South Jordan Journal | May 2024

THE JOURNALS INTRODUCES NEW PROCESS TO ENSURE LOCAL NEWS DELIVERY

TheCity Journals have published newspapers every month for the past 33 years. During which we have mailed a copy of the Journal to nearly everyone in the city. We know from audits that over 70% of the households in the city read the Journal, but that means 30% do not. That is a considerable amount of wasted paper. We also know that some people in the community are not receiving the Journal, although they want it.

Until now there was no way to address these issues. But now, using this QR code, you can select if you want to receive the Journal.

Because staying informed about local happenings is more important than ever, the Journals is proud to announce an innovative process to guarantee community members receive their local news each month.

Recognizing the vital role of local journalism in fostering community engagement and connection, the Journals has developed an approach to ensure timely and reliable news delivery to every doorstep within our coverage areas.

Using cutting-edge logistics technology and a dedicated team of delivery professionals, we can create enhanced route planning,

tracking systems and distribution methods. The Journal aims to overcome challenges that have hindered timely news delivery in the past.

“It is important to keep readers informed about what’s happening in their neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government,” said Bryan Scott, publisher at The City Journals. “With this new process, we’re not only reaffirming our commitment to high-quality local journalism but also ensuring every member of our community has reliable access.”

We have deep gratitude for the United States Postal Service, whose dedication enables the delivery of more than 200,000 monthly Journals to our readers. This partnership is instrumental in ensuring our local news reaches every household efficiently and consistently. With our new system, readers will still receive their Journal in the mail each month but with more accuracy and control based on our new process.

This underscores the Journals’ unwavering dedication to providing trusted local news and information for our readers. Whether reporting on community events, highlighting local businesses, or investigating important

issues affecting our neighborhoods, the Journals remains steadfast in its mission to celebrate and build the community.

The Journals encourages readers to provide feedback on their news delivery experience, allowing for improvement and refinement of the process. With this groundbreaking approach, the Journals reaffirms its position as the leading provider of local news, delivering stories that matter to our valued readers.

Residents can now choose if they want to receive the Journal at their home by using the QR Code or by visiting Mail.TheCityJournals.com. We ask all residents to complete this form to continue receiving the Journal each month.

Share this message with others in the city who may not be familiar with the newspaper and want to sign up. l

ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY PROGRAM

to Honor Military Veterans for Their Service to Our Country

Monday, May 27, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.

At Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 South), Sandy

FEATURED SPEAKER: Congressman Blake Moore

PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE: Hill Air Force Base, Honor Guard, Utah Firefighters Emerald Society Bagpipes, Patriotic Music by Brian Stucki and the Minuteman Brass Quintet OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Two kindergartners put on solar glasses at lunchtime and looked up into the sky. One, Emilie Puente, was struck with awe as the other, Noelle Lansfeldt, was mesmerized by the partial solar eclipse she was witnessing in Murray.

The Parkside Elementary girls were amongst 400 of their peers out on the playground at lunch recess April 8 having the option to borrow one of the 100 pairs of solar glasses the school ordered, or one of the 60 pairs donated by T-Mobile.

“The excitement was electric at lunch for sure,” said Merissa Graves, Parkside assistant principal who shared a Google Slide presentation informing students about how the moon is between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on Earth, and addressing the safety of wearing solar glasses with the school beforehand. “‘Woah! I can see it! Look!’ was heard all around.”

Graves said one new student, a thirdgrade refugee, put on the glasses and held them tight to his face.

“(The student) had the biggest smile on his face,” she said, adding that about a dozen parent volunteers helped teachers with the viewing.

Parkside was one of several schools that gave students the opportunity to view the eclipse. In the Salt Lake Valley, about 48% was viewable, according to the Clark Planetarium.

At Welby Elementary in South Jordan, fifth-grade dual immersion Spanish students left the classroom three times to witness the eclipse. Beforehand, they discussed the risks of looking directly at the sun and the importance of protecting their eyes.

“Understanding these safety measures was our number one priority: the glasses

Solar eclipse didn’t eclipse student learning

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

were going to allow us to watch the eclipse directly without risking eye damage,” Welby teacher Ana Cerezo-Berbel said. “To deepen our understanding, we watched and discussed various videos explaining solar and lunar eclipses.”

The students compared it to a “game of hide and seek,” she said. “Our initial adventure outside treated us to the eclipse’s opening act, with about 10% of the sun covered.”

During the second time outside, the students saw it near its peak eclipse in Utah.

“The excitement was palpable as we

observed this significant moment, marking almost the halfway point of the eclipse,” Cerezo-Berbel said. “This time we also crossed our fingers over each other and formed square gaps. When we angled our hands and the sun was hitting them, sunlight passed through the gaps projecting mini eclipses onto the ground.”

As the eclipse began to wane, they stepped outside to witness its concluding stages, watching the moon slowly retreat, revealing the sun’s brilliance.

“This time we used another creative way to observe without looking directly at the sun: paper viewers. We made holes

in a paper to safely watch the projection onto the ground,” she said, adding that the students also followed the event in other cities via the NASA website.

At Canyon View Elementary in Cottonwood Heights, second-grade students in Raydean Fernandez’ and Madison Elingson’s classes also used pinhole viewers to see the eclipse.

A first-grade teacher, Joy Smith, bought eclipse glasses for her class.

“I tied it to our Wonders curriculum where our question of the week was, ‘What can you see in the sky?’” she said.

Smith also was able to link the experience to the first-grade state science core curriculum about obtaining, evaluating and communicating information about the movement of the sun, moon, and stars to describe predictable patterns.

They were able to discuss how the sun and moon typically appear to rise in one part of the sky, move across the sky and set, but during the eclipse, it was a different kind of view than the first graders were used to seeing.

Recently, students have been able to view several eclipses in the area.

This past fall, when an annular eclipse passed through Southern Utah, students could see the moon hide nearly 90% of the sun in the Salt Lake Valley, according to the Clark Planetarium.

Some students could recall the total solar eclipse in 2017, which was the first time a total solar eclipse swept from the Pacific to the Atlantic since the United States was involved in World War I. During that eclipse, where the peak was in central Idaho, Salt Lake Valley students could see about 90% as well.

The next total eclipse viewable in the Salt Lake Valley will be in 20 years. l

The South Jordan Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout South Jordan.

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At Welby Elementary, students put on protective glasses to watch the solar eclipse. (Ana Cerezo-Berbel/ Welby Elementary)

JATC students’ experiences ignite passion for technical programs in middle school students

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

InSouth Jordan Middle School’s kiva, several hair design and barbering students told the middle school students about the Jordan Academy for Technology and Careers program from a student’s perspective.

They talked about meeting different people and cutting or coloring their hair; they showed how to put on a cape; and how getting 1,200 hours for hair design and 1,000 hours for barbering licenses broke up their high school day and saved them money if they were to enter a cosmetology school after graduation.

They’re JATC ambassadors, eager to share about the programs they’re passionate about.

“I applied to be an ambassador because a lot of ninth graders don’t know about the program; I wanted to tell them about it first hand,” said Mylee Salazar, who is a junior at Mountain Ridge High. “I want them to have their eyes opened to this and other programs. Doing hair is something that I love to do.”

In another room, two JATC students shared their hands-on learning as an EMT and studying fire science. Middle school students learned how they were trained for emergency situations from knot tying to bandaging wounded.

