this person have a better outcome.” She later added, “It’s always nice to let people know there’s a little extra security and attention being paid to their experience.” l
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Several military recruitment offices move to same Taylorsville shopping complex By Carl Fauver | carlf@mycityjournals.com
For months, this portion of wall was all that remained from a Toys R Us store that was torn down in West Valley City, because military recruiters were still occupying their attached building. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)
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he Toys R Us national store chain is bankrupt. Taylorsville has four new military recruitment offices for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. And believe it or not, the two are connected. All four major branches of the U.S. Military have just opened side-by-side recruiting headquarters in the Taylorsville shopping complex on the southwest corner of Redwood Road and 4700 South. But the recruiters would have likely never landed there, if Toys R Us had continued to do the kind of business it did before online shopping became the juggernaut it is now. “West Valley City purchased the land adjacent to their city offices, and tore down the Toys R Us building,” said Kathy Bicker, a civilian real estate specialist who works for the Army Corps of Engineers. Her Sacramento, Calif. office is one of the places that assists the military in securing recruitment office sites. “West Valley’s purchase affected us, because we had a military recruitment office attached to the outside of the Toys R Us store (2787 West 3500 South),” Bicker added. “So we had to find a new recruitment office pretty quick.” Bicker said the recruiters had begun to outgrow the 4,000-square-foot West Valley location, so finding a new home was more of an opportunity than a hardship. Also, the Toys R Us location was only large enough to hold Army, Navy and Marine recruiters, while the U.S. Air Force had a completely different location in Taylorsville (3171 West 5400 South). “Our new location is 8,100 square feet, double what we had in West Valley,” Bicker said. “So that has allowed us to vacate the Toys R Us site, so they can complete their demolition, and also move the Air Force recruiting office next to the others.” The four military branch recruitment center opened in February, in the Taylorsville Town Center shopping complex on the southwest corner of 4700 South Redwood Road.
“The West Valley City (Toys R Us land) purchase was fortuitous for us,” Bicker added. “Although that recruitment office space had become cramped, we had not really started looking for a new location. But the city forced us into action and the new location should be much better.” Air Force Master Sergeant Timothy Aldinger could hardly contain his enthusiasm. “I’m ecstatic about the move; we’re all packed and couldn’t be happier,” said Aldinger. Aldinger is in charge of all Air Force recruiting in Utah, from Bountiful to Richfield. “We really didn’t have enough room in the old location and the move allows us to combine a few offices,” Aldinger added. “It will also be nice to be in the same location as the other recruiting offices.” The Air Force has combined Taylorsville, West Valley and Salt Lake offices into the new location. With his retirement papers already approved – effective next January – Master Sergeant Aldinger said it will be great to have a more comfortable location for his final year. “Last year we set an Air Force recruiting record in our Utah zone, signing up 174 new men and women,” he said. “Our previous one-year recruitment record was 152, nearly 10 years ago. Now with a nicer location – and the possibility of bringing new recruiters on board – who knows how many new recruits we may get this year?” The previous Utah zone Air Force recruiting record occurred just as the country was coming out of the ‘Great Recession’ while Aldinger and his recruiters beat that mark at a time when our state has returned to an unemployment rate of 3.3 percent. With all four military branches combined in the new Taylorsville location, about 27 people work there. The U.S. Army traditionally has the most recruits and therefore has the most space. The Air Force recruitment space is next in size, followed by equal size areas for the Navy and Marines. l
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Page 8 | March 2018
West Valley City Journal
‘Guardian angels’ recognized for assistance in October stabbing
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By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com il Reyes has always stood up for people. The morning of Oct. 9, 2017 was no exception.
Along with his delivery partner for the night, Holladay resident Tony Orton, the two helped Marsh wriggle free and lock the assailThe South Salt Lake native who lives in West Valley was de- ant in the office until police arrived. “It’s good people just doing the right thing at the right time and livering beer at about 2:30 a.m. to the Maverik gas station at 3112 S. Redwood Road when a man had jumped over the counter and you just pray to god for the best outcome,” Reyes said. The West Valley City Council recognized the two men with stabbed the clerk, Christine Marsh, multiple times with a pocketknife. The man, who Reyes said had been acting odd prior to the Courageous Citizen awards at a January council meeting. “They deserve it,” said Marsh. stabbing, was pulling Marsh into the manager’s office Interim Police Chief Colleen Nolen thanked the two men in her “I just looked at her like it was my sister or my girlfriend, just recognition for their “quick, and likely lifesaving, actions.” had to do something,” Reyes said. Mayor Ron Bigelow expressed his appreciation for the Good Samaritans. “Good thing they were there and alert and did so safely,” he said during the meeting. Orton said it was nice of West Valley to recognize them. “Kind of a surreal moment so to speak, to be honored for something like this,” he said. “It’s quite amazing and I’m glad I even made a new friend in Christine...I’m just glad that Christine is doing well.” For only two weeks had Marsh been working at that Maverik when the incident occurred. She suffered multiple stab wounds, including in the face, and a broken finger. She said people are supposed to be in certain places, like her two new friends. “I had a guardian angel there and they’re like my guardian angels too,” Marsh said. Tony Orton (front row left) and Fil Reyes hold their recognition plaques after being She is mostly recovered from her injuries describing recognized by the West Valley City Council and Police Department. each day as “better than the last.” While she says she is still (Travis Barton/City Journals) on her guard now, Marsh is understanding having already
forgiven the man, Edwin Ogando, for what happened. In addition to seeing a therapist, she went to all the court hearings, which has helped her emotional recovery. Originally from Ogden, Marsh has returned to work at a Maverik gas station in West Haven (just north of Roy and west of Ogden). She said Maverik was supportive visiting her in the hospital and giving her time to recover. She said Orton checks in on her and she even sent both men Christmas cards. “We’re glad that she’s still here with us,” Orton said. Going forward Orton said he’s learned to always be aware and pay attention, now constantly surveilling his surroundings. A month after the stabbing, he was at the same Maverik when he heard a couple of homeless people becoming belligerent and heard one of the them say, “I’ll kill you.” “This is a little too familiar,” he said and called the police who arrived and deescalated the situation. Orton said he and Reyes spent the rest of that autumn day not eating or talking about how things could have ended differently, but were thankful it didn’t end with anybody dead. “There’s always that what if, fight or flight question that you ask yourself all the time,” Orton said. “But now I know (what I would do).” Reyes said he’s always lived his life that way. “Just kind of stand up for people and do what’s right ‘cause that’s the kind of man I am.” The experience served him a reminder to “be more family oriented because you never know when your last day could be taken away from you like that.” l
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March 2018 | Page 9
