February 13, 2014 | Vol. 14 Issue 1| Free
County Mayor Message
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Sports
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Girls and Boys Basketball
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City Newsletter
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Senior Center News
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Mayor Ben McAdams
Complete News From the Desks of the City See what going on at the Senior Center
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The West Jordan Journal
Photo of the Month
Page 2 | February 2014
Photographer: Russell Schofield Sugarhouse Fire on February 9, 2014 West Jordan Journal Mission Statement To publish a multimedia-driven and truly hyper-local news source, a medium where everyone who wants a voice, can be heard. To approach journalism armed with curiosity and even hands, reflecting the values ingrained in Central Utah. Proud Member of:
Creative Director Bryan Scott: b.scott@myutahjournal.com Editor Tom : Editor@myutahjournal.com Web Master Staff Member: Web@myutahjournal.com Distribution Coordinator Casey: Delivery@myutahjournal.com Graphic Design Staff Member: Design@myutahjournal.com Advisory Board Chair Advisory Chair: ABC@myutahjournal.com Business/Finance Director Staff Member: office@myutahjournal.com Contributing Writer Sherry Sorensen, Jaime Theler, Sherri Smith, Marci Heugly, Peri Kinder, Greg James Contributing Photographer Russell Schofield, Events Editor Staff Member: Events@myutahjournals.com
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The West Jordan Journal is looking for The West Jordan Journal part-time reporters to cover features 163 Birch Street in West Jordan and another to cover Malad City, ID 83252 Phone: 208 815 0151 Sandy government. Good initiative and sleuthing-out-story skills are The West Jordan Journal is distributrequired. ed on the second Thursday of each month, through the USPS and locaNewspaper experience is not necessary, tions throughout West Jordan, Utah. just a commitment to hard work and For information about distribution follow-through. Attendance at twice- please email delivery@myutahjouror call our office. Locations monthly Tuesday evening meetings is nal.com are also available on our website. a requirement of the government beat. All writers are required to attend a For subscriptions please contact: delivery@myutahjournal.com monthly staff meeting as well. This publication may not be reproWe offer complete training and duced in whole or in part, without the previous formal written permisorientation sessions. So what are you sion by the owner. waiting for? Send your resume and writing samples today via e-mail to hiring@myutahjournal.com. Š 2014 Loyal Perch Media
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February 2014 | Page 3
County Mayor’s Message By Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams
able to participate in a free, safe, fun, educational program. It is supervised by The Boys and Girls As a parent and as a taxpayer, I know that there Club, patterned after those already offered in is no better investment we can make than in the four other Sandy schools. Students were chosen education of our children. I was excited to visit on a first-come, first-served basis. During Edgemont Elementary School in Sandy this the afternoon, they participate in literacy and month to see how Salt Lake County’s participation computer programs, physical activities, arts in an innovative education partnership is taking shape. When I was campaigning for this job, I made a promise that I would look for targeted ways to support local education. I strongly support the tradition of having school curriculum decisions made at the local level, by local school administrators, teachers and parents. That model serves us well in Utah. But the county has long been a strategic partner with some preschool and after-school programs. We support education in many ways. For example, we provide recreation programs for youth, early literacy programs in our libraries, 4-H programs and summer camps. We’ve also operated seven after-school programs in Kearns, West Valley City and Magna. They are designed to help extend the school day for students in a safe, constructive environment. The mentors who staff these programs offer positive role models. Preliminary research shows that academically at-risk youth may benefit more from participating in after-school programs, than and crafts and music. The after-school program their higher-achieving peers. offers an academic boost to the kids as well as easing the burdens of working parents who no Our newest after-school program is a partnership longer worry about how their children are filling between the county, Canyons School District, the time between the end of the school day and Sandy City and the Utah Department of Workforce the end of the work day. Services. For the first time, 125 students from Edgemont and Bell View Elementary schools are
From opening day in early January, it’s been flooded with families. The district has already started a waiting list for students eager to attend. There is enough funding to ensure it continues through the 2014-2015 school year, with all the partners committed to tracking progress and finding avenues for renewing financial support. When I attended the community celebration marking the launch of the after-school program, I saw dozens of eager kids, getting help with homework, interacting with caring young adult staffers and eating healthy snacks. It’s an environment where they are encouraged to set goals, work hard, and think about their educational future, including high school graduation and going to college. Research shows that after-school programs are best viewed as one part of a larger, multifaceted approach toward closing the achievement gap that exists between economically disadvantaged students and their higher income peers. But I believe it’s an important step we need to take, in order to provide an opportunity for all kids in Salt Lake County to reach their potential and create a bright future—the future they choose— the future we choose together.
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The West Jordan Journal
Page 4 | February 2014
Girls Basketball Season In Full Stride By Greg James
Jaguars head coach Carlson Boudreaux and Grizzlies coach Ben Morley both Copper Hills is 10-7 overall this season began the high school basketball season and are currently in third place in Region with similar goals; wanting to improve and 3. make the state tournament. “We have a lot of positive things going on “We have had our work cut out for us. This with this team. We are playing hard and region is loaded. The kids have had good they have worked their butts off,” Morley attitudes and we keep going,” Boudreaux said. said. Grizzly senior Sarah Midgley leads the The Jaguars qualified for the state playoffs team with 28 three pointers and is shooting last season, but with only three victories 37 percent from behind the arch. the team may not return there this year. Sophomore Shirsten Wissinger leads the Senior Sierra Brodie hit a buzzer beater team in scoring averaging 11.7 points per Jan. 7 for a 42-41 exciting victory over game. She scored 26 points against West Taylorsville. The Jaguars also beat Corner Jan. 8. She also is shooting 87 percent Canyon 46-19 Dec. 17 and East 39-22 from the free throw line. Dec. 10. The Grizzlies are scheduled to finish the Senior Rachel Green leads the Jaguars in season at home against Alta on Feb. 13 and scoring. She is averaging 7.3 points per at Jordan on Feb. 18. game and sophomore Riley Jensen has 5.2 The girl’s state tournament is scheduled West Jordan is scheduled to finish their to begin Feb. 25 at Salt Lake Community season at Jordan on Feb. 13 and at Brighton College. West Jordan senior Andrea Najera scored a career high 11 points in the Jaguars 46-35 loss to American Fork Dec. 12. Photo courtesy of dsandersonpics.com on Feb. 18.
Boy’s Hoops Teams Battle for Playoff Spots By Greg James
The West Jordan and Copper Hills High School boys basketball teams are mid way through their region season. They both find themselves in the thick of the playoff hunt. “Our region is very good. Anytime we get a win in Region 3 we will take it. There is not a bad team,” West Jordan head coach Scott Briggs said. The Jaguars are 2-3 in region play and 9-9 overall this season; currently in fourth place in Region 3. They will need to maintain their standing to qualify for the state tournament.
West Jordan junior Dallas Winberg lines up for one of his 13 three pointers this season. Photo courtesy of toppix.com
Senior 6-foot-6 center Brent Beales is the team’s leading scorer. He averages 15.9 points per game. He scored a season high 28 points in the teams opening game Nov. 26 against Taylorsville and again Jan. 7 at Hillcrest.