“We learn a lot of valuable skills and work with people with the same interests,” said Avery Earl, who is a Bingham High senior. “I find fire science inspiring and something cool, not scary. It’s a real profession where we’re saving lives.”

Charley Utley, who attended SJMS and now is a Bingham High senior, said they’re trained in a lot of different scenarios.

“That’s cool because we’re getting to learn it all and how we’re going to treat patients,” she said. “Even if you don’t want to be an EMT, it’s great life skills to have. I guarantee you that at least some point in your life, you’re probably going to have some type of emergency and having that background knowledge is helpful.”

Utley said when she was at South Jordan Middle, she didn’t know what her future career would be so she hopes these presentations will help others.

“If I could talk to my middle school self, I’d be exploring my options and learning about careers,” she said.

SJMS Principal Curtis Jenson, whose own children have been in JATC programs, appreciates the ambassadors telling it like it is.

“It’s better to hear from the kids because they’re taking it more seriously than from listening to adults,” he said. “These kids are the ones actually doing it and are doing a good job of talking in a way that kids believe.”

Salazar encourages students to decide and apply soon if they’re considering a JATC program.

“Many of the programs, like the hair design and barbering, is junior and senior year so if you were to want to apply your sophomore year when applications open. You don’t want to wait because there may not be spots or you won’t be able to get in all your hours,” she said.

JATC still has some openings in select programs for fall 2024. To enroll, go to www. jordantech.org.

The ambassadors traveled to nine of the 13 middle schools in the Jordan School District talking to ninth-graders while Mountain Creek Middle students came to JATC to learn about the programs and tour the facilities, said JATC Career and Technical Education Coordinator Tami Clevenger.

JATC student Abri Jenson told SJMS stu-

dents about the criminal justice program.

“Criminal justice is not just about being a cop,” she said. “It comes into forensics and it goes into the law.”

In the course, they learn self-defense to finger-printing, handcuffing to examining blood splatter.

The Bingham High senior, who has watched “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” “since I was a baby,” said television shows of criminal investigations have boosted the interest of the field.

For example, when Abri Jenson applied to the program, she said there was 1,000 applicants for 120 spots.

“Jump on it in January right after your sophomore or your junior year because this

class fills fast,” she said. “Keep going to class and getting good grades because administrators check those. They want to make sure you’re reliable and not taking up a spot of another student who would do better in the class than you.”

The JATC student is receiving 12 credits at $5 per credit, or $60, where the average cost of a credit at Utah colleges is $319.

“It’s a good deal and I can combine it with my medical training as an EMT,” she said. “I wanted to be a forensic pathologist, but we explore any career that ties into criminal justice.”

JATC students also participate in SkillsUSA and can compete in regional, state and national levels.

“It looks good on scholarship applications and resumes for jobs and college and you’re applying what you learn in class,” the soonto-be high school graduate said, adding that as a JATC ambassador it helps fulfill the leadership portion of a portfolio and help her earn a JATC medallion.

Clevenger agrees with South Jordan Middle School principal’s assessment, that students listen to students.

“There’s so much going on out there, so much technology, kids tune out posters and handouts and things we used to do for years,” she said. “Before, each ambassador got 30 seconds to a minute to share, but this way, students can pick areas they’re interested, go to the session and get a taste of a couple of different programs. When other students talk about it, it builds more interest. We’ve seen an increase in our applications the past three years. We’ve changed a lot of our programs to an A/B schedule, so we can increase our capacity so twice as many can enroll. Before, some of the programs, especially hair design and criminal justice, met their cap quickly.”

JATC’s 35-plus programs extend from cybersecurity to construction management, from web design to horticulture.

Clevenger said the programs also work well together or with their home high school’s CTE courses. Students also have set up internships within their program study.

She said that students can wait too long to focus on their career.

“By taking JATC programs, it saves time, maybe tuition money. Maybe they don’t enter the program’s career because their life circumstances change or their interests change, but this is a good way to try something out — and it’s a way to meet some different students from around the district and outside the district,” Clevenger said. “Every student’s goals may be different; we want students to enroll in these programs and make connections to help them in their education and determine their future. l

Bingham High senior Charley Utley talks to South Jordan Middle School students about JATC’s EMT program as she demonstrates bandaging on a student. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

The public is invited to view one of the world’s largest open-pit mines

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

The Rio Tinto Kennecott Visitor Experience is open for the 2024 season, giving people access to dramatic views of one of the world’s largest openpit mines. Attracting more than 33,000 guests each year, the visitor experience is a self-guided tour that features educational and historical exhibits from the mine’s 120-year history.

“We’re passionate about mining copper that is critical for everyday living and love giving the community the opportunity to get an up-close look at what we do,” said Nate Foster, Kennecott managing director. “Whether it’s watching our 360-ton haul trucks working in the mine, getting a picture by the 12-foot tire, or learning more about how copper is made, we invite the community to come visit.”

Shuttles carry visitors to the mine overlook every 30 minutes, starting at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 2:30 p.m. Located at 12732 Bacchus Highway in Herriman, the experience is open seven days a week through October (weather permitting). Tickets are $6 and free for children under 5. School groups receive free admission.

Advanced ticket purchases are highly recommended as walk-up visitors may not be able to visit the mine overlook due to capacity. Cash transactions are not available at the Visitor Experience. Proceeds from ticket and gift shop sales go to the Kennecott Charitable Foundation which supports local nonprofits working with education and environmental issues.

For more information, visit RioTinto. com. l

Tickets to the Visitor Experience are $6 and free for children under 5. School groups receive free admission. Visit RioTinto.com for more information. (Photo courtesy Rio Tinto)

Attractions at the Visitor Experience include a display of large-scale mining equipment and other educational components. (Photo courtesy Rio Tinto)

Visitors of all ages can take the self-guided tour at the Visitor Experience which features a view of the active mining process. (Photo courtesy Rio Tinto)

The Rio Tinto Kennecott Visitor Center is open seven days a week, from April through October, weather permitting. (Photo courtesy Rio Tinto)

A view from the overlook at the Rio Tinto Kennecott Visitor Center. (Photo courtesy Rio Tinto)

SoJo’s 2024 Summerfest arriving sooner than you think

By Laura S. Crapo | l.crapo@mycityjournals.com

South Jordan City’s Summerfest coming right up!

The annual SoJo Summerfest is May 28 to June 1 and is the sign that summer has officially begun. It is an event chock full of fun options. This one of a kind event is something all South Jordan residents can be proud of because not many cities have such a variety of fun choices in two days. There will be something for everyone’s enjoyment. And, there will be a great variety of food and vendors!

On Friday and Saturday, there will be great daring performances that will catch viewer’s attention. It will be an amazing BMX 2020 act where extreme tricks will showcase skills of the riders. The extreme tricks on their BMX bikes will entertain all those watching.

A Parade Preview is the first activity on Friday where all interested can get a sneak peak of the city’s float. This year it will be carnival-themed. So, you can imagine all the colors, balloons and maybe even clowns.

Then SoJo Summerfest visitors can turn

their attention to more official type vehicles. Firemen and police officers will be showing off their ‘work cars’ – fire engines and police cars. And they can demonstrate all interested the inside lights, buttons and siren features. There may even be a street sweeper. So, enjoy learning about these vehicles and how they’re used to help people in the community.