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New Kearns drug treatment facility aims to help break chains of addiction By Jennifer Gardiner | j.gardiner@mycityjournals.com
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Living room of new Valley Behavioral Health treatment facility in Kearns.(Jennifer Gardiner/City Journals)
T
his past year, there has been a lot happening to try to help the homeless. One of those things is to provide treatment and support for those bound by the ropes of drug addiction. The new campus of Valley Behavioral Health in Kearns is doing all they can to help. The 110-bed campus runs side-by-side in conjunction with the EPIC program (Evidencebased Programs and Interventions Campus) and has one main goal: to help people break the chains of addiction so they can re-enter the community. Their target audience is men and women with substance abuse issues who might also be struggling with mental illness and behavioral issues. The program is designed to help them have a successful re-entry into the community and to help reduce criminal recidivism. Rebecca Brown, senior business director for Valley Behavioral Health, said the campus was converted from a 16-bed facility for youth to a 78-bed facility for adult substance abusers. “The reason we have done that is our youth facility closed in early spring based on funding changes and we were really looking into what we would do next,” Brown said. “In November the Medicaid 11-15 waiver passed allowing us to expand access to programming and increase the capacity of beds.” Brown said there is a need in the community for the facility with the rise in the opioid epidemic and the long wait lists for those wanting treatment. “We have Operation Rio Grande happening at the state level and this is part of the second phase of that,” Brown said. “This campus will have four living facilities, counseling and day treatment on site, a full-service, 365 days a year program. We have a full staff including nursing and all levels of treatment.” The campus is a remodel of their buildings located at 3809 West 6200 South which will
operate in a modified therapeutic community model of treatment. It is considered a premier facility, and has a fully functioning decor including living rooms, kitchen space and separate bedrooms. Seventy-eight beds will be open in March 2018 but they have the ability to open up to 110 beds if the need arises, which Brown anticipates will happen. Once someone enters the facility for treatment they are roomed with several others, which is said to help with accountability. In time, they can move into rooms with less occupants as a form of reward for their progress. Brittany Peck, 38, said she has struggled with drug addiction for years and just hit her three year anniversary of being sober. She was in an abusive relationship and battled with trauma, depression and anxiety and eventually lost her kids. She used meth and heroin until she overdosed on Jan. 18, 2015 and was referred to Valley Behavioral Health. Peck said at the time it was chaotic but as it progressed she started therapy and discovered the root reasons she went down the path she did. “I learned how to get along with others, I learned how to love myself, how to cope with things in everyday society which I didn’t know how to,” Peck said. “They helped me with medication, they helped me with aftercare.” Peck said she still goes to therapy as she knows the real struggle is learning how to cope with living in the real world and integrating with society. She knows she can come to Valley Behavioral Health for help anytime as she continues her transition into a sober life. Brown said they have many different ways in which individuals can get into the program, whether it is a referral through the Medicaid waiver program, the Operation Rio Grande, court ordered treatment or by going to valleycares.com or calling 888-949-4864 to get a referral to the program. l
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Page 10 | March 2018
West Valley City Journal
Program boosting first-generation college students in WVC By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com
Students from the Opportunity Scholar’s program stop for a photo at city hall. (Kevin Conde/West Valley City Photographer)
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series highlighting the Opportunity Scholars program between West Valley City and the University of Utah.
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est Valley City residents are attending college through the Opportunity Scholar’s program. And they are grateful. “A lot of us didn’t have many options,” an emotional Fabrynn Soonalote told the city council on Feb. 6. “I myself was homeless before this. I really do appreciate this.” The program was borne out of the business college at the University of Utah that assists and mentors first-generation college students. It focuses on specific needs for what those students need. The program has a 93-97 percent graduation rate. The idea came to West Valley City last summer when Assistant City Manager Nicole Cottle and Rich Kaufusi, program coordinator, teamed up to involve city residents. Cottle and the city had been looking at possible ideas for putting college campus housing for residents in the city. With one of the city’s priorities being to increase the amount of bachelor degree holders within the city, the idea struck to
combine with the university’s program. Opportunity Scholars has seen that first-generation college students benefit from living in the same community as their family for comfort and support, but not in the same location because students often take on a significant burden of caring for their families, limiting their ability to attend class. With the partnership, 16 students live in the same affordable housing next to a TRAX line in West Valley City. Soonalote, a quantitative analysis of markets and organization major, said the proximity to transportation “has been great.” Oscar Grajeda is a junior studying information systems who found plenty of benefits in the program like allowing him to “focus just on the end goal of graduating school and not having to worry about finances.” It also made him an example in his Mexican family. His parents never graduated junior high. “Younger kids that are around me see that I’m pushing towards that next step for my family…that’s the biggest effect I think we’ll have on the community.” Cottle said it was “kind of a miraculous thing” it came together so fast and was extremely encouraged with the pi-
AN ACTIVE 55+ COMMUNITY
lot program for the city. “I can tell you these students are awesome,” she told the city council. The program involves one-on-one mentoring and interning with businesses (in this case, only those within West Valley City). The city’s goal would be to encourage those students to maintain their connection to the city, living and working in West Valley. Financing for the program comes from state law that requires money be set aside for affordable housing when community and redevelopment areas are rejuvenated. Cottle explained they built up a pot of money from about six areas that met the requirement. Mayor Ron Bigelow offered his congratulations to the students for their dedication saying he would love to see them eventually work in city government either on staff or as an elected official. “You make a difference in our community,” Bigelow told the students in attendance. “We need good people who will stay here and build this city. This city was built by people who stayed here long-term, created their lives here, they raised their families here, they made this city what it is today and you’ll make it what it is in the future.” l
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2018 | Page 11
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Page 12 | March 2018
West Valley City Journal
Saving lives with your bare hands
F
City Councilman Jake Fitisemanu Jr. practices hands-only CPR on a mannequin. The West Valley City Fire Department will be holding free classes on March 29, April 19 and May 10. (Travis Barton/City Journals)
By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com