“Brent is a horse and he is going The Grizzlies won the Surf ‘n to be tough for anyone to play Slam basketball tournament against,” Briggs said. in San Diego, Calif. Dec.31. They beat Gig Harbor High The Jaguars will play at Copper School from Washington in the Hills Feb.7 (after press deadline) championship game 62-61. and Jordan Feb. 14 before hosting its final two games of the season “We need to win games and against Bingham on Feb. 21, and especially take care of our home Brighton on Feb. 25. games,” Copper Hills head coach Andrew Blanchard said. The Grizzlies and Jaguars contest Jan. 21 was a great battle for the The Grizzlies are scheduled to Region 3 rivals. West Jordan held play Bingham on Feb. 7 (after a 31-20 lead at halftime, but the deadline). They are tied with Grizzly defense held West Jordan the Miners for second place in to 17 points in the second half and Region 3. Copper Hills is 3-2 in forced overtime. Copper Hills the region and 10-6 overall. pulled out the overtime victory 60-54. Copper Hills is scheduled to play at Alta Friday Feb. 14. They will Copper Hills sophomore Preston then host Brighton Feb. 21 and Sanchez leads the team in scoring Jordan Feb. 25 to finish their with 14.1 points per game. season. Sanchez led the Grizzlies with 14 points in the team’s 48-33 victory The boys state basketball at Brighton Jan. 31. tournament is scheduled for March 4-8 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at the University of Utah.
WestJordanJournal.com
February 2014 | Page 5
WJ State Champs From 2009 Remembered By Preston Stelter
March 7, 2009 couldn’t have ended any better for the six seniors of the West Jordan basketball team. Mason Sawyer, Ray Gallegos, Jordan Weirick, Tyson Holt, D.J. Tialavea and Tyson Udy had been friends and teammates for more than 10 years. Despite posting a 17-4 regular season record and winning the Region 3 championship, very few gave the Jaguars a chance in the Utah 5A state championship game at the then called E-Center in West Valley City. They would face the nationallyranked Lone Peak Knights and reigning Deseret News Mr. Basketball award winner, Tyler Haws.
Editor’s note: Preston Stelter, a communications major at the University of Utah, played for rival Copper Hills the year West Jordan won the boys 5A state basketball title. As a class assignment, he wrote and submitted this story for the West Jordan Journal.
where he received a basketball scholarship to the University of Nebraska. After struggling in his first two seasons, and redshirting in his third, Gallegos finally hit the ground running last season. He was the Huskers’ second leading scorer at 12.5 points per game. His 83 3-pointers on the season ranked him first in the Big Ten Conference for 3-pointers made per game, and second in school history for most 3-pointers made in a single season.
6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, he is the starting tight end. Since high school, he has reduced his bodyfat percentage from 26 percent to just 13 percent. In May, Tialavea graduated with his Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management, and is currently working on his Master’s in Education. Coach Scott Briggs Now in his 15th year as West Jordan’s head coach, Briggs has continued to build his legacy. He has led his teams to a 15-8 record in 2009-10, 19-4 in 2010-11, and 21-4, including a regional championship and semi-final appearance, in 201112. The Jaguars have made the state playoffs for 18 straight years. He continues to host an alumni tournament each year in which players from past teams as early as the 1990s still come to play. The victors displayed their first-place trophy after West Jordan captured the 2009 boys 5A state basketball title.
The Sociology major is currently preparing for his final season with Nebraska, and the Huskers will have eight games televised on the ESPN “Everyone thought we were the underdogs,” said family of networks this season. Sawyer, former captain and starting point guard, “but we expected to win.” Jordan Weirick – small forward The former go-to scorer for the Jaguars landed With the game tied at 41 to start the fourth quarter, at Southern Utah University, where he received a the Jaguars seized the moment. A three-pointer by basketball scholarship. After one season with the Gallegos gave them a 51-48 lead with just 4:08 Thunderbirds, he transferred to Carroll College remaining, and they never looked back. They hit in Helena, Mont., where he played in part of the five of six free throws in the final minute to hold 2011-12 season. During the 2010-11 season, he off the Knights for the 63-52 victory, and their had the chance to play at Nebraska against former “The West Jordan basketball program is truly like first basketball state title since 2001. teammate, Gallegos. In 19 minutes he had six a family, and the guys from 2009 are proud to be points, one rebound, and two assists. a part of it—that is why they stay connected to me “It was the perfect way to end our high school and our program,” Briggs said. careers,” Tialavea said. Tyson Holt – power forward Ironically, the sharp-shooting big man is currently Although this game put an end to their high school an assistant varsity basketball coach for West basketball careers, it was just the beginning of Jordan High School’s cross-town rival, the Copper what these six seniors would accomplish in the Hills Grizzlies. Holt has ties to Copper Hills years to come. Where have they gone and where through new head coach are they now, almost four years since beginning Andrew Blanchard, who their run at the state title. I found information on previously coached him five of those seniors. at West Jordan. Although he was not able to play Mason Sawyer – point guard college basketball like Following high school, he enjoyed a one-year stint most of his teammates, at Snow College during the 2010-11 season. In his he has enjoyed sticking last home game of the season against North Idaho around the game. College, he scored 32 points. The following two years he suited up for a different team—serving an D.J. Tialavea – power LDS mission in Alabama. After returning home, forward/center he married his high school sweetheart, Kortni, The defensive-minded who also played basketball for West Jordan. He is big man has enjoyed currently a sophomore point guard at Dixie State playing football for Utah University in St. George, studying business. State University for the past three seasons, and Ray Gallegos – shooting guard is currently in his final The victors displayed their first-place trophy after West Jordan captured the 2009 boys The 6-foot-2 high-flyer headed to the Midwest season with the Aggies. At 5A state basketball title.
The West Jordan Journal
Page 6 | February 2014
West Jordan Welcomes First Full Time Mayor
Column
By Sherry Sorensen
More than 37 years ago, Kim Rolfe and his wife, Joye, moved to the City of West Jordan. It’s been their home ever since. Now, as the city’s elected leader, he looks forward to ensuring “a bright future” for the rest of West Jordan’s residents. In January, after stepping down as the manager of Rolfe Construction, a company started by his father in 1959, Rolfe was sworn in as the city’s first full-time mayor. Prior to 2014, the office of mayor was defined as part-time by the city’s municipal code. “I’m excited to serve as West Jordan’s mayor and I’m looking forward to building on the many good things happening in our city,” he said during the State of the City address, Jan. 24. “West Jordan is moving forward and I’m ready to keep that momentum going.” Rolfe said he chose to run for mayor because he believes the city needs to present a stronger commitment to economic development. He plans to utilize more than three decades of management experience to increase the city’s current efforts in that arena. “Business is the backbone of the city,” he said. “Strengthening our business community is a top priority for me because of the many benefits business diversity brings to our city, including employment opportunities, additional shopping and dining choices, and the tax dollars that help support key services like public safety, roads, parks and more.” Public safety, in particular, has great potential to benefit from economic growth he said. Over the past two years, the West Jordan Police Department has hired a significant number of new officers. This increase was
funded by a 17 percent property tax increase. Rolfe believes that even more officers need to be hired to maintain adequate levels of public safety throughout the city, but said another tax increase isn’t the answer. “I believe that economic development is the only way that we’re going to be able to keep the city operating at the level that I, as a resident, expect,” he said. “I plan to live here for the rest of my life, and I just don’t think enough emphasis has been placed on economic development to keep our tax base at a level that will bring our public safety back to what we’ve had in the past.” For nearly four decades, Rolfe has watched the city transform from a rural community of approximately 15,000 to the fourth largest city in Utah. From working with the West Jordan Chamber of Commerce to serving eight years on the city council, Rolfe has been an active participant in that growth. He also played an integral role in the planning and construction of Veteran’s Memorial Park. West Jordan is a city of great people that continues to grow and thrive, the mayor said. He plans to manage the continued growth by helping the city follow the general plan and avoiding zoning changes that would negatively impact the city. Rolfe maintains that rezoning land from single-family to multifamily dwellings puts a strain on city resources and creates a more transient population. “I would promote…more, larger quality homes and subdivisions to be built. We don’t want to be just a starter-home city,” he said.