The Kite Festival is fun because all interested can make their own kite. This event is held in Highland Park. People can test their new kites in the wide open space there. Please register at Register.sjc.utah.gov for the kite festival by May 12, because the slots fill up quickly. The Parade Preview and Kite Festival are being held in the city’s west side because most of the main event is at the city center.

“Registration is officially OPEN for all art enthusiasts, whether you’re a seasoned professional, a passionate amateur, a talented teen, or a budding young chalk artist,” said Tiffany Parker, South Jordan City’s arts

program coordinator. “You can also team up with your friends or family in our team categories. Join us on May 31 to June 1 for an unforgettable experience at SoJo Summerfest and immerse yourself in a festival atmosphere buzzing with energy, music, and, of course, incredible chalk art masterpieces!” For those interested in the Chalk Festival, please sign up soon. Registration at register.sjc.utah.gov closes on May 12.

Then, the SoJo Music Festival free twonight event takes place on Friday and Saturday. This live music will energize the atmosphere and let people know the party is in full force. Friday night kicks off with Ripcord Revival. This is a band of young, dynamic artists whose infectious energy and positive vibes will definitely encourage dancing!

“They’ve rocked stages across Utah, spreading their feel-good tunes and making every performance an unforgettable experience,” said Parker. “Runaway Fire will set the stage on fire with its mesmerizing vocals

and killer guitar solos, transporting you to a world of melodic magic reminiscent of rock legends like Soundgarden and Pixies.” The SoJo’s Music Festival’s grand finale on Saturday will be with Like a Material Girl. They’ll take you on a journey back to the iconic era of Madonna and other 80s divas. These fun and familiar tunes will have you singing along to every hit!

But wait, there’s more! For those wanting to submit a parade entry, or an entry for the car show, the deadline is Friday, May 17. The Car Show has cash prizes from $100 to $500. And the parade is on Saturday, June 1. It will begin at 9 a.m. sharp! Please register at sojoevents@sjc.utah.gov. Look under ‘Events’ on the city’s website, sjc.utah.gov for more details.

P.S. The fun won’t stop! The South Jordan City’s Movies in the Moonlight begin in June. l

Attractions of all kinds will be on hand for the SoJo Summerfest. (File photo City Journals)

The SoJo Music Festival will be Friday and Saturday of the Summerfest. (Photo contributed)

The carnival starts May 30 at City Park, 11000 S. Redwood Road. (File photo City Journals)

BMX bikers will showcase their skills on Friday and Saturday of the Summerfest. (File photo City Journals)

Sewer upgrade to benefit South Jordan, Riverton, Herriman

By Laura S. Crapo | l.crapo@mycityjournals.com

When sewer upgrades come to the top of Utah’s capital facilities project list, it’s apparent something big is coming. This is especially true when the project will affect 3 cities.

“Every three years we review the sewer systems so they don’t exceed their capacity,” said District Engineer Matthew Garn with the South Valley Sewer District.

The 11800 Sewer Upgrade project started on April 22 at 11800 S. and 2700 West in South Jordan and will be working from west to east. Existing sewer manholes will be removed and replaced. And piping will be upsized to meet current and future wastewater and sewer collection needs. The project will proceed into Riverton City and then conclude in the city of Herriman.

“We will jump around and be working in sections,” Garn said. “Working with cities and schools will help us provide the least impact.” They have spoken with Riverton High School to be aware of specific dates to possibly avoid. The UTA bus line’s schedule has also been considered. And, getting the sewer past the freeway is an important hurdle they have planned for.

To complete this lengthy four mile sewer project, the SVSD chose Red Pine Construction. Their reasoning was that using one contractor saves money. And multiple teams will be necessary to complete the various segments being upgraded. This is an intricate project. The crew will be balancing pipe replacement with some bypasses, boring and pumping to maintain sewer service. They will even be boring under the Mountain View corridor.

The planners were very mindful that the whole project will be using open-trenching. Traffic control with signs and cones will be in place. And drivers need to slow down and use caution in the construction areas. The Red Pine crew will be working Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is currently no night work planned. And Saturday work will only take place if needed.

“We like to be proactive and are responsible for this public outreach.” Andy Neff said, Langdon’s public information officer. In early April, representatives from Langdon started this effort. They shared an informational flyer and went door-to-door to advise about 800 residents and businesses of the upcoming project.

The goal from the very start was that everyone would be informed. Residents are encouraged to check their city’s website to stay updated on this big project’s progress. South Jordan’s website address is sjc.utah.gov. Residents and businesses can also reach out to the Langdon Group with any questions or concerns. Their email address is SVSD118@jub.com and hotline phone number at 385-743-2498. The whole sewer upgrade project is expected to finish up in April of 2026. With the efforts of everyone involved, this will be one project the state of Utah can check off their capital facilities to-do list. l

The planned map and direction for the sewer upgrade project.

Communicating the details of such a large project that affects so many was important. So SVSD chose the Langdon Group as their consultant to issue public information. They’ve already started emailing each city involved with a monthly status report. In turn, South Jordan, Riverton and Herriman will update their city websites.

Success with a spark: Bingham’s robotics team nails qualification rounds

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Bingham High’s 8-Bit Miners won five of its qualification rounds and competed in the play-off rounds Feb. 29-March 2 during the Utah Regional FIRST Robotics Competition, which was held at the Maverik Center.

In FIRST Robotics, the teams first are challenged to build industrial-size robots following strict rules and limited time and resources, while also fundraising to meet their goals, designing a team “brand,” and advancing respect and appreciation for STEM within the local community.

Then, at the regional competition, they take part in Crescendo, this year’s game themed around music. It involves two alliances consisting of three teams each competing to perform various tasks, including shooting rings known as “notes” into goals, and hanging on chains at the end of the match.

Sandy’s Waterford School’s Ravens grabbed seven wins in qualification rounds and won four of its five play-off matches to be an event finalist. They also received the Autonomous Award in Utah and at the Idaho Regionals, the Quality Award.

The school’s second team, First-Year Ravens, claimed five qualification wins.

Other Sandy teams competing in

Utah’s Regionals include Alta High’s ICARUS INNOVATED, which secured eight wins in qualification rounds and was an alliance captain in the play-offs. The team won the Team Sustainability Award sponsored by Dow in Utah and at the Idaho Regionals, the Creativity Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation.

Alta High’s second team, the New Hawks, won five qualification rounds.

Jordan High’s Gravediggers recorded four qualification round wins.

Murray’s AMES’ Amperes was awarded the Quality Award and grabbed two wins and Cottonwood High’s Underdogs won four qualification wins. Holladay’s Olympus High’s BityBots 8174 won four of its qualification rounds and Draper’s Corner Canyon High’s Charger Robotics won five of its qualification rounds.

Midvale’s Hillcrest High’s Husky Robotics won a qualification match and received the Team Spirit Award. In addition, Hillcrest’s sophomore Senya Walker received the FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Award and will be attending the World Championships. The team received the same awards at the Las Vegas Regional contest. l

Shields Lane open house start of study

By Laura S. Crapo | l.crapo@mycityjournals.com

South Jordan titled the first public open house concerning upgrades to Shields Lane: “What should the future look like for Shields Lane?” Residents responded and were able to look at detailed maps to focus their requests.

“This was the first part of the three-phased, eight-month Shields Lane Solution Development Study,” said Deputy City Engineer Jeremy Nielson. “There are a lot of homes, schools and trails that all use Shields Lane so the city believes it’s a good time to study the road and create this vision.”