or every minute that CPR is delayed, a victim’s chance of survival drops by 10 percent, Brian Larson, battalion chief for the medical division of the West Valley City Fire Department, told the West Valley City Council in early February. He also said nationally, bystanders will begin CPR about 40 percent of the time. In Utah, that rate drops to 20 percent. With statistics like those, it’s obvious why WVCFD is implementing a hands-only CPR campaign to educate the public. “We need people to not be afraid to perform CPR,” Larson said. Larson said they want residents to know that performing CPR does not require mouth-to-mouth contact, which might explain a person’s reluctance to step forward. He explained hands-only CPR requires two things: call 911 and push hard and fast on the victim’s chest. “If they aren’t receiving it prior to ambulance arrival, their chances of surviving are slim to none,” said the battalion chief. Continuously doing compressions on a person’s chest, Larson said, is extremely helpful with an ambulance expected to arrive within six minutes. “Some CPR is better than no CPR at all. We’re just trying to remove the fear,” he explained. The fire department is hopeful that a less complex, more simplified process will increase a person’s confidence to perform the potentially life-saving technique. Part of the campaign includes three versions (short, medium and long length) of a lighthearted, Utah focused video
demonstrating how hands-only CPR works and why it’s critical. Larson said they wanted the video to be interesting, attention grabbing and memorable. “If it’s something that you’re able to remember, you’re more likely to perform CPR and we think that’s going to help improve some of the cardiac arrest results within our city,” Larson said. The fire department will be offering free hands-on classes on March 29, April 19 and May 10 at 6, 6:30 and 7 p.m. each night. Register online at wvc-ut.gov. February 15 was the first class. Classes feature mannequins for realistic training. At a demonstration for the West Valley City mayor and city council, officials practiced the promoted technique that features pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest (100-120 beats per minute to the tune of “Stayin’ Alive”), compressions that should be just over two inches down, allowing the chest to fully recoil and maintaining continuity with a partner when the other gets tired. “They can get in and feel what it really feels like to do CPR and get their timing down,” Larson said. The class will also go over recognizing when CPR should be administered, like if the victim is unresponsive or unable to breathe. Larson added the fire department tracks whether bystander CPR was performed on a cardiac arrest call. “We’re hoping that when we look next year we’ll see an improvement in that,” he said. “And that’s what this program is about.” l
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House Bill 132 aims to clarify truancy, school resource officer issues
W
hen House Bill 239 was passed last March, many school administrators applauded the intent to reduce the number of student referrals to juvenile court and instead offer other alternative interventions. But in the midst of it, the bill muddied some procedures, so House Bill 132, now in the Utah Legislature, is in motion to clarify HB239, said Nancy Tingy, Canyons Board of Education vice president. “HB132 will fine-tune HB239,” she said. “There has been some issues for schools since it passed with understanding the roles and impact on the school resource officers, juvenile justice systems and the schools. It’s a huge issue and a switch in dynamics.” House Bill 239, which was proposed by Rep. Lowry Snow of Washington County, was passed during the 2017 general session and signed by Gov. Gary Herbert on March 24. The bill began in June 2016, when state leadership under Herbert appointed a group to examine Utah’s juvenile justice system and produce recommendations for improvement. The review suggested that youth who are referred to court have worse outcomes than youth who receive services in the community, and that court referrals can lead to deeper involvement in the juvenile justice system. Data also showed a large proportion of cases coming into Utah’s juvenile justice system were low-level offenses that were referred by schools. In October 2017, the Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee wrote a clarifying memo: “House Bill 239 (HB239) does not eliminate School Resource Officers (SROs) nor is it intended to minimize the important role SROs play in schools. Rather, the changes are focused on reducing the amount of referrals to juvenile court (and arrests) that are being made, for offenses that could be addressed with alternative referrals and interventions.” Canyons District Director of Responsive Services BJ Weller said that was a good move by the legislature. “HB239 tries not to criminalize kids for kid behavior, such as smoking for the first time,” he said. “They shouldn’t have to go through the criminal justice system if they do something on curiosity or if they do something impulsive that isn’t a criminal offense.” The confusion with some law enforcement and school districts with HB239 may be in terms of school resource officers’ jurisdiction involving crimes and if they take place on or off school property, he said. In the same October memo, it states that HB 239 limits the ability for anyone — including school resource officers — to make a referral to court or arrest for class C misdemeanors, status offenses and infractions occurring on school property. School resource officers can, however, intervene and interact with youth if these offenses occur. The memo continues to say that any offense
By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com
that is not a class C misdemeanor, infraction or status offense remains referable to court, including assault of any level, all drug possession and drug paraphernalia charges, and disruption of school activities and criminal trespass on school property. HB 239 provisions apply to alleged offenses on school property, by minors enrolled in school year-round, both during school hours and outside of school hours. Status offenses as “a violation of the law that would not be a violation, but for the age of the offender” include, but are not limited to, truancy, ungovernable youth and runaway youth, the memo stated. Alcohol and tobacco offenses are not status offenses because they are classified as misdemeanor offenses in Utah statute, but the purchase, possession or consumption of alcohol is a class B misdemeanor and may be referred to court. Additionally, using false identification to purchase tobacco products is a class A misdemeanor and may be referred to court. However, minors not using a false identification to purchase tobacco products or a firsttime tobacco distribution offense are class C misdemeanors and may not be referred to court. For those behaviors, there are alternative services available to assist students, said Weller, whose background is in social work. He said that with help, they can assist students who may have anxiety, depression or are missing school for other reasons. Another change with HB239 is who takes responsibility when students are truant and who has the authority to step in to resolve the issue, Weller said. “There’s still the law that students attend school, but in the past, if a family was not responsive to working out unexcused absences with us, we could refer them to a pre-court meeting in the juvenile system,” Weller said. Students in Canyons have a 180 school day calendar year. They can have up to 18 parent-excused absences or vacation leave. Compulsory education is still the law and schools can still refer violations against parents for students under the age of 12. “Compulsory education targets parents, whereas the changes in HB 239 impact how schools respond to youth age 12 and up,” he said, adding that now, with HB239, students age 12 and older can’t be referred. “We can offer them options through community outreach and resource centers, but it’s not the same. If they want to go hang out with friends, there’s no consequence,” Weller said. “Truancy has always been an issue and it’s usually the kids who are not here are the ones that need to be here the most.” Murray School District Director of Personnel and Student Services Darren Dean said that while BH239 made it so school districts can’t refer truancy to court for students ages 12 to17, Murray School District still issues truancy citations with small fines attached — which some have not always been paid.