Peri Kinder
Do you ever feel like you’re being stalked? Not the NSA’s notso-secret stalking. I mean someone tracking everything you do. Lately, it seems something is watching every breath I take, every move I make, every leaf I rake; maybe because of the Fitbit I got for Christmas. My Fitbit is a wireless personal trainer that nags at me all day until I’ve walked 10 floors, taken 10,000 steps, burned thousands of calories and built enough muscle to make the Hulk envious. It even tracks the number of hours I sleep (not enough) and how often I wake up (constantly). If I wanted something to badger me about fitness all day, I’d clip Jillian Michaels to my belt. This small device has taken over my life. It’s synced to my phone, so around 9:30 p.m., my StupidPhone sends me a reminder that I need to walk 2,547 steps before midnight. I roll off the couch and run laps through the house, up and down the stairs, and in and out of bedrooms. Ringo the Dog gets all freaked out, and thinks I’m chasing the tailless cat from across the street; he jumps up to help me track that feline down. I check my Fitbit endlessly, trying to fit in extra moves during my day. While waiting at Harmons for a pound of sliced Swiss cheese, I’ll do lunges around the deli. Jumping jacks at the library have become commonplace. And my husband hates going to any building with more than one floor, because he knows we’ll be taking the stairs. But sometimes I’m just too tired to take one more step. That’s when I strap the device to my 2-year-old grandson, and take a nap. In what I’m sure is supposed to be motivation, a flower on
Life and Laughter
A Step At A Time the Fitbit grows taller when I’m working hard. But due to some perverse tech programming, it starts to shrink when I mess up by eating an entire chocolate pie or sit on the couch watching American Horror Story for four hours straight. It’s even worse when I bust my chops walking through the neighborhood in subzero temperatures, then realize my tracking device is sitting on the bathroom counter, warm and snug; and not counting the 3,000 steps I just took. If you’re really into selfpunishment, you can purchase the Fitbit Aria, a scale that syncs to the Fitbit and tracks body fat, weight changes-and even posts those results to social media. “How great is that?” She said, totally sarcastically. I don’t even tell my driver’s license my real weight. Why would I post it to Facebook? During the night, my device watches every toss and turn. It records when I roll over and tells me how many times I was restless (my record is 28 times while I suffered through a cold). It also tells me how many hours I sleep, and how efficient I am at sleeping. Not very. You might be surprised to know that I’ve walked 7,539 steps (in place) while writing this column, but I haven’t lost one pound. Maybe the majority of my steps shouldn’t take me to the fridge and back. Or to the cookie jar. Or to the candy aisle at the gas station. But I’ll continue to allow this Fitbit to follow me through my day, giving me little pep talks (Go PK!) and harassing me when I stop moving for more than two minutes. But when it starts throwing out my junk food or jolting me into a jog, it will be permanently clipped to my grandson.
WestJordanJournal.com
February 2014 | Page 7
Jordan Hills Elementary Hosts ‘HopeKids” Fall Celebration By Marci Heugly
Sometimes a kid just wants to be a kid. When a child is suffering “My teacher told me about it and I thought it would be so fun to do,” said from a long-term illness or disability, they may miss out on some Bree, a sixth-grader. “The families suffer a lot of things while they deal with things. HopeKids wants to make sure they don’t miss too much. sickness. This is a way for them to do fun stuff that they normally can’t do.” HopeKids is a national organization that provides events and activities The sixth-graders helped run the booths and facilitate the activities, to families with children who have cancer or some other life-threatening volunteering on a Saturday to make sure the event ran smoothly and the families had a good experience. medical condition. They have 12-20 activities each month Entrance to the carnival was free, but was where these families can limited to families with children who qualify to come enjoy some time away be part of HopeKids. The entire event was run from doctors and hospitals. by volunteers, almost everything was donated, Sometimes the community and there were over 20 sponsors to the event. comes together to help provide these activities. Such was the Patti Simon, mother of 7-year-old Jillian who case earlier this school year has a congenital heart defect said, “Dealing with when a group of businesses a lot of medical issues drains the funds. It’s nice came together to help not to have to worry about paying for this. You HopeKids plan “Fall into Fun can still take your family to do fun things even Celebration,” a fall carnival. though you have a pile of medical bills to pay.” Heather Wade is a member of There were over 25 activities, including limousine a business-networking group rides, a photo booth, face painting, balloon that decided earlier this year animals and bounce houses. Although some of to come together and do a the kids couldn’t participate in everything, it was service project. The group an opportunity for siblings to have some fun. members unanimously voted to do a carnival for HopeKids. “Families devote so much time to illness that it’s hard for the other kids. “We’re just a group of HopeKids provides family activities so people who set crazy goals and want to do something to bless people’s lives,” Wade said. everyone in the family has a chance to play together,” Wade said. Once they decided on the event, they just needed a location. Jordan Hills Elementary offered their school as the venue on one condition: the sixth-graders had to be invited to volunteer. Sixth grade teachers at Jordan Hills explained Photo: Tyler and Mandy Kirk, with their children Finley, Holden and the event to their students and passed out volunteer forms and permission Caleb, at the “HopeKids” event. slips. The students were not required to attend, but many chose to help anyway.
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The West Jordan Journal
Page 8 | February 2014
Joel P. Jensen Students Are Getting Zapped By Marci Heugly
For students at Joel P. Jensen Middle School, the difference between success and failure often comes with a little zap. Zeros Aren’t Permitted is a new program that was introduced this year to provide students with extra time to finish their assignments. Students get zapped when they show up to class with an incomplete assignment. The teacher fills out a small form, staples it to the unfinished assignment, and sends it to ZAP.
Utah’s freeze/thaw cycle is hard on roads West Jordan City Announcement
He credits Principal Bryan Leggat Each winter as snow and ice melt, water seeps into road cracks. Then temperatures for bringing the program to their drop and the water freezes – expanding during the process. This freeze/thaw cycle is hard school and is pleased with how it is on roads and can cause asphalt to break and potholes to appear. In fact, city crews fill about 1,400 potholes every year. working so far. “Every single teacher that piloted it for us the first quarter told me that they have never had their gradebooks so full as far as kids having and completing assignments,” Hunter said. While the teachers have been on board since the beginning, the students are still getting used to it. Some students don’t like to miss their lunch break to work on homework, even if it means a better grade. Since they don’t have to report to the ZAP room until the next day, they can choose to finish their homework at home, and then turn it in to the main office the next morning. There are two ZAP aides who ensure assignments are completed, collected, and turned back to the teachers for credit.
The students are then expected to spend lunch hour of the next day finishing their homework in the ZAP room. For assignments that take more time, the students are expected to stay after school until they are done. This allows them to complete their assignments right away without waiting until the end of the quarter. The teachers don’t ZAP the little assignments, just the ones that make a difference in the student’s understanding of the “It’s become part of the culture now. subject. The kids, they get it. They know when they’re zapped and zapped is “The main goal with the assignments not a bad thing. They’re not being is that they have to be geared punished, they’re being given the towards mastery, so teachers aren’t opportunity to get their grade up just zapping random crosswords or and hopefully to master the specific word searches. It’s geared towards subject they’re getting zapped in,” mastery, because that’s the overall Hunter said. goal of the school is to help the kids master the specific subject that they’re in,” Aaron Hunter said.