The participants signed in with their emails to be on the list of participants. Then the c In looking at the maps and poster boards, it was clear South Jordan residents have strong opinions about what they would like to see happen. Sticky notes were available so people could make their thoughts clear. For example, several notes said ‘No Trucks.’

All of the data from the open house and survey will be combined. If you haven’t seen it, this survey can be found at shieldslane.com. The second phase of the study will include reviewing the criteria and identifying needs to be met. The project team will then develop models that would be plausible and effective. They will seek to model the planning process as does UDOT.

The study’s phase three will move forward with this solution development process. Planners will be narrowing down opportunities and solutions. Shields Lane is important because it’s one of three east to west corridors in South Jordan. Residents enjoy using it to drive, walk and roll. And the fact that two elemen-

tary schools and one middle school can be accessed from Shields Lane make its successful improvement uniquely crucial.

“Over the next several months the city will be engaging the public to gain an understanding of community goals and values, working to establish corridor needs and concerns, and eventually identifying solutions to put into action,” Nielson said.

The evening’s open house was a success because the planners were able to hear and see the thoughts of those involved. There will still be opportunity for engagement and input. They know many people are concerned about Shields Lane and the outcome of this process.

“The city wants to understand how much priority should be placed on traffic calming and making safer amenities for pedestrians, cyclists and other users,” Nielson said.

This study is being led by many groups involved and affected by what happens to Shields Lane. South Jordan City staff has a project team. Also connected to this study are Wasatch Front Regional Council staff, consultant firms and a Stakeholder Committee comprised of city leadership, residents, additional city staff, school and business representatives and regional transportation agencies.

Apparently there will be a long invitation list as this study moves on. As the findings are reviewed and analyzed, the planners will be able to prepare with more public involvement. As it stands, Nielson said the second open house date has not yet been set. But everyone is encouraged to keep updated about the study through South Jordan City’s website, sjc.utah.gov. l

Deputy City Engineer Jeremy Nielson speaks with residents regarding Shields Lane.

(Photo courtesy Darrin Crapo)

Bingham High’s 8-Bit Miners, seen here adjusting their robot, competed in the play-off round at the Utah Regional FIRST Robotics Competition. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Benefits of Deep Brain Stimulation

with Dr. Joel MacDonald

Deep brain stimulation is an important surgical treatment option for patients experiencing progressive symptoms from Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder with prominent impairment of movement including a disabling combination of tremor, rigidity (stiffness), and bradykinesia (slow movements). As these symptoms worsen, they interfere with daily function and diminish quality of life. Even simple daily tasks like using utensils to eat can be extremely difficult. Many patients notice declining effectiveness of medications over time.

Deep brain stimulation both directly improves these symptoms and allows medication doses to be decreased so that side effects are minimized. The process involves a brief surgical procedure under local anesthetic to implant electrodes within specific targets of the brain. The targets are selected based on the predominant symptoms. The electrodes are then connected to a small implanted stimulator that can then be programmed to improve movement function. Programming is done by a neurologist. Most patients recover from surgery quickly but optimal programming can take some time. This type of surgery has been routinely performed at Holy Cross Hospital - Salt Lake for several decades.

For more information about CommonSpirit Health and our Holy Cross hospitals, including information about neurological disorders, please visit www.holycrossutah.org.

As CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.

Infinity Jewels

9290 S. Village Shop Drive

801-900-9995 • Info@in nityjewelsusa.com

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Boys soccer: Bingham keeps on rolling, off to best start in two years

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

With the Bingham boys soccer program, success is expected year in and year out. Two years ago, the Miners team finished league play with a 9-1 record.

And, well, this edition is proving it might have what it takes to make a serious run at state.

With a good dozen seniors who were on the school’s sophomore and JV teams two years ago today, Bingham [8-3, 5-2 Region 2] sits at the top of the heap in league play thanks to balance on offense that includes a 4-0 win over Corner Canyon March 22, and a 2-0 win over rival Herriman March 25.

And that was just what the Miners were able to blast into the nets in one week in March.

To kick off April in style, Bingham outlasted Copper Hills 3-2 on April 3 and thumped Salt Lake Academy 4-1 on April 12.

There have been some speed bumps along the way for this 2023-24 version though. Bingham fell 2-1 at Mountain Ridge—after the Miners mounted a furious second half rally April 17. Even on the road at Corner Canyon on April 19, the Miners still scored a first half goal but eventually lost by the final count of 3-1.

No matter who the opponent is, when

they play against this Miners team, they’re having to give up a pound of flesh in the process.

And with two games left in the Region 2 season, Bingham had a real shot at winning the league title at press time—something the school hasn’t been able to do since 2021-22.

No matter what ends up happening for Bingham, it’s been a successful season for a team that returned 12 seniors and has had at least six players score at least one goal.

For the Miners, senior Dawson Jackson is leading the team in goals scored with six while junior Briggs Smith has five. Senior Kade Davis has tallied four goals for a Miners squad that has also seen junior Eli LaRosa score three and junior Sam Knox and senior Camden Behunin, one apiece.

Jackson also leads the team in assists, with four on the season. Senior Ben Pulsipher has assisted on three goals for Bingham, while senior Isaac Smith has two. Five other Miners have each contributed one assist: Briggs Smith, Grayden Olson, Joel Hodges, Nathan Gillet and Kade Davis.

Junior Riley Whicker has been impressive between the goal posts for the Miners and has posted three shutouts while senior Cayden Gillis has registered two. l

Donavin Lopez looks to switch the field for a Bingham team playing well this year. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Isaac Smith has provided mettle from the backline. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

With ace Brecka Larson on the hill, Bingham softball is in good hands

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

Last year, Brecka Larson got named to the 6A All-State Second Team. A pretty decent feat for any sophomore who had 78 strikeouts and won three of her six starts.

But, maybe Larson thought that since she K’d Riverton five times in the 6A bracket play, pitching 4 2/3 innings in a two-hit masterpiece and 7-6 win that she deserved more. Whatever happened last year, though, has got the junior on a roll this year. In just 12 games, Larson has already tossed 100 strikeouts—the fastest to 100 K’s in program history.

And now the Bingham junior is in position to threaten that modern-day Bingham record of 168 strikeouts thrown by Shelbee Jones during last year’s Miners’ state championship winning run.

By the time you read this, Larson may have already topped the modern-day record—she’s already sitting at 126, unofficially. In 15 games, Larson’s strikeout per game ratio of 8.4 is higher than all but one player in the entire state— Snow Canyon’s Avery Thorkelson has 212 strikeouts in 22 games pitched.

Back to the action: the Miners currently sit at 13-2 overall having lost to Riverton twice this season. Bingham got slammed 12-4 in the first game; then the rematch was every bit the slugfest that you’ve come to expect from this crosstown rivalry. Game two resulted in Bingham scoring the first three runs—and then Riverton scored the next seven runs to hand the Miners an 8-6 loss.

Bingham head coach Mikki Jackson, herself a softball Hall of Famer, would probably like this next stat since she’s a math teacher and nobody likes to talk about losing, anyhow:

in the next seven games, Larson could conceivably reach 200 strikeouts—she’d need to average 10.5 per game to do it.

Numbers are so much fun, aren’t they?

With an 11-2 record on the mound while leading your Bingham Miners team to a 13-2 record overall, anything is possible. All Larson has to do is try.