Young people, hanging out at a park near a local high school during the school day, may be given interventions instead of being referred directly to the juvenile justice system. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
“We also offer an attendance class for students with excessive absences that we invite both the student and parent to attend together,” he said, adding that there is no means to enforce attending the class. However, about 10 percent still attend. “The class focuses on why attendance is important. However, more importantly, we try to troubleshoot what is preventing the student from coming to school and connect them with people at the school who can help.” Dean said it’s hard to pin down a reason students may not attend school. It could range from babysitting siblings, health issues, bullying, failing grades, lack of support for education, drugs or alcohol or others. “I’ve found that solutions can be found if people are willing to work together with the school,” he said. “Our mission is to educate students and we want them at school to learn.” In the meantime, Dean said teachers and administrators are working with students in a variety of ways to improve attendance, including offering rewards or incentives, such as getting an unsatisfactory citizenship mark taken off report cards. Granite School District spokesman Ben Horsley said figuring out what incentive would entice this population is hard to ascertain. “In Granite, we’re talking 66 students of the 68,000 students in our district,” he said about those who have more than 10 unexcused absences during the school year. “It’s the habitual truant students we’re talking about and what we need to do is get to the heart of the problem, not just that the student is not in school.” Horsley said that the No. 1 reason usually focuses on parental involvement and quality of support students receive. “Sending them to detention didn’t solve the problem,” he said. Horsley said that HB239 changes policy, so now juvenile offenders get the help they need. “It’s not just sending our juvenile offenders to jail, but it’s finding other interventions to get
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them the help they need,” he said. “This may be saving some of our low-level offenders from being placed and hardened by high-level criminals. Those kids don’t belong in the juvenile justice system. We can’t just throw a kid in the system if he made a non-violent, low-level mistake. It’s not good for the kid, the community or our society.” While Horsley said not all interventions are in place, there are meetings within the district — as well as with other school districts — to determine the best steps to help students. He said that the interventions may best be tailored to each district and the needs of students. For example, Granite, which is the largest school district in Salt Lake Valley and third largest district in the state, serves students across a diverse socio-economic background and has students speaking 96 different languages. What works for them may not work as well for a smaller district with a different background of students, he said. In a December 2017 memo, the Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee said that both courts and schools are conducting trainings and outreach to meet implementation goals, including the Utah State Board of Education leading informational meetings statewide with educators and administrators. Students who have committed more serious crimes won’t be able to return to the same school, Horsley said. “It would be in violation of our safe schools. They can’t return; they can’t retaliate,” he said. While Horsley said that HB239 will save the juvenile justice court money, it is yet to be determined where those funds will be reallocated or if education will need additional funding for alternative resources. While HB132 seeks clarification on HB239, no funding is attached to it, either. “What we want is what’s best for our kids,” Horsley said. “We want to provide kids an education, keep them safe and get the appropriate help they need.” l
Page 14 | March 2018
S
trutting across the stage in a line dance were Black and African-American college students from Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) and Westminster College. The Unity Stroll, a
ABC4 Utah Reporter Kimberly Johnson said excellence can be the best deterrent to racism. (Granite School District)
West Valley City Journal
Black excellence celebration
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com tradition of Black Greek organizations, was to with African roots. demonstrate unity between the schools. “The step is about showcasing school “It doesn’t matter where you come from — pride and coming together as a whole, as Afwe’re all black and we’re all African-American rican-Americans, to lift each other up,” said and so this brings us together as a whole,” said Styles. That was the purpose of the performances Rael Styles, co-president of SLCC’s Black Student Union (BSU). — to stir emotion and pride in black community The dance was just one of the performances members. at the Inaugural Black Excellence Celebration, Iman Ibrahim, a junior from AMES Acadorganized by Granite School District’s Depart- emy, said Dee Dee Darby-Duffin’s performance ment of Education Equity, held at Taylorsville of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” a song to High School on Jan. 29. remember victims of lynching, gave her chills. Community members contributed with a She said the evening’s performances were imvariety of performances to celebrate black cul- pactful and empowering. ture. Students from Granite Park Junior High, “I want to see more of these happen in other Silver Hills Elementary, Mill Creek Elementary districts,” she said. and Utah School for the Deaf, Bonneville Junior The keynote speaker for the evening was High School and SLCC participated through Brittany Johnson, reporter for ABC4 Utah, who song, dance, poetry and video presentation. worked tirelessly to achieve her dream of being Glory Johnson-Stanton, BSU advisor at a news reporter. SLCC, started the evening by singing the black She spoke to give hope to others, as she national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” shared the story of her difficult journey. She said Kenneth Hopkins, teacher at Granger High she was put down, overlooked and belittled beSchool, performed a portion of the “I Have a cause of her skin color. “I’m here to tell you to keep your head held Dream” speech in an impersonation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. high,” she told the students in the audience. “I “The speech, to this day, still rings true. want you all to have the confidence to never give And, to this day, is as important as it was back up.” then,” said Hopkins. Her advice to others in similar frustrating Dr. Jackie Thompson performed a charac- experiences was to continually improve themter portrayal of Bessie Coleman, telling the in- selves. spiring life story of the first female black pilot. “It’s your excellence that can be the best Imani Stott, a seventh grader from Bonneville deterrent to racism — I know that for a fact,” Junior High School, performed an “Expressions she said. “Some of you will have to work 500 of Praise” dance. Westminster students also per- times harder than one of your peers to prove that formed a step dance, another traditional dance you are excellent in what you do.”