In an effort to prevent potholes, crews seal the roads and also overlay and repave streets each year. With more than 800 lane miles of city streets, it is impossible to eliminate all cracks in all city streets. There are two types of asphalt used to fill potholes: winter cold mix or summer hot mix. The winter cold mix is temporary asphalt, aggregate and oil that is used in cold, wet weather. The summer hot mix is permanent, emulsified asphalt tack that bonds with the pavement and is used in the warm weather. This application is permanent when the holes are tacked, squared out and properly compacted. This application cannot be used with water or freeze prior to being applied or it will not bond properly. To report a pothole, contact Public Works at 801-569-5700 or email publicworks@ wjordan.com.
Big Finish I know the movie about my life ends soon enough. So I’m going to put a lot of good stuff in the last few scenes. And I don’t want my family to have to worry about the closing credits. So I planned and paid for the funeral myself; because I don’t want any loose ends, just great feelings.
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This is Hunter’s first year as an assistant principal at Joel P. Jensen and he is excited to make this program a part of the culture. “We included it first quarter with about 12 of our teachers, and second quarter, which was a month ago, it went school-wide,” Hunter said.
Potholes are popping up
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February 2014 | Page 9
West Jordan Praised for Being ‘Business Friendly’ By Sherry Sorensen
Since 2006, Utah has ranked in the top 5 on Forbes Magazine’s annual “Best States for Business” list. To maintain a business-friendly environment, Gov. Gary Herbert issued a charge to cities throughout Utah to audit their business processes and cut back on unnecessary rules and regulations. Earlier this winter, the City of West Jordan was recognized as a Utah Governor’s Business Friendly Community for taking measures to improve how quickly business licenses are issued. In many instances, primarily in the case of home occupations, city staff was able to reduce the time it takes to obtain a business license from several weeks down to 24-48 hours. “Staff came together and created a process map to evaluate the necessity of each step [of the licensing process],” Assistant City Manager Bryce Haderlie said. “We compliment them for realizing the challenges that new businesses face in the start-up phase and finding ways to remove as much of the stress and delay as possible.” Previously, all business license applications were held by the city until a full site inspection by a building inspector and fire marshal could be conducted, regardless of business type. In reviewing their regulations, staff members determined that there were cases when an inspection wasn’t necessary. Rather than continue to follow a blanket policy for all applications, the city will now determine the need to conduct an
inspection on a case-by-case basis. While this modification will apply most often to home occupations, Development Director Tom Burdett said some smaller business applicants may also benefit from the change. “In looking at that whole system, we actually empowered the personnel in the business licensing department to make a determination right at the source, when the application first hits the city staff member, whether or not field inspection is necessary,” Burdett said. The city is also taking steps toward accepting business license applications online. “We’ve been trying to go paperless for four years; we’re getting a lot closer now,” Business License Technician Marsha Lancaster said. The governor’s office praised West Jordan for listening to the governor’s message and taking the initiative to improve business relations. “We were just impressed with the breadth of the survey that they did and the changes that they made,” Deputy Chief of Staff Mike Mower said. “Governor Herbert is very appreciative of West Jordan officials and the work they do to continue to make it a business-friendly community.”
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Page 10 | February 2014
Opening the World To Students Opens Opportunity For West Hills Middle School Teacher By Jaime Theler
was the implementation of a unit plan to help students become more globally aware. Ewell had the idea to have her ninth-grade Honors English students become global mentors for “In order to be a successful student younger students. in the 21st century, they (students) need to learn technology, need to She teamed up with Falcon Ridge be globally aware, and be able to Elementary sixth-grade teacher communicate and work with others,” Laurie Murdock to pair their students as Global Buddies. The ninth-graders she said. chose a country, and through Google Last year, Ewell was accepted into the Docs, a blog and school visits, each U.S. Department of State’s Teachers for Global Classrooms program. Of buddy pair prepared a presentation about their country. the 400 that applied for the program, only 84 were accepted, and Ewell The “Little” Buddies (sixthgraders) created trading cards for was the only one from Utah. their countries with basic facts and She attended a Global Symposium information. “Big” Buddies (ninthin Washington, D.C., with WHMS graders) researched both sides of a principal Kim Baker. Next came the controversial issue in the country and travel portion. Ewell spent part of last wrote an argumentative essay. They summer in Brazil, where she met with also explained the issue to the sixtheducation and civic leaders then cograders, who wrote a cause and effect teach with a Brazilian host teacher. response. Each pair also wrote a twovoice poem (a poem for two people to One of the requirements Ewell had to perform, like a dialogue) and created complete before traveling to Brazil For West Hills English teacher Tami Ewell, education is not just about the curriculum, it’s about expanding her students’ horizons.
a display.
said. “I will definitely do this in the future,” Ewell said. Both teachers The students presented their projects said their students want to do more and performed the two-voice poems things like it. together at a Global Perspectives Fair. “They were so excited to present “The kids loved it,” Murdock said. their results to the parents and the “They were sad when it was over.” community,” Ewell said. Ewell noticed significant growth and understanding with her students. She said a lot of students mentioned they could see both sides of their conflict. “It opened their eyes that there aren’t always right and wrong or black and white,” she said. Murdock also saw some great benefits with her sixth-graders. “It broadened their understanding of the world around them,” she said. She believes the project really helped the kids become more aware that not everywhere is like the United States. Ewell and Murdock both agreed that the collaboration was worthwhile. “It was one of the best projects I’ve ever done with my class,” Murdock
Photo: “Big Spain” and “Little Spain” (a ninth- and sixth-grade Global Buddy pair) gave a presentation on Spain to Parents and school district representatives during the Global Perspectives Fair at Falcon Ridge Elementary.
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WestJordanJournal.com
February 2014 | Page 11
M ayor ’ s M e s s ag e Since I became a resident of the great City JOIN THE CONVERSATION! of West Jordan in 1977, I have seen the city grow FOLLOW WEST JORDAN – CITY HALL. and change from a rural community with about 15,000 residents to almost today. In addition West Jordan receives award for budget excellence 110,000 to the many people who call West Jordan home, The City of West Jordan recently received the Distinguished Budget Presentation we also have a variety of professional offices, Award for the 2013-2014 budget from the Government Finance Officers Association. manufacturing plants, and This award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting and represents a industry and commercial businesses of every size. significant achievement. We are also fortunate to have the Salt Lake “This award reflects the commitment of West Jordan to meeting the highest Community College and principles of governmental budgeting,” City Manager Rick Davis said. “In order to Jordan Valley Medical Center campuses in our community. receive the budget award, we must satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective I’ve been a small business owner since 1974 budget presentations. These guidelines are designed to assess how well our budget serves and understand the importance of fostering a business friendly community. Building our business community as a policy document, a financial plan, operations guide and communications device.” is a top priority for me because of the many benefits business diversity brings to our city including employment Of the 17,800 government finance professionals throughout North America in opportunities, additional shopping and dining choices, and more than 19,000 local government jurisdictions in the United States alone, GFOA the tax dollars that help support key services like public safety, roads, parks and more. We are fortunate to have reports that only 1,340 are expected to receive this award in this year. That means that more than 3,000 businesses in our city. Many of them also only 7% of U.S. jurisdictions achieve this level of budgeting excellence. give back to the community in a variety of ways ranging from donating products, services or even cash to support many worthy causes. Our businesses are critical to the of our community. “ Meet the City ” open house March 5 from 6-9 p.m. success West Jordan continues to grow and thrive. Managing that growth is challenging but vital to ensuring a bright future. We have great people in this city who care about their community. I invite you to get involved. We have many opportunities to volunteer ranging from serving on a city committee to participating in a service project like Meet your local government and let your voice be heard the April 26 Comcast Cares Day or working behind the Our community is facing some tough decisions, and we’re looking for your input. scenes to bring to life a city event like our Independence Day Festival or an Arts Council production. As your mayor, my goal is to build on the many good things happening in our city. I don’t pretend to have City Hall Wednesday, March 5 from 6-9 p.m. all the answers and welcome your ideas. Feel free to call me Learn about these critical issues and tell us what you think. at 801-569-5100 or e-mail me at kimr@wjordan.com.