Any coach would tell you that threatening the all-time state strikeout mark is doable— Jackson has seen it done before. In 2010, Tori Almond threw 334 strikeouts for Bingham, second-best all-time in Utah high school softball. Her 734 strikeouts from 2007-10 rank Almond third on the state’s all-time list of K [strikeout, not K-Pop] artists.

As for the rest of this Bingham bunch, because it can’t be all about one player, there are many on the Miners who are swinging the bat with extreme impunity this season.

In addition to Larson, who’s also pretty handy with the bat [four home runs, 12 RBI], freshman Mackenzie Turner has slammed a team-leading five HR to go with nine RBI. The junior singing trio of Gracelyn Lemke, Rian Howland and Shyann Banasky have respectively hit 3-2-and-1 homers.

Turner, Lemke and Larson have each hit two triples, junior Brooklyn Fogg and sophomore Brenna Cowley have each hit one, and Howland and senior Oakley Clark lead Bingham with four doubles hit this season.

For Clark, who is headed to Dawson [Montana] Community College on a softball scholarship this summer after signing a letter of intent on Nov. 7, 2023, this season is it for her after sitting out a good chunk of last year due to injury.

At any rate, Bingham is back on the hunt for more sil-

verware. By the time you read this, the Miners will have wrapped up the Swing for Life tourney on April 27 and will be resuming region play with potentially that title on the line, provided Riverton slips up just a little bit. l

Brecka Larson hit 100 strikeouts very quickly this season. (File photo City Journals)

education SECTION

publication covering

With a little PREP in their step, underrepresented students are college-bound

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

“Without PREP, I'd be a loser right now,” West Jordan High School graduate Arlen Villalba Guerrero said. “I wouldn't be very far, just the same old boring stuff, getting ready to do a job that I didn't even enjoy.”

Arlen is one of 15 students graduating from high school with an Engineering Drafting and Manufacturing Technology Certificate of Completion from Salt Lake Community College through Jordan School District’s Pre-freshman Engineering Program (Jordan PREP).

Jordan PREP students, many of whom are typically underrepresented in STEM careers, take four years of science, technology, engineering and math summer courses to prepare to earn 30plus general and engineering college credits by the end of high school.

Arlen joined the program his sophomore year and immediately began to explore his options.

“Being in PREP, you get to think so early about how you're gonna get to what you want to do,” he said. “PREP makes you do so much better and shoot for so much more. I know everything I wanna do right now. I know exactly how to get where I wanna be, and I know exactly what I need to do to get where I wanna be.”

Arlen is now on the pathway to become an Air Force fighter jet pilot, with a head start and higher pay grade due to his college credits.

Natalia Solis said the PREP classes she took as a 12 year old helped her discover her interest in drafting and interior design. She is already on her way to earning a college degree, the first person in her family to do so.

First generation college students, those from economically disadvantaged families or underrepresented minority groups make up the majority of the

students in the Jordan PREP program, which recruits interested students from Title 1 designated schools to motivate and prepare them for STEM careers.

Jordan PREP Coordinator Stacy Pierce has been amazed by the students’ dedication to the program despite difficult life circumstances.

“You've got kids that you had no idea the challenges they had at home— and the challenges got far greater—and they're going to make it,” she said. “They're going to graduate from this program regardless of those challenges.”

She said the rigorous academic enrichment courses students take each summer during their middle school years, prepare them academically, socially and mentally for advanced courses in high school and increase their opportunities to attend college.

“Because it's not a camp—it's a rigorous academic program— I think that's been key to making these kids believe that they could do anything and pursue any career,” Pierce said.

She said the math courses have the biggest impact.

“Math is the gatekeeper that keeps kids out of, say, 80% of the higher paying jobs that help these kids break into a different economic level,” she said. “To help them maintain and build that math confidence—I think it's absolutely huge.”

Anna Fotheringham said staying academically active during the summer with PREP courses gave her an advantage.

“You learned a little bit of math before [school started], so when you did math [in school], you already kind of knew what you're doing,” she said. “So I feel like it gave me a step ahead in regular classes, and then also just in life, because we have a lot of college classes

done that kind of set us up to, if we want, pursue the certain career that they have set up for us to go into.”

When she was younger, Anna wanted to work in a nail salon but is now planning to earn a manufacturing degree.

“Doing programs like this made me realize that doing nails is not really going to give me enough money to live on my own, basically,” she said. “It made me realize I can do harder careers.”

Ayden Bascom said many of his friends don’t have a post-graduation plan yet, but that PREP taught him to think ahead.

“In PREP, especially with Stacy [Pierce], she tells you this earlier, to be prepared for life,” he said.

Natalia said the expectations set in PREP classes, especially during her middle school years, helped her set

higher goals.

“It pushed me into showing myself that I can do harder stuff than I had set myself to, because I had set my standards low for myself,” she said. “You can do much more harder things than you think you can.”

Lai Lai Havili almost dropped out of the program but is glad to be graduating high school with college credits he can use as a fallback plan if his dreams of playing in the NFL don’t work out.

Talon Johnson, who has always known he wants to be a chemical engineer, said the PREP program has not only given him a head start that will save him time and money, but the confidence to be successful in college.

“I have this foundation that a lot of other students may not, and I can push

Continued page 16

Jordan PREP Plus students will graduate high school with 30-plus college credits. (Photo courtesy of Stacy Pierce)

Unique traditions make graduation ceremonies special

By Jet Burnham and Julie Slama

Thousands of students will be graduating at the end of this month and each school will conduct their graduation ceremony with unique traditions, awards, celebrations and themes.

Students will be the main speakers at Providence Hall High School’s graduation ceremony. The student body president, two valedictorians and two other students will share their thoughts and wisdom with their peers.

“We really make it kid focused, so adults don't speak more than three minutes,” Principal Melissa McPhail said. “I feel like if we're waiting ‘til the last day to teach them something, then we have not done our job for four years.”

McPhail said one of the student speakers chosen to speak this year is not a well-known student but will share an impactful message.

“We get these kids who have had a unique journey through high school, and we catch the attention of those kids that weren't the activity type or the academic type,” she said.

Providence Hall’s graduation ceremony is always less than an hour and 40 minutes to ensure the students have time to celebrate with friends, family, and former elementary, middle and high school teachers who attend the ceremony. Of this year’s 155 graduates, 29 have attended Providence Hall since kindergarten.

After the speeches and diplomas, the students will leave the stadium as the ‘song of the year’ plays. McPhail chooses the song that best fits the graduating class. Last year’s song was Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” and in 2020, it was R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World As We Know It.”

“The kids really want to know all year what their song is going to be, but I wait until the day of graduation,” McPhail said.

Providence Hall’s ceremony will be held at the Zion’s Bank Stadium at nearby Salt Lake Academy, which also has a unique graduation tradition. Following the graduation ceremony, each Salt Lake Academy graduate receives five roses to give as a ‘thank you’ to their parents, teachers, counselors or friends.

“They get to present them to people

Continued from 15

myself to do more, to do better because of this foundation,” he said.

Talon will return to Jordan PREP in June as a tutor for some of the 220 PREP students taking classes this summer.

Many of this year’s program gradu-

who have influenced them along their journey,” school office manager Cheryl DeHeck said.

Gifts are also a part of South Valley School’s open house style graduation. Students and their families will also be treated to refreshments and a slide show highlighting each of this year’s 35 graduates.