Salt Lake County Council’s
MESSAGE A
couple years ago I was sitting at my son’s basketball game when my friend Karyn asked me to teach her about government. She had a desire to get more involved in the community, but didn’t know where to start. This conversation gave me a new perspective about why we don’t have more women involved in government. When I was elected to the Salt Lake County Council in 2014, I was the first female Republican to be elected since the county changed to a council/mayor form of government in 2000. This year I was elected as the first female chair of the County Council and was surprised we hadn’t had a woman chair until now. It seems we do have a shortage of women who run for office. We need both men and women’s voices in policymaking. I firmly believe we should vote for the best candidate for office, not necessarily someone of a specific gender. However, I also believe it’s good when we have many different candidates – including women –
Junior Gnoulelein Tako from AMES Academy said he could relate to Johnson’s message. “I feel in everything I do — not to complain or anything — but I feel just naturally I’m at a disadvantage so I have to try harder to prove myself,” he said. Johnson’s story made him feel empowered to pursue his dreams. Johnson encouraged students to look to inspiring leaders such as King, Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks for courage. “We have to get there together,” Johnson said. “We need to promote leadership practices, deepen awareness of race differences and value relationships, making change possible. We need to uplift our brothers and sisters in our community instead of diminishing everyone.” She challenged students to befriend people who are different from them, citing that socially diverse groups tend to be more innovative. District Superintendent Martin Bates said the evening was organized to illustrate how much the district values diversity. “We strive to create an environment where students are celebrated for who they are, as Dr. King said, ‘not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,’” he said. Michelle Love-Day, associate director of the Department of Educational Equity, said events like these help students feel safe and supported in being themselves. “Because our history is so intertwined with American history, it was important to have students and families celebrate the contributions and recognize the achievements of African-Americans and the hurdles they’ve overcome to get there,” said Love-Day. l
Update from Aimee Winder Newton
who throw their hat in the ring. I realized, though, that women who would otherwise be strong candidates for public service, wanted to gain a better understanding of government before jumping into something. So I took Karyn’s request to heart and decided to teach a “What’s What in Government” class in my home last fall. I posted the invitation on Facebook and within 24 hours all 30 spots were filled. Women from all over Salt Lake County joined me as we talked about the basics. It was essentially a Civics 101 course. These 30 amazing women have since gone on to make a difference in their own communities. One ran and won a city council race, another was elected as the vice-chair of her city’s community council, others have gotten more involved in community activism, political campaigns, school board discussions, or are planning to run as delegates for the political party of their choice this March. It has been inspiring to see how they are making their mark!
Utah has a rich history of involved women. Recently the state legislature passed a resolution to change out one of our two statues in the nation’s capitol. Martha Hughes Cannon ran for the Utah State Senate and was the first woman in the nation elected to a state senate seat. She will have a home at our nation’s capitol to remind people who visit, that Utah was one of the most progressive states for women’s rights. The women in Utah were some of the first who had the right to vote – long before the 19th Amendment passed. Relief Society women of the LDS Church were influential in the women’s suffrage movement, fighting alongside Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. I’m holding another “What’s What in Government” class in my home in April, and will continue to teach and encourage women who have a desire to get more involved in the community. If you would like to join this or a future class, please email me at ANewton@slco.org. l
Aimee Winder Newton County Council District 3
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March 2018 | Page 15
WestValleyJ ournal.com
The Harding family supports its high school activities
A
t family planning meetings in the Harding home the calendar page has to be five times the normal size. Organizing the activities schedule of four highly active high school students is a full-time job. “I am a very proud father,” said Chris Harding with a beaming smile. “I love watching them. The only sad part is that I can’t see them every time. Sometimes the games and activities overlap.” The Harding high school students are: Jimmy and Halee (seniors), Tia (sophomore)
By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com
and Olivia (freshman). “The kids are doing something every day. They have practice before and after school. It is tough, but I am glad they are not at different schools,” Chris said. Olivia plays soccer and basketball. Chris said her favorite is soccer, but basketball is a close second. She scored four varsity goals and helped the girls finish second in Region 2 this fall. Her team advanced to the state tournament and lost to Bingham in the first round. She is averaging 2 points per game for
Hunter High sophomore Tia Harding was cast as Titiuba in the schools recent play “The Crucible.” (Photo/Sara Harding)
the girls basketball team. At press time they were in fourth place and had clinched a spot in the state tournament. “She would like to play soccer after high school. She has always been very coordinated. She is very active. Always outside dribbling the soccer ball or shooting hoops,” Chris said. Tia is a sophomore and is part of the theater council at Hunter. She was a class officer as a freshman. Last spring in the play “The Crucible” she was cast as feature part Titiuba. She has also had parts in “Guys and Dolls”, “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Peter and the Starcatcher.” “I was shocked watching her perform. I didn’t know she could do this so well. I am proud of her talents. She is a very good dancer and plays some sports, but theater seems to be her passion,” Chris said. Halee is dance company vice president. She has been a member of Hunter’s Dance Company all four years of high school. She was also a member of the tennis team this fall. She began dancing with Shellie’s School of Dance when she was three years old. She is a member of Jazz Attitude, the dance school’s outside performing group. “I think I understand dance more than the average dad. I know that she is very good and
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I am proud. I leave the tips and pointers up to Sara (his wife) though,” Chris said. Jimmy has only participated one year of high school basketball. As a senior he has averaged 13.4 points per game. “It is sad he has only done this one year. He almost did not even try out, but decided to at the last minute. The coaches have been very supportive. He is doing great,” Chris said. At 6-foot-4, Jimmy has been getting some post high school basketball interest. He has a season high 30 points twice against Hillcrest and Taylorsville. Hunter’s boys team has struggled this season. They were 3-16 overall and finished in fifth place in region 2. The cost of four active high school students is staggering. “Fundraising has been a life saver. It has covered the cost. We have lots of support from our family to help us earn the money to pay for all of this stuff,” Chris said. Sara and Chris have encouraged their kids to participate. They said it keeps them involved and helps them make new friends. “Both Sara and I graduated from Hunter. We love the teachers and they seem to love our kids. Every game the kids have a huge cheering section. We appreciate the good kids we have,” Chris said.l
Page 16 | March 2018
West Valley City Journal
Hunter cheerleaders compete at nationals By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com
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The cheer squad for Hunter High School took first place in its division at two competitions. (Hunter yearbook)
T
he Hunter High School cheer team is scheduled to compete in the USA Spirit Nationals in Anaheim, California. “Our girls always put in 100 percent. They practice every day early mornings and stay after school,” Wolverines head coach Hayley Huston said. “They are constantly conditioning and practicing. They really work on our routines which can be very tedious.” The Wolverines took first place in the coed division at the Wildcat Invitational at Weber State University. The division includes any crowd-oriented male and female teams. They also took first place at the Roy Invitational. The Wolverines won a USA Spirit national championship in 2016 in the coed division also. Competitive cheerleading is scored subjectively based on components including dance, pyramids, stunting and tumbling. According to the Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine there are two purposes of cheerleading— to cheer on the sidelines for other athletes and to become a highly skilled athlete themselves. “I always want these girls to have a good attitude and represent our school. They go to every single sport event from swimming to tennis matches and everything in between,” Huston said. Hunter was scheduled to compete at the USA Spirit Nationals in Anaheim, California Feb 21-25 (after press deadline.) The cheerleader’s job is to lead the school and represent its student body. The Wolverines’ cheerleaders participate in parades and many other community events. “The school is a big part of the community.