Funding Parks, Trails & Open Space Plan now to “Meet the City”
Rooms will be set up so you can learn about topics of interest. Elected officials, staff and committee members will be on hand to answer questions. TOPICS INCLUDE:
Budget (Council goals for 2015) Funding Parks, Trails and Open Space Transportation/Infrastructure Public Safety Quality of Life Issues (Arts/Culture, Sustainability, and more)
West Jordan City Hall 8000 South Redwood Road
Scouts Welcome
If your scout needs to attend a council meeting to meet their “Citizenship in the Community” merit badge requirement, this is the one to attend!
WJordan.com
Mayor Kim V. Rolfe
Page 12 | February 2014
CALENDAR OF EVENTS – 2014
(Note: Activities are tentative. Check WJordan.com for details.) FEBRUARY 17 18 26 MARCH 4 5 12 18 20-29
26
Presidents’ Day – City Offices Closed Planning Commission, City Hall, 8000 S. Redwood Rd., 6 p.m. City Council Meeting, City Hall, 8000 S. Redwood Rd., 6 p.m.
The West Jordan Journal
Come Make a Joyful Noise with the West Jordan Symphony Did you know West Jordan has a symphony? They rehearse Saturdays from 9-11 a.m. at City Hall. Their Spring Concert is set for Friday, May 2, at the Viridian Event Center. Email info@wjordan.com for more information.
Calling all cowboys!
Planning Commission, City Hall, 8000 S. Redwood Rd., 6 p.m. Western Stampede Volunteers Needed for 60th Anniversary Celebration “Meet the City,” City Hall, 8000 S. Redwood Rd., 6-8 p.m. City Council Meeting, City Hall, 8000 S. Redwood Rd., 6 p.m. The Western Stampede is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and we’re looking for Planning Commission, City Hall, 8000 S. Redwood Rd., 6 p.m. Youth Theatre’s “Sleepy Hollow: A Musical Tale,” Joel P. Jensen volunteers willing to dig their feet in and make this event EXCEPTIONAL! Learn more about opportunities with the Western Stampede PRCA Rodeo by emailing gulerb@wjordan.com. Middle School, 8105 S. 3200 West, 7 p.m. (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays) City Council Meeting, City Hall, 8000 S. Redwood Rd., 6 p.m.
Mountain West Chorale Update The Mountain West Chorale will be participating in a Spring Festival April 26 at 6 p.m. at West Jordan High School. The Festival showcases groups including the Mountain West Chorale, Payson Civic Chorale, Beehive Statesmen and Mountain Jubilee, which is new to the Festival and part of the Sweet Adelines. They will also be performing as part of the Temple Square Concert Series May 16 at 7:30 p.m. The Chorale is looking for sopranos, tenors and basses. Contact Kristina at 801-573-4785 with questions or come to a rehearsal Sundays at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
Weigh Biggest Losers are Losing Big! The Healthy West Jordan’s Weigh Biggest Loser contest is underway! Contestants have lost more than 620 pounds so far in their quest for improved health. Contest finale is set for April 22 at 6 p.m. at Gene Fullmer Recreation Center. Congratulations! Keep up the good work.
WestJordanJournal.com
February 2014 | Page 13
New Fire Station & Police Substation Fire Station #54, located at 9351 S. Hawley Park Road, is scheduled for demolition this month and will be rebuilt so that it is compliant with current building codes and expanded to include a police substation. Station #54 was built by volunteers in 1980 and no longer adequately serves the public safety needs of this growing area. The new facility will be complete in December 2014.  The station will be also be used for training. For example, the 40-foot tower will be used for rope rescue training and rappelling techniques. The station will have the capacity to house seven firefighters and include a 50-seat community/training room. While Station #54 is under construction, calls for service will be handled by other West Jordan stations and neighboring agencies. The new facility will serve the community for many years to come. You can follow the project progress on the West Jordan – City Hall Facebook page or at WJordan.com. Questions? Call 801-260-7300 or email infowjfd@wjordan.com. HAWK Crosswalk Improves Safety
Architectural rendering of the new fire station and police substation, which is scheduled for completion in December 2014.
A HAWK Crosswalk was installed at the intersection of Clernates Drive and 6200 South. This intersection is located on the border of West Jordan City and Salt Lake County. The new HAWK (Highintensity Activated crossWalK) Hybrid Pedestrian Crosswalk Beacon will improve safety for pedestrians crossing 6200 South. The beacon was installed and is maintained by the county. The beacon is equally owned by the city and county, with both paying $43,207.50 to install the beacon. It is similar to the HAWK crosswalk located at Gardner Village on 7800 South that provides access to the TRAX station.
The West Jordan Journal
Page 14 | February 2014
Schorr Gallery “Houses” exhibit opens Feb. 19 The Schorr Gallery will be featuring the paintings of artist Rebecca Klundt during an exhibit titled “Houses.” The exhibit kicks off with a reception Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. and runs for a month. The Schorr Gallery is located on the third floor of City Hall and is open during regular business hours.
Youth Theatre Presents FEBRUARY 22, 2014 2-4 PM
Fundraiser Concert FEATURING LOCAL BAND: ‘SHRINK THE GIANT” Viridian Event Center 8030 S. 1825 W. www.wjyouththeatre.com
Western Stampede Royalty Pageant May 10 Applications are available now for the Western Stampede Rodeo Royalty Pageant. Contestants compete for scholarship money and prizes including a scholarships, tiara, breast collar, banner, belt buckle and the opportunity to represent the Western Stampede, a 60-year-old West Jordan tradition. Contestants must be female Utah residents who are at least 15 years of age and not more than 24 years. (Age shall be determined as of May 1, 2014.) The queen competition will be held May 10 and includes an interview, modeling and speech portion at Mountain America Credit Union Tanner Building beginning at 8 a.m. Contestants move to the West Jordan Arena for the horsemanship portion at 1 p.m. At the end of the horsemanship judging, the queen and two attendants will be crowned. Stampede Royalty will appear on horseback during each night of the Western Stampede Rodeo, July 3-5. Royalty will also make appearances at various parades and other events during their one-year reign. Applications are available on wjordan.com and are due May 1 by 5 p.m. Questions? Call Marlene Conrad at 801-566-0304.
Submit a Service Request Using City Smartphone App Did you know West Jordan has smartphone apps to help you connect with city information and submit service requests? The apps are available in the Apple store and Android store and can be found under “West Jordan” and “My Police Department.” The city app includes shopping and dining; city calendar and directory; service request; parks, trails and attractions; service providers; emergency alerts; and also links to the city’s Twitter posts. The My PD app includes submit a tip; commend an officer; questions & feedback; contacts and more.
WestJordanJournal.com
February 2014 | Page 15
Mass Casualty Training Prepares West Jordan Emergency Responders By Sherry Sorensen
What would happen if a gunman entered a theater somewhere in the Salt Lake Valley and Mock chaos and panic ensued inside the theater, began shooting patrons? How would emergency made realistic by volunteer actors and the moulage personnel respond? expertise of the “Grimm Brothers,” who donated The West Jordan Fire Department, and a few their time and talents to create life-like wounds members of the police department, recently consistent with an active shooter and explosion partnered with emergency responders from situation.