Here is the pertinent information. ADA accommodations are available at all locations.

Academy of Math, Engineering and Science — An anticipated 118 students will take part in the school’s commencement exercises, which will feature nine student speakers and two musical numbers. The 90-minute ceremony will begin at 2 p.m., May 23 in Cottonwood High’s auditorium.

Alta High — About 545 seniors are to walk through commencement exercises at 10 a.m., May 29 at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center with Canyons Board of Education Vice President Amanda Oaks and Board member Holly Neibaur speaking and will be joined by Director of High Schools Tom Sherwood. This year’s theme is “Alta, Let’s Fly!”

American Academy of Innovation — About 60 seniors will take part in their commencement exercises. Graduation will be at 6 p.m., May 29 at Thanksgiving Point’s show barn.

American Preparatory Academy — At APA’s commencement ceremony, 52 students will graduate at 10 a.m., June 1 at the school. The APA Chorum Vita choir will be singing a Latin piece titled "Omnia Sol" by Z. Randall Stroope and "For Good" from the Broadway musical “Wicked.” The valedictorian will be selected in early May. The ceremony is by invitation only.

Beehive Science & Technology Academy — Twenty-three students will listen to their commencement speaker, Sandy City Council Member Marci Houseman at 7 p.m., May 23 at Salt Lake Community College’s Miller Free Enterprise Con-

ates were part of the first cohort of the Jordan PREP program which began the summer of 2018 with 25 seventh graders. It has since served over 300 students.

Nationwide, PREP is only a threeyear program. With grant money, a sponsorship by Merit Medical, and a partnership with Salt Lake Community College,

ference Center’s auditorium. This year’s valedictorian is James Nelson and salutatorian Lliam Delahunty.

Bingham High — Commencement exercises will be held at 5:30 p.m., May 30 in the UCCU Arena at Utah Valley University in Orem. The theme is from author T.S. Eliot, “The end is where we start from.” Speakers will include Jordan School District Superintendent Anthony Godfrey, Jordan Board of Education members Marilyn Richards and Bryce Dunford with Board president Tracy Miller and District Administrator of High Schools Brad Sorensen in attendance.

Brighton High — Canyons School District Assistant Superintendent McKay Robinson is scheduled to speak to 520 students who are expected to graduate at 2 p.m., May 29 at the Maverik Center. Joining him will be Canyons Board of Education President Amber Shill and former Board president Nancy Tingey. This year’s theme is “The future depends on what we do in the present,” by Mahatma Ghandi.

Copper Hills High — May 29, 6 p.m. UCCU Arena at Utah Valley University

“Be your best self”

Corner Canyon High — “Always

Jordan District’s program expanded to a PREP Plus program, continuing through high school to earn a college certificate and set the students up for a promising future.

“It so far exceeded anything I ever dreamed of when I first started the program,” Pierce said. “If they decide not to pursue any more education, they've

One” is the theme for 550 seniors who will graduate at 2 p.m., May 29 at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center. Canyons School District Director of High Schools Tom Sherwood is scheduled to speak. Joining him is Canyons Board of Education Vice President Amanda Oaks and Board member Holly Neibaur.

Cottonwood High — About 400 seniors will walk through the traditional commencement exercises at 10 a.m., May 24 at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center.

Cyprus High — May 23, 1 p.m. Maverik Center

Diamond Ridge — About 60 students will graduate at 6:30 p.m., May 28 at Eastmont Middle School’s auditorium. Canyons School District Director of High Schools Tom Sherwood is scheduled to speak. Joining him is Canyons Board of Education Vice President Andrew Edtl, former Board president Nancy Tingey and Board member Karen Pedersen. This year’s theme is by Canadian poet and author Rupi Kaur: “You don’t just wake up to become a butterfly. Growth is a process.”

Entrada — Canyons School District Director of High Schools Tom Sherwood is expected to address 135 soon-to-be graduates at 7 p.m., June 26 at Alta High School. Canyons Board of Education

got a sustainable livelihood, and then they also have the option to continue their education and have the means to pay for it.”

For more information, see prep.jordandistrict.org.

Former Sunrise students who studied at several Salt Lake Valley high schools reunited at their elementary school prior to their 2023 graduation ceremonies. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

President Amber Shill and Vice President Amanda Oaks will be present. The theme is “Winners never quit. We choose to win!”

Granger High — May 24, 7 p.m. Maverik Center

Granite Connection High — An open house will be held 4-7 p.m. on May 22 and 23 at Granite Connection High.

Granite Peaks High — June 5, 6:30 p.m.

Granite Peaks

Granite Transition Services — The graduation ceremony will be 10 a.m. on May 23 in the Granite Connection Auditorium.

Hartvigsen School — May 23, 12:30 p.m.

Hartvigsen gym

Herriman High — May 30, 7:30 p.m.

Herriman High Football Stadium “Here and Now”

Hillcrest High — About 480 seniors will turn the tassel at their 9:30 a.m., May 29 graduation at the Maverik Center. The speaker is Canyons School District Assistant Superintendent McKay Robinson. Joining him will be Canyons Board of Education Vice President Andrew Edtl and member Kris Millerberg. The theme comes from American businessman and writer, Max Depree: “We cannot become what we want by remaining what we are.”

Hunter High — May 24, 2 p.m. Maverik Center

Jordan High — Canyons School Board of Education Vice President Andrew Edtl and Karen Pedersen will address the 430 seniors at the 6:30 p.m., May 29 commencement ceremony at the Maverik Center. For their theme, the seniors selected “And the Beet Goes On,” to tie into their nickname, the Beetdiggers. Canyons School District Assistant Superintendent McKay Robinson will be in attendance.

Jordan Prep Plus — May 3, 10 a.m. Maverik Center

Jordan Valley — Canyons School District Special Education Director Nate Edvalson will talk to five students who will graduate at 3:30 p.m., May 24 at the Hillcrest High School’s fieldhouse gallery. Canyons Board of Education former president Nancy Tingey and Board member Kris Millerberg will join him. The theme is “Adapting to Change.”

Juan Diego Catholic High — The Baccalaureate Mass for 168 students in

the Class of 2024 will be held on May 21 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine Catholic Church. The commencement exercises will take place on May 25 at the school. Both events require a ticket to attend.

Kearns High — May 24, 9 a.m. Maverik Center

Kings Peak High — May 30, 6 p.m.

Hidden Valley Middle Auditorium

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”Eleanor Roosevelt

Life Skills Academy — Eight students will graduate at 12:30 p.m., May 28 at the school. The theme is a quote by author J.R.R. Tolkien; he said: “The greatest adventure is what lies ahead. Each day brings new possibilities for exploration and discovery.” Speaking will be Canyons School District Special Education Director Nate Edvalson and he will be joined by Canyons Board of Education President Amber Schill, former president Nancy Tingey and member Karen Pedersen.

Lone Peak High — May 22, 12:30 p.m.

BYU’s Marriott Center

Mountain Ridge High — May 30, 1 p.m.

UCCU Arena at Utah Valley University

“This is the Time”

Murray High — The graduation cer-

emony will be held at 11 a.m., June 6 at the Lifetime Activities Center on Salt Lake Community College’s Redwood Campus.

Olympus High — May 24, 2 p.m. Huntsman Center

Paradigm High — At 4 p.m., May 30, 55 seniors will graduate at the University of Utah’s Kingsbury Hall. The yet-to-benamed valedictorian will be the student speaker.