These girls are right out front for everyone to see,” Huston said. The Wolverines cheerleaders practice three to four times each week, support other school athletes almost every day and perform during halftime shows. Cheerleading is not considered a sanctioned sport under the Utah High School Activities Association umbrella although they support all of its sanctioned activities. Many Utah cheer teams have added a competitive element as part of their teams recently. They compete in regional and national events including the Utah State Cheerleading Competition at Salt Lake Community College Jan. 27. As cheerleading has evolved so have the skills necessary to participate. Many teams require its members to demonstrate jumping and tumbling skills during tryouts. “It helps when our girls come to us with some experience; although it is not required. There are several pre-high-school teams that teach the girls to become better cheerleaders,” Huston said. The NFL’s first cheerleading squad began in the 1950s with the Baltimore Colts. Cheerleading became more universally recognized in the mid ‘70s with the organization of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Cheerleaders from seven countries recently participated in the Winter Olympics in South Korea. They provided crowd support to the athletes participating in the games. Recently the California High School Activities Association voted to make cheerleading a sanctioned sport under the high school sports commission. l
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March 2018 | Page 17
WestValleyJ ournal.com
Card shows for sports collectors By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com
Proud to be a Part of West Valley’s History Since 1913
At the sports memorabilia card shows at South Towne and Valley Fair malls you can find cards, autographs, game used jerseys and even collectible money. (Greg James/City Journals)
C
ard collectors have been gathering at Valley Fair, South Towne and Layton Hills malls sharing collecting stories and trading cards of their favorite players. “We have all kinds of people coming to these shows,” card show organizer David Avila said. “They complete sets and collect certain players. We like to think Valley Fair Mall is our home base, but we rotate to South Towne Mall and Layton Hills too.” Valley Fair Mall has hosted the show every other month for nearly five years. Avila said they have been great to work with. “We can allow collectors to put their hands on the card. We have as many as 20 dealers that come out,” Avila said. The card shows feature sport cards, but collectors can find non-sports cards, comics, collectible coins and memorabilia. “Honestly, my husband and I work full-time jobs and collecting is a side hobby,” assistant card show organizer Missy Bates said. “He collected when he was young and I married into the hobby so to say. Now I help him and we buy and sell what we like.” A 1909 cigarette card of Honus Wagner sold for more than 2.8 million dollars. The price and rarity of his card is because he was against his picture being sold in cigarette packs. He did not allow production of his card; it is assumed that less than 100 cards exist. Collecting sports cards and memorabilia was a booming business in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The popularity caused an overproduction of cards and pricing dropped dramatically. Many small card shops closed like “Baseball Cards America” that was located in West Valley City. More recently card companies have produced more
collectible cards and items. Cards with pieces of jerseys, equipment and other valuable items can now be purchased in certain collectors boxes. “I keep up with the times by getting Mike Trout and the new guys, but I collect the vintage Yankees. I do not have a favorite card, but my 61 Yankees cards are special to me,” Avila said. In the late 1990s card companies started randomly inserting autographs into boxes of cards. Many companies will authenticate an autograph to assure its realness. Cards are also graded by condition. Evaluators will look at a card in four areas; centering, corners, edges and imperfections. A pristine condition card will generally be valued higher than a card in poor condition. “We just bought this box for $430 last week it has six cards in it, but if I get a great rookie (card) it can be a bonus,” Bates said. “It had a Ezekiel Elliott card in it so it is a bonus.” Overtime cards in Midvale (7620 S. Main St.) is the only card shop still open in the Salt Lake Valley. Many dealers sell their cards on the internet through eBay or Amazon. “We see older guys and mostly mid-20s,” Avila said. “Most kids nowadays don’t collect. I think kids remember players like Michael Jordan and stuff like that. It would be great to get more kids interested in this hobby. Getting people to come to our shows is important.” Past shows have included players signing autographs. The Salt Lake market has a Facebook group of local collectors and dealers promoting card shows and local sellers. The next card show is scheduled to be held March 2-4 at Shops At South Towne (formerly South Towne Mall) in Sandy. l
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West Valley City Journal
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March 2018 | Page 19
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Teen vlogger discusses cyberbullying at Hunter Library By Keyra Kristoffersen | keyrak@mycityjournals.com
W
ith the increase over the last two decades of Internet users, an increase in bullying those users has also swelled and teen YouTube video maker Misha of “DIY with Misha” is looking to educate other teens about dealing with cyberbullying during Teen Tech Month at Hunter Library on March 8. “We just want to make sure the message that cyberbullying is real bullying is out there and that it’s not OK and talk about how it impacts people and how we can overcome it if we have been bullied,” said Marinda Keller of the Hunter Library. When Misha began making her do-ityourself videos for YouTube two years ago, she noticed that though she received a positive response at first, with more followers and views came more negative comments. “I had never been bullied in school so it was really new to me,” said Misha. “I didn’t know people could be this rude.” With the toll it took on her self-esteem, viewers noticed the change in her normally happy videos and she finally reached out to her parents and friends. “When people started to notice that I was changing, I decided to help myself,” said Misha. She got help and support from her loved
ones and realized the people online she was receiving negative feedback from were not the opinions she valued. “I was able to realize that these people online don’t really know who I am,” said Misha, “so I shouldn’t worry about what they think of me.” Realizing there were many other kids going through much worse circumstances, Misha has found a way to help them by bringing more awareness to the effects of bullying online by giving presentations around the Salt Lake valley. “I don’t think anyone is free from it, just like no one is really free from face-to-face bullying either,” said Keller, who paired the presentation with the month-long teen celebration of technology in March after Misha had visited the Sandy Library in 2017. “When you’re that young, you really take what people say about you to heart.” Through a slideshow and roleplay activities, Misha will outline ways to identify if you are being cyberbullied, what it is, how it works and ways to help yourself and others. The presentation will talk about deleting comments and responding or ignoring the bullies and the different ways that interaction can go.