With the shooter secure and the building cleared, firefighters and medical teams moved into action. Once inside, they systematically began marking and prioritizing victims based on the severity of their wounds.
A theater isn’t an ideal place to treat victims, throughout the Salt Lake Valley, Lehi, South Davis “I knew that they were fake injuries, but I’d have to Montgomery explained, so the wounded individuals and Park City to participate in one of the were moved to a pre-designated treatment largest mass casualty incident training drills area. From there, they were transported by in Utah. ambulance to area hospitals, which were on standby as they simultaneously conducted “We tried to invite others from outside of the their own mass casualty drills. county because if we have an MCI incident, it’s everybody’s; one agency can’t handle it all,” said Capt. Darin Montgomery, training officer for the WJFD.
During the incident, training officers served as proctors and evaluators to help agencies spot any deficiencies that needed to be corrected. The WJPD also conducted a standard debriefing to discuss what areas may need improvement.
The Valley Training Alliance conducts MCI scenarios each year to train emergency responders on how to react in these situations and how to coordinate with other departments in Salt Lake County and neighboring cities.
take a double take sometimes,” Montgomery said. “What this training provides for us is the “The crews weren’t expecting that. The thing that opportunity to work with other agencies, and then helped the crews the most was being able to be in move in together. Each agency is trained on active that high stress, realistic environment.” gunman scenarios, and we’re all trained very Working as a team, West Jordan and South Jordan similarly,” Police Sgt. Dean Waters said. police officers entered the building to secure the In the scenario, an active gunman entered the shooter, provide protection and ensure the safety theaters at The District in South Jordan, opened of the firefighters as they treated the victims. fire and set off an explosive device, wounding and Commanding officers remained outside, directing the operations. killing numerous people.
“No one ever looks at it as a criticism. It’s constructive criticism that may save their life someday,” Waters said. “In this particular scenario, things went really smooth except for command. In the scenario, all kinds of people were shot and injured; they were screaming and yelling at officers. Officers found it was so loud it was difficult to communicate to commanders.” While police and fire personnel hope never to face a live mass casualty incident, they agree that this training will help them be more prepared if one ever occurs.
Firefighters from West Jordan and neighboring cities treat simulated victims in one of the largest mass casualty training drills in the state. Photo courtesy of West Jordan Fire Department
Medical Center Receives Women’s Choice Award Press Release
Jordan Valley Medical Center in West Jordan has earned the Women’s Choice Award seal for America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Excellence by WomenCertified®, an award program for businesses that support the empowerment of women in the community and set the highest standards of excellence. “Jordan Valley Medical Center is proud to be included in the 100 Top Hospitals for Patient Experience,” said hospital CEO Steven Anderson, in a press release. “It is important to our providers and staff that we provide excellent, compassionate care to all of our patients. We are honored to carry the seal of WomenCertified®.”
For 30 years, JVMC has provided care to women in Utah, specifically through the Women’s Center and the Breast Care Center. The Breast Care Center is the first center in the Salt Lake area to provide women with comprehensive breast health care, including preventive screenings, diagnostic and treatment services, educational programs, and support services. Additionally, Jordan Valley has a new Level III NICU, the highest possible designation for intensive care neonatology, in the Women’s Center. This NICU features 11 individual suites for newborns and their families. Mothers are provided a private room for breast pumping, and parents are housed in transition rooms that allow them to “live in” with their babies while in the NICU.
The West Jordan Journal
Page 16 | February 2014
Chairman’s Corner - Matt Dill with Dill Rental
W
Board of Directors: •Michael Anderson •Dr. Patrice Johnson •Rick Davis •Mayor Kim Rolfe
• • • •
Mark Feigh Jon Butterfield Keith Petersen Matt Dill
• • • •
est Jordan Chamber’s Share the Magic gala January 24, 2014 was a great success! The event was held in the lovely Gathering Place at Gardner Village. The evening included a Best regards, delicious meal, great entertainment by the blue grass band, Fire on Suzanne Oliver, West Jordan Chamber Board Chair the Mountain, a silent auction and raffle, the State of the Chamber address, remarks from West Jordan Mayor, Kim Rolfe, and a wonderful new video, Imagine West Jordan. Al Richards served as Master of Ceremonies. The event was attended by city and state officials, local West Jordan business leaders and residents. The presentation of the Archie Awards to the following businesses and individuals was a special highlight of the evening:
Larry Benson Suzanne Oliver N. Craig Dearing Quinn Stirland
We’d Like to Thank Our Reinvesting Members
•Business Leader of the Year: o Steve Wright (High Point Coffee) o Matt Dill (Dill Rental) •Business of the Year: o Smith’s (4000 West 9000 South) • Citizen of the Year: o Jenny Holmgren
• Volunteer of the Year: o Dan Griffith o Keith Petersen • Lifetime Achievement: o Steve Gogo o Ellen McDonald o Conrad Tanner
WJPD launches new unit to root out crime By Sherry Sorensen
To kill a weed, you need to destroy it at the root or it will simply keep coming back. The same holds true for crime. Police officers are charged with enforcing the laws within their jurisdiction, but many experts recognize that unless officers can address the root cause of certain criminal activities, the problems will simply persist.
Copper Hills Youth Center
Alexandra Eframo
Claude’s Body & Paint
Quinn Stirland, CPA
Learn more about these and other businesses at www.westjordanchamber.com
The term problem-oriented policing was coined by University of WisconsinMadison Professor Herman Goldstein. He emphasized that crime can be decreased when police are pro-actively identifying problems in their communities. “Problem-oriented policing places a high value on new responses that are preventive in nature, that are not dependent on the use of the criminal justice system, and that engage other public agencies, the community and the private sector….,” Goldstein said in 2001.
Recently, the West Jordan Police Department launched a Problem-Oriented While regular patrol officers are responsible for addressing crimes as they Policing unit that will coordinate with multiple agencies to focus on, and occur, they don’t generally have the time or resources to expend on these long-term issues. hopefully eliminate, some of the long-term problems in the city. “It’s a multi-discipline approach to get at the root of the problem,” Police Chief Doug Diamond said. “They may involve mental health, the EPA, building inspectors, or any other agency that they can bring to bear to help solve the underlying problem for that criminal issue.”
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With g the studen
Special thanks to: our sponsors and auction item donators, the Share the Magic Committee led my Matt Hartelius, the Chamber staff, and the Chamber Board for their work to make this year’s Share the Magic such a great event. In the coming months Chamber leadership will be engaging in a strategic planning process to determine the needs of the business community. We want to ensure the Chamber is relevant to West Jordan businesses. In the meantime, the Chamber staff and Board are here to help and support you and your business. Please contact the office for assistance. Chamber Staff: • N. Craig Dearing, Director of Governmental Affairs & Business Advocacy • Christianna Badalian, Office Coordinator • Melissa Worthen, Director of Marketing & Sales • Briana Hansen, Office Assistant/Intern
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The POP team, which includes West Jordan’s Crime Prevention unit, is a dedicated group of officers who can devote their time to more thoroughly investigate community problems and search for an underlying source. “We’ll be basically pooling all of our resources together in a collaborative effort to finding solutions, in some circumstances before they even begin to
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WestJordanJournal.com
February 2014 | Page 17
Did You Know?