Providence Hall — May 24, 10 a.m.

Zions Bank Stadium

River’s Edge — “Level Up” is the theme for this year’s commencement, which will be held at 1 p.m., May 31 in the school’s auditorium. Speaking will be Jordan Board of Education President Tracy Miller and Jordan School District administrator Lisa Robinson. Joining them will be Board vice president Darrell Robinson and Board member Lisa Dean.

Riverton High — May 30, 8:30 a.m.

UCCU Arena at Utah Valley University

“Beginnings are usually scary, and endings are usually sad, but it's everything in between that makes it all worth living.” - Bob Marley

Salt Lake Academy — May 30, 10 a.m.

Zions Bank Stadium

Skyline High — May 24, 6 p.m. Huntsman Center

South Valley — May 29, 3 p.m.

South Valley School Cafeteria

“Chart Your Course”

Summit Academy High — May 30, 2 p.m.

Summit Academy High Gymnasium

Taylorsville High — May 23, 6 p.m.

Maverik Center

Valley High — Graduation will be held at 10 a.m., May 29 at Zions Bank Stadium at Real Academy in Herriman. This year’s theme is “The People, The Stories, The Experiences.” Speaking will be Jordan Board of Education President Tracy Miller and Jordan School District Administrator of High Schools Brad Sorensen with Board vice presidents Darrell Robinson and Niki George and Jordan District administrator Becky Gerber in attendance.

Waterford School — At 10 a.m., June 6, the school will honor its Class of 2024 on the campus’ east soccer field. About 70 students are expected to participate in the commencement exercises, which will feature Waterford’s vocal ensemble, the Troubadours, as well as a musical performance by the Lower School students. ADA access is on the southwest side of the field.

West Jordan High — May 29, 2 p.m. UCCU Arena at Utah Valley University

“We didn’t know we were making discoveries, we were just having fun.”A.A. Milne in Winnie the Pooh

Thousands of students and their families will attend graduation ceremonies this month, such as this 2023 Copper Hills High School graduation ceremony (Doug Flagler/Jordan School District)

PARADIGM SCHOOLS

Q & A Business Spotlight

I am a Paradigm Patriot. I am a free soul with the capacity to learn and grow. I am a scholar and a servant leader. I have gifts that make me unique and powerful. I engage in the great conversation of ideas. I can overcome hard things and persist in my learning no matter how challenging. I take responsibility for my actions. I live in gratitude. I honor the nobility in every person. I seek the true, the good, and the beautiful. I accept my shared responsibility to create a free society and a better world.

This is the Paradigm Declaration, recited every morning by our scholars and staff. This is our way of reminding ourselves about what our values mean to us and of our role in our society.

Paradigm Schools was founded in 2006 by a group of families who homeschool their children. They wanted to find a school that was founded on principles of freedom and utilized classical educational philosophies.

At Paradigm, we see ourselves as a resource to families. One of our foundational principles is that parents are the primary educators for their children and that schools are to serve as a resource to families, not as experts over parents. It is our view that parents hold

Paradigm Schools

the responsibility to teach their children math, science, reading, and so on, but because parents can’t do it all, this is where a school comes in to assist. A school should be used as a way to help fulfill a family’s educational goals and work in partnership to provide the best learning and growing experience. This is exactly what we do!

Our commitment is to be the best resource to families we can be by working with families to provide high-quality educational experiences through our unique program for the scholars who attend our school and are ready for this type of education. We provide a classical liberal arts education with a Socratic discussion method used in the classroom. We want our scholars to learn how to think and not what to think. We believe this is the key to becoming well-rounded and productive individuals.

Of course, scholar experience is of great importance to us! We offer many curricular and extracurricular activities including performing arts, after school clubs, athletics, and more. Our performing groups, band, orchestra, choir, and dance company participate in travel tours and we produce a school musical each year. Our athletes participate in a charter/private school league in cross country, volleyball, basketball and soccer. There is something for everyone at Paradigm. If any of this sounds appealing to you or you think your child could benefit from a school with a safe environment and a challenging educational experience, please visit our website, www.paradigmschools.org, to sign-up for a tour or to apply for enrollment.

Former Bingham head coach Eric Jones says new Bingham coach Josh Johnson is one to watch

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

The last time Bingham High School needed a new head football coach, administration went in a different direction. They sent feelers out far and wide, and after a few rounds of interviews, Roy defensive coordinator Eric Jones got the job after coach Dave Peck retired.

In an interesting turn of events, Jones then hired the legendary Fred Fernandes as the offensive coordinator and associate head coach at BHS despite having been Roy’s head coach at the time. Together, Jones and Fernandes and the rest of Bingham’s coaching staff guided the Miners back to the big stadium on the hill [Rice-Eccles Stadium] for the first time in several years, reaching the 6A semifinals in their first year and the 6A quarterfinals in their second year.

But, Jones is a math teacher with a young family and so he told City Journals in an exclusive that it was better for him and the program to step down after two years and leave it in the hands of someone else who lived closer. So, Bingham turned back around to find another coach and Jones himself recommended Josh Johnson.

“He’s a perfect fit! For me personally, Josh was very helpful and supportive when I had the opportunity to coach at Bingham,” Jones said.

“He [Johnson] was a tremendous assistant and special teams coach while we worked together. He was instrumental in helping me learn the lay of the land around Bingham and its storied football program. I’m very thankful and appreciative of Josh and how much he helped me.”

Johnson was hired as the Miners’ fourth head coach since 2015 this past winter and he brings both a wealth of knowledge and experience. As a Bingham alum who played there and at Snow College, Johnson has a total of 20 years of experience as an assistant in various capacities—two alone under Jones on the Miners’ varsity as Bingham’s special teams coordinator. Johnson has also served as Bingham’s offensive coordinator and as the Miners’ JV head coach and OC, as well as receivers coach.

In his 20th season in some way, shape or form as a Bingham coach, Johnson will head into the 2024-25 season with a new title, a brand new Jumbotron that you’ve really got to see to believe at Ron Thorne Stadium and a team filled with experienced kids who either went to the 6A quarterfinals last year or the 6A semifinals in the 2022 season.

For Jones, he holds no ill will toward anyone at Bingham and wishes the new head coach of the Miners and everyone associated with the program all the best going forward.

“The program is in great hands with a fantastic staff and a very talented roster,” Jones said, who is now the head coach at Westfield, a new high school in West Weber County. “I’m excited for them and the great season I suspect they’re about to have. I’ll be following closely and cheering for some Miner Magic in November!” l

Rio Tinto Kennecott has engaged Voconiq to deliver Local Voices to help them better understand the needs, concerns and priorities of your community.

Have your say and help Rio Tinto Kennecott understand what matters most to you and your community.

groups.

Rio Tinto Kennecott is excited to announce the launch of a new community engagement initiative called Local Voices, an innovative program designed to provide community members with an opportunity to confidentially share their views and experiences with the company.

Local Voices is delivered by Voconiq, a third-party global research company. Local Voices invites residents 18 years and older to participate in a series of online surveys aimed at gathering insights, feedback and suggestions directly from those who live and work near Kennecott operations. Local Voices provides insights into how community members feel about a range of topics including the impacts and benefits associated with the Kennecott operations, the effectiveness of company community investment programs, and the nature of the relationship between community members and the company.

