www.TheCrossroadsJournal.net
January 25, 2014
CONNECTING EAGLE MOUNTAIN, SARATOGA SPRINGS AND THE CEDAR VALLEY
Three Time World Cup Winner from Eagle Mountain Danielle Palmer Staff Writer
As Jesse Jackson once said, “Great things happen in small places. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Jesse Jackson was born in Greenville.” To that, we can add another: Noelle Pikus-Pace is an Eagle Mountain resident. Pikus-Pace is an American skeleton racer who began her career in 2001, won five medals at the FIBT World Championships, and was a competitor in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. She has great support from her family and friends who help her achieve her goals. On her website after “World Cup Champion” is the title: “Mom.”
As stated on the Jan. 7 post on her blog, teampikuspace.blogspot. com, Noelle was preparing for her next race in St. Moritze, Switzerland, and was hoping for a top 3 finish. The race was held January 11, 2014, and Pikus-Pace went above and beyond, claiming her third win and fifth medal of the season. She was the only competitor that day to slide under 70 seconds in both heats. After graduating high school in 2001, Noelle Pikus-Pace ran track at UVU, where she broke the UVU high jump record and was the NJCAA National Discus Champion. She became the first woman to ever win the Overall World Cup Title in skeleton that same year. It was anticipated that she would win
the Gold Medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics, but in the 2005 Olympic trials a bobsled accidentally slipped off its track and collided with her. This accident resulted in injuries that kept her from competing that year. However, the following year she came back to win the World Championships by the largest margin in the history of the sport. After taking a year off and having a baby girl, Noelle returned to the sport in 2009, competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics on a sled built by her husband. She was the top U.S. finisher at 4th place, just one-tenth of a second out of the medals. She decided to retire after this to spend more time with her family and had another baby, a boy, in 2011. But Pikus-Pace did not stay in retirement. She decided in the summer of 2012 to pursue a Winter Olympic gold medal, traveling
Introducing Councilman Westmoreland
Danielle Palmer Staff Writer
The city offices of Eagle Mountain have some new faces that need introducing. Tom Westmoreland is one of two men newly elected to the city council, earning just 10 votes more than his closest opponent. Westmoreland said he had mixed emotions at the results. He was saddened for the sake of his opponent, Brian Free, whom he holds in high esteem, but very excited to be given the opportunity to serve the city. Westmoreland was born in California and spent his early years near the sea, learning to swim and surf by the time he was five years old. He also learned Grunion hunting in the middle of the night, something he wants to teach to his own children. “These experiences gave me an appreciation for the laws of nature and the wonderful life-lessons that we can learn from them. There is no teacher quite like the oceans.” When he was twelve, he moved with his family to Lake Tahoe where he learned many outdoor sports and activities that he found “zen-like.” He says that although he was raised in a nonreligious home, he always felt close to God in nature. He joined the LDS church at the age of thirteen. He recalls his teen years as been very difficult. He was the only member of his church in his school and his parents divorced during this time, but he found a release in playing high school football. After receiving all state honors the bullying he encountered ceased. He served a mission for his church in Indiana and stated that it was a great
milestone in his life. He then began a pursuit to own his own business, working three years for a daily newspaper and learning publishing and advertising. For fifteen years, he owned and operated a publishing company in Las Vegas. Westmoreland says that after a divorce resulting in the sale of that business, followed by a heart attack, he knows how an abrupt loss of wealth, health, and family will make an indelible
while he was in Las Vegas. This is a passion that has turned into the subject of a book he is currently working on. “It is my opinion that the way American history is treated in our schools is a travesty that does a disservice to our youth. The works of our founding fathers may be the best-kept secret in America. I hope to find ways to help our young and old alike reconnect with this legacy of exceptionalism.” Since his time in Las Vegas, Westmoreland has had the chance to work with all segments of the media, adding TV, Radio, and the Internet to his print background. He has enjoyed working with media because “it has given me an opportunity to help businesses move forward and achieve goals.” He wants to help businesses develop in Eagle Mountain, and sees great potential in the city. He married his current wife, Rebekah, in 2006. They have a blended family of nine children, with six still at home and three away at college. Rebekah works as a nurse while Tom works for an Internet advertising company. “It is my hope and desire that Eagle Mountain becomes an even more exceptional place to raise a family and do business long into the future.” Westmoreland said, “May we raise wise and resilient children and build a vibrant economy through solid business practices all the while empowering each resident to do good and noble acts for the betterment of themselves, their families, and their fellow Eagle Mountain residents.” You can email your city council members any time. Councilman Westmoreland can be reached at twestmoreland@emcity.org.
with her family to do it. Noelle had her best results ever, winning 16 national and international medals including 10 gold medals, 4 silvers, and 2 bronzes. She finished the season ranked 3rd in the world, and is now ranked 2nd. The Olympic team is not offi-
Polar Plunge “Freezin’ for a Reason”
cially named until after the Igis, Austria race on January 18, but after this race, Pikus-Pace is most definitely going to be a part of it. You can show your support, watch videos, and find out more about Eagle Mountain’s celebrity at noellepikuspace.com.
February 22, 2014 Registration: 9:00 a.m. Plunge: 10:30 a.m. This year the Saratoga Springs and Lehi Police Departments will be teaming up, so grab your friends and come out to Utah Lake Pelican Bay Marina to take the Plunge for Special Olympics Utah! To register, pay the initial $10 registration fee (for adults, students, and athletes). Once registered, you could raise the remaining amount due ($40 adults/ $30 students) or pay it yourself, but be sure to bring it the day of your event so you can participate! Costume Contests - Fundraising Contests - Best Team Costumes Raise money and WIN GREAT prizes: $200 – Beach Towel $500 – OGIO Large Duffel Bag $1,000 – OGIO Soft Shell Jacket impression on the psyche, and $2,000 Choice of OGIO Luggage – Kickstart 22” now has a new appreciation for or 26” roller travel bag things of the greatest value in life. Everyone registered by February 14th will receive “Whatever challenges that may be in our future in Eagle Mountain, it a t-shirt on the day of the event. is my desire that we, the resiIf you register after February 14th you will NOT be dents, learn to work together more effectively to accomplish common guaranteed to receive a commemorative Polar Plunge goals because it is ultimately the T-shirt. people and not the government that Late registration is $50 students/ $60 for adults. have the ability to make the biggest difference in self-reliance to meet Hosted by the Saratoga Springs Police Department difficulty with resilience.” and the Lehi Police Department. Westmoreland became more For more information, contact Victor Meier at 801involved in politics and the study of America’s founding fathers www.TheCrossroadsJournal.net 363-1111.