Welcome, Clear Horizons Clear Horizons Academy 1875 S Geneva Road Orem, UT 84058 www.ClearHorizonsAcademy.org
During the past year Autism in Utah has grown to the highest rate of autism in the country. Autism is 20 times higher Customer service has taken on a new meaning at the Smith’s West Jordan (9000 South 4080 West). A corporate in Utah than twenty years ago, and it is more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS initiative started earlier this year with the slogan “We can make it right!” has inspired employees to enhance combined. Autism is a lifelong disability that is characterized by severe problems in three main areas; Communication, an already customer-centric focus and take it to the next level. “What we want is one-on-one engagement with Behavior and Social Skills. Social skills include lack of awareness of the existence or feelings of others, severe every customer,” says Scott Griffiths, the store’s grocery manager, “We want to put a name with the face of every impairment in the ability to relate to others and trouble with emotional regulation causing “meltdowns”. person who shops at our store. We want our customers to feel comfortable here, like they can approach us.” Clear Horizons Academy is a private non-profit school that specializes in the education of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The children at CHA range in age from 3 to 16. Our school features relationship-based learning The management team at Smith’s West Jordan, which has over 200 years combined experience in the grocery environments which are individualized for each child. Goals are set according to each child’s unique developmental industry, is committed to giving a hometown-feel to the shopping experience. “Our customers are the reason levels, interests and social and emotional needs. we do everything we do. They should always be treated like friends and family,” says Bruce Butcher, customer Additionally, we incorporate many research-based programs and methods that each child may need, such as Sensory service manager. integration, Errorless Learning, PECS, Speech Therapy and other programs. We also work closely with parents, guardians, caregivers and other therapists to help each child progress. Quarterly parent meetings allow us to consistently As part of this focused effort, employees are encouraged to talk with customers, learn their shopping needs, and keep our students learning, growing, progressing and discovering new things. create a fun shopping atmosphere, which includes singing to customers on their birthdays. Employees provide With generous support from our community, we plan to expand our school and increase enrollment. The school serves samples of fruits, vegetables, and other items to customers prior to purchase. According to Jeff Short, store the community by holding education sessions on autism, working with other educational organizations involving director, “Our goal is to give each customer what they deserve – a highly satisfying shopping experience and students with autism. Clear Horizons Academy is the only school for children with autism in Utah County and serves exceptional customer service. We want our shoppers committed to coming back.” other students from Salt Lake County and other surrounding areas.
Look What’s Coming
Welcoming Our New Members
Smith’s Marketplace
7800 South 5600 West, West Corner.
United Studios of Self Defense 3812 West 7800 South West Jordan, UT 84088 801-280-5425 ML Dirt Inc 3654 Vista West Dr. West Jordan, UT 84088 801-6455-5527
Smith’s Marketplace New Layout Coming October 2014
The Chamber had the pleasure of accompanying Smith’s as they broke ground for their new location on November 14th, 2013. We’re excited to welcome them to our city next fall!
happen. We’re a piece of a whole bigger thing,” Sgt. Bruce Shepherd said. “We’re here to help each of the other divisions within the department on an as needed basis with problems that take more than just a quick, single solution.” A few years ago, the city experienced a series of tire-slashing. Had this new unit been in place, they would’ve been a valuable resource to “throw at that issue,” Diamond explained. “These guys can stay with a problem and deal with it over the long haul,” he said. While the West Jordan POP unit is still in its infancy, the team is already actively addressing problems in the city. One of the first goals that they’ve been focusing on is to “get a handle” on the sex offender registry. “We’re having contact with our offenders around four times per year. Getting out and knowing those people, knowing where they live, making contact, it will likely help prevent other potential problems from building in those areas,” Shepherd said.
Officers in the unit are also reaching out to the community to get residents, schools and businesses involved in identifying problems and preventing crime in the city. “Start back at the root, be involved with your city, be involved with your community, be involved with your police department,” Shepherd said.
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The West Jordan Journal
Page 18 | February 2014
West Jordan Senior Center News 8025 South 2200 West
The West Jordan Senior Center is located at 8025 South 2200 West. Phone 801-561-7320 or visit www.westjordanseniorcenter.com for more information. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with lunch served at noon for a suggested donation of $2.50 for anyone 60 and over. Lunches are given out on a first-come, first-served basis. We also offer an alternative lunch daily without a reservation. The center is looking for a few volunteers for the front desk. We are also in need of computer instructors. If you have a few hours you could spare each week please contact the center at 801-561-7320 and ask for Lisa. Feb. 14, 11 a.m. -- Valentine Party. The center harmonica band will provide the entertainment. Feb. 14, 12:30 p.m. – Legal Consultations available. An attorney is on site the second Friday of each month beginning at 12:30 p.m. Please call the center to sign up for a free 20-minute consultation if you need to see the attorney. Feb. 18, 10 a.m. – Podiatry. Get your toenails clipped and your feet looked at for a $10 donation. Feb. 18, 10:30 a.m. – They are reading “Calling Invisible Women” by Jeanne Ray. The book is available at the West Jordan Library in the book club shelves. If you can’t make the group on Tuesday, they’ll be discussing the book at the West Jordan Library on Thursday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m. Feb. 19, 4:30 p.m.; $5 -- Bingo Dinner Party. Sign up at the desk. Feb. 26, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. ; $2 -- Police and Firemen Appreciation Breakfast. The menu includes waffles, ham and eggs, fruit, juice, coffee and milk. RSVP by Monday, Feb. 24. March 4, 10 a.m. -- AARP Defensive Driving. Come learn tips on driving safer and save money on your car insurance. Sign up in advance by calling the center. March 4, 11 a.m. -- March Birthday Party. Bill Stidd will provide entertainment. Anyone over 60 is invited for free lunch, compliments of the Advisory Council. Let the center know it is your birthday when you reserve your lunch. March 11, 11 a.m. -- The “Notable Angels” Harmon Home Choir will perform. Come for lunch that day.
Like the West Jordan Journal on Facebook. Public Service Alert
Don’t Use Fluoridated Water in Baby Formula and Food —CDC Advisory 2006
Important information for your child’s health
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• The rate of dental fluorosis has doubled in the last two decades.
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WestJordanJournal.com
February 2014 | Page 19
WJ Citizens Academy: An In-Depth look at the City By Sherry Sorensen
At the course’s conclusion, Mayor Melissa Johnson and City Manager Rick Davis urged participants to use their new-found knowledge of the city to inform their neighbors and become more involved in municipal government.
West Jordan Code Enforcement officials resolved 1,059 complaints in the past year; the police department has a budget of $16 million; and public works employs one Urban Forester to maintain approximately 12,000 trees in the city.
These are just a few of the not-so-random facts that participants learned “Our job and your during the 10-week inaugural session of the West Jordan Citizens Academy. be an ambassador Between Sept. 5 and Nov. 14, school teachers, municipal employees and “average citizens” visited the city for three hours each Thursday to be engaged in conversation, as every city department presented an indepth, and sometimes hands-on, look at their role in West Jordan. “I learned just how much there is to the involvement of the city, just what they do for us that we don’t realize,” West Jordan resident Josie Walters said. “I think we’re very fortunate to have wonderful people who’re governing our city.”
West Jordan High government teacher Jack Duffy said the course was well worth the time. As an educator and resident in West Jordan, he encourages all residents to take advantage of this unique opportunity offered by the city. “I think education is important and a better educated citizenry will make more informed decisions about who should be in leadership,” he said. “Also, knowing who to call when there’s a problem…that was something that was covered a lot.”