Salt Lake County Council’s
MESSAGE I
t is an honor to serve on the Salt Lake County Council and to represent you. We work diligently to make sure that we put your hard-earned money to the best and highest use for services provided. At the end of the day it is important that we maintain our AAA bond rating. Salt Lake County is one of 41 counties in the country with this rating. When we need to build more recreation centers, libraries, or other facilities this rating keeps the costs down and saves countless tax dollars. Public safety is the number one priority of elected officials in Salt Lake County. With many of the innovative drug court treatment programs and criminal justice reform initiatives we are meeting these challenges while showing compassion. These efforts are already showing progress in keeping repeat offenders off the streets. With Operation Rio Grande, we are helping get treatment to those who want it and jail for criminals. Our Parks and Recreation team has done a wonderful job of building trails and parks that people use. Wardle Fields
Since beginning her anti-bullying campaign, Misha said her confidence has grown. “Now I feel like I don’t need to care what other people think because I know that a lot of people care about what I do and I’m making an impact on other people and that’s really what matters to me,” said Misha. Misha started making her DIY craft and decorating videos in middle school and began posting on YouTube when she hit high school. She plans to expand her passion to include challenges and collaborate with other YouTube posters. “I get a lot of comments on my Instagram too from people saying I’ve really helped them understand what cyberbullying is,” said Misha. With other technology-based activities at each of the county library locations, a $10,000 60-day immersion scholarship to DevPoint Labs studying Full Stack Web Development is being awarded through an online contest. Teens 13-18 years old can submit art, videos and stories about the theme “Libraries are for Creating.” For more information, visit: http:// www.slcolibrary.org/le/lesp/index.htm l
“DIY with Misha” is a popular YouTube channel hosted by Utah teen, Misha. (Misha)
Update from Councilman Steve DeBry
in Bluffdale is an example of a park that the community has embraced. It is roughly 40 acres of amenities such as splash pads, climbing net pyramid, pickleball courts, ziplines, and a destination playground. The Jordan River trail was completed this year allowing anyone to walk or bike the length of the River. The Marv Jensen Recreation Center in South Jordan is headed towards the end of its useful life. I have met with representatives of South Jordan, County Parks and Rec, and the Jordan School District looking for a solution to the needs of a facility in that part of the Valley. The next round of ZAP funds has a new recreation center in the Riverton/Bluffdale area. I have met with city leaders to identify potential locations and begin discussions on what type of facility and needs we should incorporate. The County is working on building new libraries in South Jordan and Herriman. Right now they are in the planning phases because the libraries of the future are not the same as the libraries built in the past.
Having served on the Library Board for the previous eight years I am excited for some of the plans and the future of the entire library system. I am the co-chair of a County Opioid Task Force. As a Police Chief I see firsthand the impacts of opioid use, and we need to do everything we can to curb this plague. The President of the United States has even declared that the opioid epidemic is a national emergency. We are working closely with law enforcement and local pharmacies to find more drop-box locations throughout the valley. The next “Utah Take Back Day” is April 28th were you can dispose of unneeded prescription drugs. Planning for growth is a constant challenge we face. With the expected growth anticipated for the Southwest portion of Salt Lake County, the time to plan is now. This year the Council appropriated money for needed roads and connectors identified by our cities to make a vibrant transit plan a reality. In mid-February I attended a workshop
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Steve DeBry
County Council District 5
with Mayors, Councilmembers, and city planners to identify needs and coordinate a regional transportation plan. I believe that we have a bright future ahead and working collaboratively we can leave a better legacy for generations to come. l
Page 20 | March 2018
West Valley City Journal
“To Strengthen and Promote the Shared Interests of the Business Community” Representing Businesses in West Valley City, Taylorsville and Kearns Contact Information: Barbara S. Riddle, CMP
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Construction continues along Mountain View Corridor By Mariden Williams | mariden.w@mycityjournals.com
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DOT’s current plans for the Mountain View Corridor feature more connections and interchanges at key roads and destinations, and the incorporation of more public transit. “The way that this kinda works, we’re calling it a balanced transportation plan,” UDOT project director Joe Kammerer explained to the Riverton City Council. “We build roadway and trail, and then we build a transit component, so there’s three phases of each of those.” Phase one of transit in Salt Lake County, according to Kammerer, will be an express bus system. It will run along 5600 West, connect to Daybreak Parkway and Salt Lake International Airport, and continue into downtown Salt Lake. “Once this is in place, we will build those interchanges north of Old Bingham Highway up to Interstate 80. So, you can see that the transit component is a very critical part of developing the roadway as well,” said Kammerer. Originally UDOT was planning to have a rail system, “but now we’ve changed it.” For Mountain View Corridor, the public transit component south of Old Bingham Highway is already complete. “In order for us to go to phase two of the roadway…the only remaining component is to connect Mountain View Corridor from 2100 North [in Lehi] to Porter Rockwell Boulevard,” Kammerer said. “Once we do that, we will, provided we have funding, start building inter-
changes along Mountain View Corridor to the north. So, 12600 South, 13400 (South), and so on.” “At 5600 West, south of 201, so south of 2100 south, we’re expecting those travel volumes to go back to [what they were in the] early 1980s, once we build the interchange at Mountain View and 201.” The most recently completed segment of the Mountain View Corridor, finished just a couple of months ago, connects I-15 to Redwood Road, and then picks up from Porter Rockwell Boulevard and extends all the way to 4100 South. Another segment, which will connect State Route 73 to 2100 North in Lehi, is funded and due to be constructed this summer. “It will be similar configuration to what is out there now—two lanes in each direction, a 12-foot wide bicycle/pedestrian trail, and a center median,” said Kammerer. Another planned and funded piece, from 4100 South up to State Route 201, will be extended a little further, out to California Avenue. “We expect that construction to begin about one year from now, and will last a couple of years.” Another segment, which will connect the roadway from 2100 North to Porter Rockwell, still needs to be funded. “When that piece is connected, that will complete phase one of Mountain View Corridor, with the exception of the piece from California Avenue to I-80.” l
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Page 22 | March 2018
West Valley City Journal
Saving tricks from budget-minded students
M
by
CASSIE GOFF
id-semester is a stressful time for college students. Not only are we prepping for midterms and projects, working on assignments, completing readings, and cramming in some additional studying, there’s also spring break plans to make. Being a college student is a full-time job; but instead of being paid, we pay for it. Tips and tricks on how to be frugal as a student are learned out of necessity (do you know how much textbooks cost?!). As a student, “you really have to focus on needs, not wants,” said education graduate student Brett Merkley. “I am really, really careful to budget my money. I have a spreadsheet where I list everything I spent in the last month so I can keep track of where I’m spending what and if my budget is holding up or if it needs work,” said writing and rhetoric student Casey Koldewyn. Food spending is one of the biggest cuts students make during their time in college. “Learn to cook. Eating out is really expensive. It’s especially cost effective to make large amounts of something and then eat it over the next couple of days—beans in particular. They are a really great way to eat healthily and heartily on a budget. I make a crock-pot of some kind, often beans, 3 to 4 times a month. Mix it with rice to change things up and it can last a while,” said rhetoric graduate student Justin Whitney. “Take a lunch instead of buying one, especially on campus,” suggests mechanical engineering student Francie Rodriguez. “If I do buy food on campus, sometimes I’ll wander up to the hospital cafeterias. Specifically, Pri-
mary Children’s, where I can get a good sized breakfast burrito for around $5,” says sociology student Luis Silva Santisteban. “Try to buy food in bulk. If you don’t have a Costco card, pay attention to grocery stores like Smith’s that have case lot sales. Also, pay attention to events held on campus that give out free food,” says communications graduate student Mitchell Reber. “Don’t go out for coffee—make your own and take a Thermos. Also, scan through mailers and see if there are coupons. They may not seem like much, but they can add up to a lot,” says theatre student Cate Heiner. A few restaurants around town offer student discounts including: Red Robin, The Pie Pizzeria, Village Inn and Costa Vida. For clothing, many students repurpose articles they already own, or just try not to get their clothes too dirty. “If you ever find yourself needing clothing, Uptown Cheapskate, a clothing exchange store, has both quality and affordable options. I scored a $600 suit for $60,” said Reber. Thankfully, some clothing stores offer student discounts including: J Crew, ASOS, American Eagle, Banana Republic, Forever 21 and Redbubble. For the extremely limited amount of free time students have, there are free or cheap entertainment options as well. “Outside of the obvious, like hiking and skiing, there is the Nickel Arcade. There are also loads of free concerts, guest lectures, and other activities on campus (utah.edu/events),” said Reber. “Rather than spending money to go see a movie
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in theatres, see if it’s playing at the library or through a school function,” Heiner said. Cinemark theaters offer occasional student discounts if you don’t want to see a movie on campus. For other entertainment forms: Ballet West offer $15 student tickets, StubHub offers student discounts, and Red Butte Garden as well as the Natural History Museum offer free admission for students. In order to make some extra cash, writing and rhetoric student Claudia Sauz says, “I donate plasma. It pays like a part-time job with working less hours. Donating plasma really just feels like being harvested for organs.” One of the biggest recommendations from students is to keep a good relationship with your parents. “I’ve been very dependent on my parents for food since I’ve been paying for school all on my own; everything I’ve made while working has been going towards school,” said psychology student Sam Llewellyn. Sam’s classmate, psychology student Candice Jensen echoes her statement. “Eat at your parents’ house as often as possible.” For tech savings, Amazon Prime, Spotify, Tidal, and Best Buy offer student discounts. Additionally, many schools offer free downloadable software, such as Microsoft Office products and the Adobe Creative Cloud. Get the most out of a student ID with tap-on tapoff services from UTA for transportation needs. Lastly, when all the savings in the world can’t help the financial stresses of student life and you feel down, visit your student health or wellness center for quality, low-cost physical and mental health care.
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March 2018 | Page 23
WestValleyJ ournal.com
Life
Laughter AND
by
PERI KINDER
West Valley
Would you care to dance? In an alternate universe, I’m a prima ballerina. I’m performing jetes and arabesques and other fancy-sounding French words. I’m twirling across the stage in a flowing costume. I’m curtsying to my adoring fans while they toss roses at my feet. However, in this universe, I’m a . . . what’s the opposite of ballerina? Whatever that is, that’s what I am. I’ve fought a lifelong battle with grace and gravity. My family watches in horror as I ricochet off doorknobs, fumble down stairways and trip on carpets. I tried really hard to be a dancer. I enrolled in classes when I was 5, and wore pink leotards and white tights, creating some serious panty lines. My mom pulled my long hair into a bun so tight I looked constantly surprised. Every week we’d butcher a series of ballet steps while my dance instructor tried not to handcuff us to the barre. She often sipped from her “dance thermos.” I’d cut up the Arts section of the newspaper, snipping out photos of Ballet West dancers to glue into my scrapbook. I had ballerina paper dolls, ballerina coloring books and ballerina dreams—but a giraffe-like body with knobby knees that bent in several different directions.
As a child, I went to see “Giselle” at Kingsbury Hall. The ballet is pretty grim. A disguised prince breaks the heart of a peasant girl who kills herself then becomes a ghost who has to dance the prince to death. Dancers are pretty melodramatic. For weeks after the ballet, I wore tutus that draped toward the floor and floated when I jumped. I channeled Giselle through my 7-year-old body. Picture a little girl evoking the devastation of betrayed love while falling on a sword that ends her life. I’m pretty sure I nailed it. When I was 12, I was finally able to go en pointe. That’s French for “Standing on the tips of your toes until your toe-knuckles bleed and you’re crippled for weeks, all for the sake of those beautiful satin slippers.” The purpose of pointe shoes is to give the illusion that ballerinas are weightless wisps, floating gracefully as swans or nymphs or any type of ethereal and doomed young women. In reality, learning to dance en pointe is similar to putting your toes in a vise, then running a marathon. But I didn’t give up. I continued to practice daily in the hope I’d channel Anna Pavlova, the acclaimed Russian bal-
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lerina who died at the age of 49, probably from gangrene from her pointe shoes. Because I’m writing this column instead of performing in “Swan Lake,” you can correctly surmise that my ballet career fell flat. I tried out for Ballet West’s “Nutcracker” a couple of times, to no avail, and after years of practice, I hung up my pointe shoes and succumbed to gravity. I never transformed from gangly giraffe to graceful swan. I never glided across the stage, hoping to lure a young prince to his death. (At least, not as a ballerina.) I never received standing ovations for my role in “Coppelia,” the ballet of a young woman pretending to be a mechanical doll. (Because that makes total sense.) But. In that alternate universe, I’m
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soaring, twirling, spinning, leaping and gliding en pointe, hearing the crowd bellow “Brava!” as I take a bow at the edge of the stage. And because in this alternate universe, I’m graceful and lithe, I don’t fall into the orchestra pit. l
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Page 24 | March 2018
West Valley City Journal
SPOTLIGHT
NOAH’S Event Venue 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
M
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 last 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 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. Customers can also check availability, see pictures, and even book their events online. There are currently 39 NOAH’S venues operating nationwide and an additional 4 venues are under construction. The company’s largest venue is the 32,000-square-foot building in South Jordan (322 W. 11000 S.). 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 N.) 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
City Journal is a free publication made possible by our advertisers . Please shop local and let them know you saw them in the City Journal.