Johnson encouraged the class to stay involved in the city at whatever level they are able, whether it’s one hour a month or 60 hours each week. The greatest thing about America, she said, is that it’s not necessarily governed by people who are professionals in public administration, but by citizens who have taken an interest in their community. “At any level, there are places for you to be involved. It doesn’t have to end today, and I’m encouraging you not to let it end today,” she said. City representatives said they are planning to offer another session of the academy to interested residents sometime next year.
From learning how to operate the Jaws of Life to discovering why the streets department likes building round-a-bouts, class participants said they came away from the course with a greater appreciation for the challenges inherent with managing the fourth largest city in Utah. Most agreed that prior to taking the class, they didn’t realize the vast amount of services the city provides. In addition, they said they were impressed with the caliber of the employees they met and their sincere dedication to improving West Jordan.
job coming out of this academy is to for local government now,” Davis said.
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The West Jordan Journal
Page 20 | February 2014
West Jordan Woman- Dedicated Donor By Sherri Smith
Suzanne Sphar, a para-educator at Kauri Sue Hamilton School who lives in West Jordan, has a hobby that has been known to make grown men faint and others tremble: donating blood. She began consistently donating blood in 1982, and hasn’t stopped. “I donate six times a year - every 56 days. It makes me really happy. One pint of blood can help save four lives,” Sphar said. Many of us have heard of O positive blood as the universal donor, and that is what Sphar has. But there’s something else that makes Sphar’s blood even more unique: she is CMV negative. Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is a common flu-like virus that is usually harmless. It’s part of a group of viruses that can cause chickenpox, shingles and Epstein-Barr. Of every 100 adults in the U.S., 50 to 80 have been infected by the time they are 40 years old. Most don’t even know they have been infected. Once CMV is in a person’s body, it stays there for life. CMV-negative blood is used for transfusions for people with weakened immune systems such as premature infants and those who
undergo organ transplants. “I get called to donate a lot because I have CMV-negative blood. I am one of a small percentage who have never had it,” Sphar said. Sphar receives a pin from the Red Cross for every eight donations she makes. She will
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receive a 17-gallon pin in March. Each donation a person makes is one pint. This adds up to donating 136 pints of blood since 1982. Part of Sphar’s dedication to blood donation is a result of what happened in 1996 when her husband, Ron, had open-heart surgery. His mitral valve ripped and was replaced by an artificial titanium valve. Sphar called to make payment arrangements, and was surprised to learn that she qualified for assistance. As a nonprofit organization, LDS hospital was able to write off part of the bill for them. Sphar vowed that if she was ever in a position to give back, she would. She began donating at LDS Hospital, and now donates consistently at the Red Cross in Murray. Donating blood is her way of paying the bill. Suzanne and her husband Ron have one son, Jay, and two granddaughters , Brikayla and Rylee. “I know I am making a difference in people’s lives. You never know if you’ve saved someone,” she said. Suzanne Sphar holds what she calls her ‘blood pillow,’ where she displays pins from the Red Cross she receives from donating blood. In March, she will receive a pin for donating 17 gallons one pint at a time since 1982.
WestJordanJournal.com
February 2014 | Page 21
From Surfer to Best Director- West Jordan Resident Wins Independent Film Award At 17 years old, Rob Diamond was a Southern California surfer who hadn’t given a single thought to working in the film industry. Then one day at the beach, he was hand-picked to be in a Coca Cola commercial, and the film bug claimed another victim. Diamond began acting and modeling in Los Angeles and was cast in several national commercials before landing his first part in 1997 in a film with Mickey Rooney that was filmed in Utah. That’s when he was drawn to the film making side of the industry—and to Utah. Diamond had heard about the film industry here and decided to test the waters and build his resume. So he moved to West Jordan. “I found my niche. I found my home here,” he said. “I never left and nor do I want to leave.” Now he calls Utah “one of the bestkept secrets around.” He said the Utah Film Commission does a really good job helping independent filmmakers and bringing projects in from out of state. “The independent movement here is huge,” he said. “I see it get bigger and bigger and have watched it grow.”
By Jaime Theler
Diamond prefers dramas. “I like stories about redemption—someone who’s made wrong choices on their journey and gets a second chance,” he said. His goal is to tell stories that will move people emotionally. He said the recognition at the Filmed in Utah Awards meant that the film worked. “It’s always a humbling experience for me when people recognize your work and honor you in any way,” Diamond said. “It meant a lot to me because of all the hard work that went into it.” Diamond not only writes, directs and produces his own films, but he also runs an acting school in Salt Lake City called Rob Diamond’s Actors Lounge, which he opened in 1998. “When I first came here I saw there was a need for . . . a place to focus on film acting only,” he said. “I’ve trained some of the better actors in Utah. My actors have been in hundreds of movies.” Classes are small, and Diamond keeps it inexpensive. “I’m not doing this to make money; I do it because I love it,” he said.
Diamond’s current project, “Wayward,” is a modern-day story based on the Bible parable of the Prodigal Son. “I’m excited about this (film) more than anything else Last year, this surfer-turned-independent-filmmaker was awarded Best I’ve done,” he said. It was set to go into production at the end of April. Like Director at the second annual Filmed in Utah Awards for his movie, “Saint his other movies, it will also be filmed in Utah. Street,” a heartfelt Christmas drama about a man on top of the world who loses everything (family, job and home) and his journey to find redemption. “I’ve been making films here since 1997 and I’ve really watched the The movie also received nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting community grow,” Diamond said. “I love it here.” Actor.
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Page 22 | February 2014
Businesses Raise Money For new K-9 By Sherry Sorensen
A police K-9 costs, on average, $10,000, and takes up to six months to train. The purchase of these highly specialized dogs is such a significant investment that the West Jordan Police Department must plan for the expense at least a year in advance.
The event, hosted in the parking lot of Dave’s Body Shop, featured a classic car show, a raffle and a “Dunka-Cop” tank manned by Police Chief Doug Diamond.
“Through Mike’s efforts and our involvement, we raised $2,000 toward a new K-9,” Ware said. “As On Dec. 12, Dave’s Body Shop and Pendleton’s Dave’s Body Shop, we agreed to match that amount.” Towing presented the Rotary Club of West Jordan with a check for $4,000. This donation, along with contributions from Waste Management, provided WJPD with adequate funds to purchase a new K-9. “We’re increasing our unit by one handler,” Officer Tom Smith said. “So instead of three dogs we’re going to have four. This gives us better coverage of the city. By having three we can only cover the city part of the time. With four our coverage ability increases.”
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Two West Jordan businesses present the West Jordan Police with money for a new K-9. Back, from left, are council-members Chad Nichols, Chris McConnehey, Ben Southworth, Justin Stoker and Clive Killpack. Front, from left, are former Mayor Melissa Johnson, Stan Ware, council member Judy Hansen, Mike Searle, Alex Ware and Deputy Chief Richard Davis.
Mike Searle, owner of Pendleton’s towing, has worked closely with WJPD for many years. His wife, Kathy, estimates that 95 percent of his Following the event, Searle’s wife launched business comes through the police department. friendsofwjpdk9.com, a website dedicated to raising awareness and support for the West Jordan K-9 unit. “I’ve been on the West Jordan rotation for 20 years,” Searle said. “I know how important these dogs are to the city.” The Searles and Wares plan to turn the fundraiser When Searle learned that police dog “Kuffs” was being into an annual event as they continue to support retired because of health issues, he wanted to do something the West Jordan K-9 unit. They hope to host to help the department with the replacement costs. In this year’s event in August rather than October. October, Searle and his wife partnered with Dave’s Body “We decided together that this would be a Shop owner Stan Ware to organize a K-9 fundraiser. good thing to help our city,” Searle said.
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