Follow-up surveys will be conducted every year to track key issues identified in the first ‘anchor’ survey and provide regular opportunities for community members to give their feedback. Survey results will be used to inform and refine business and community investment plans and to guide Kennecott’s operational and business decisions.

“The approach allows a dynamic interaction between company and community that aims to increase understanding on all sides, build trust and strengthen relationships for better community outcomes,” said Voconiq CEO Kieren Moffatt. “Local Voices is a way to help communities engage with the companies that operate alongside them.”

One of the key features of the Local Voices program is its commitment to confidentiality. Participation is 100% confidential, with no personal details shared with Rio Tinto Kennecott. This ensures that individuals can express themselves openly and honestly.

Voconiq thanks community members for their contributions by donating to local not-for-profit groups, directly benefiting the local community.

The first Local Voices survey opens May 6, 2024. For more information, to participate in Local Voices visit https://voconiqlocalvoices.com/riotinto/kennecott

New Bingham head football coach Josh Johnson. (Photo Bingham Miners Athletics)

CDBG funding approved for ADA ramps, three nonprofits

By Tom Haraldsen | t.haraldsen@mycityjournals.com

South Jordan City leaders have approved their plan for using Community Development Block Grants for this year. (City Journals)

South Jordan City leaders have approved their plan for using Community Development Block Grants for this year. The city is in the final year of its five-year Annual Action Plan for disbursement of the federal money, which South Jordan has been receiving each year since 2012.

These federal funds are intended to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons. The city’s CDBG program is designed to support family and individual stability, self-reliance and prosperity.

Following a public hearing on April 2, the council approved funds for three public service projects and one ongoing municipal improvement project. The city expects to receive about $220,000 again this year, as it has in the past. Of that amount, 15% is used for public services, 20% for administrative costs, and the rest to take care of hard-costs associated with neighborhood improvements.

This year’s grant will be used as follows:

The Legal Aid Society will be allocated $8,000, the South Valley Sanctuary will

receive $15,000, and The Road Home will be given $10,000. The bulk of the grant will go towards ADA ramp upgrades for a total of $146,674.94, to be precise.

According to the city’s website, in 2022, South Jordan City’s Public Works Department identified 1,184 ADA ramps throughout the community that need to be upgraded, including some that are not owned by the city. Beginning in PY24, the city’s Engineering Department will be re assessing the non-compliant ramps to fur ther categorize which ones need more sub stantial work (grading, etc.) to bring them into compliance.

Low- and moderate-income areas will help drive priority on these ADA upgrades. Since project funding amounts and bids affect which areas can be completed, the set of ramps to be upgraded will be deter mined when the project goes out to bid. It is expected that in addition to benefit ing those with disabilities, ADA ramp up grades benefit low and moderate income areas as well. About half of the LMI areas have been brought into compliance.

Administrative and planning services will be funded with the additional $44,000. l

Slow but steady, this Bingham baseball team is stuck at the top of Region 2

All season long, the Bingham Miners baseball team has been steadily moving up the ladder in Region 2.

Truth be told, the non-league portion of the schedule was more or less break-even.

As the Miners entered league play though, they won three in a row: they swept Copper Hills in a three-game series, got one win out of three versus Corner Canyon and started a three-game set with Mountain Ridge on Tuesday April 23, winning that first game, too.

All told, Bingham [11-9, 5-2 Region 2] is off to its best start in two years, thanks to the always-reliable Kam Beck who last year ended the season as a 6A Honorable Mention and came into this year looking for even more from himself.

Well, Beck has nearly equaled his totals from last year [4 home runs, 19 RBI] and should surpass it by the time this series is over with Mountain Ridge. Junior Talon Van Sickle has been another vital piece to the puzzle for Bingham; he too has already exceeded his totals from last season [1 HR, 9 RBI].

Others like junior Dylan Frank [1 HR, 4 RBI] and freshman Alex Dabo [1 HR, 4 RBI] have also packed a punch at the plate. Seniors Abraham Atencio and Tyson McBride probably look awfully familiar from the football team—but they’ve also contributed mightily for the Miners.

Atencio’s three triples and 18 runs that he’s driven in give Bingham another dimension; so does the athletic McBride, who in a fairly similar role to his defensive back position on the football field, mans the outfield in baseball parlance. McBride is, of course, a member of Utah football royalty but he’s also lethal with that bat, having already hit

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

18 RBI.

Junior Bauer Williams is behind the plate and has also had a productive season; his 15 RBI put him near the top of Bingham’s players as well.

On the pitcher’s mound stands senior Hayden Visser. More or less considered the Miners’ ace, Visser has a 4-1 record thus far and has tossed 19 strikeouts. Junior Boston Snyder has a 2-1 record with 25 strikeouts on the season that included a 6-2 win over Corner Canyon where he had 7 K’s on the afternoon of Friday, April 19.

Senior Austin Wheeler is Bingham’s big lefty; he has a 1-1 record on the season and fanned six Corner Canyon batters in a 1-3 loss on Wednesday, April 17. In all, the Miners have a fairly small pitching staff; they’ve played about a half-dozen kids over the first 17 games.

Of course, keep in mind that there’s still lots of baseball left to be played under veteran head coach Joey Sato, who may reach his 450th win by the time the Miners are headed to the 6A state tournament in mid-May.

By the time you read this, the Miners will have completed the three-game series with Mountain Ridge and started another three-gamer against rival Herriman.

After that, it’s the crosstown rivalry versus Riverton. Ironically, the Miners sit atop the Region 2 standings in a three-way tie for first with the Silverwolves and Corner Canyon at 5-2. One has to think that some of that puzzle will be solved by the time the Bingham-Riverton showdown goes down May 1, 3 and 7.

The UHSAA RPI has Bingham firmly in the upcoming 6A state tourney as the No. 7 ranked team; the only real ques-

tion is whether the Miners can hang onto what would be a first-round bye and perhaps even host a Super Regional.

With a team that has nine seniors but is absolutely loaded with juniors who returned from last year’s version that got out of the Super Regional but failed to advance past 6A Bracket Play, there is a lot of experience here. l

Austin Wheeler pitches during Bingham’s series against Mountain Ridge. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

HAttend best-selling historian-writer event to support student education

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

e is a British historian, broadcaster and award-wining journalist. He is New York Times bestselling author of “Powers and Thrones,” “Crusaders,” “Wars of the Roses,” “Magna Carta,” “Essex Dogs” and more. He is coming to Utah.

Dan Jones will speak on May 16 at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, 255 S. West Temple St., as part of a Jordan Education Foundation fundraiser to provide more opportunities to students in Jordan School District.

“Dan has a huge global following, and he hasn’t been to the U.S. since way before COVID, so we’re excited to have this opportunity to bring him here,” Mike Haynes said, Jordan Education Foundation executive director.

There are three levels of support. One is a $300 ticket for an individual or $3,000 for a table of 10 that includes the 6 p.m. dinner and program as well as a signed copy of “Powers and Thrones,” or another option is a $500 individual or $5,000 table that also includes a 5:30 meet and greet with the writer.

The third option is event partner, who pay $10,000 and will be recognized during the event.

“I have more than 100 Jordan District teachers who would like to attend this event and I’d love to have companies sponsor them so the companies can go along with the teachers for this experience,” Haynes said.

As capacity is limited to about 325, Haynes is looking into a virtual experience that will have a fee to access.

“We’re looking at more ways to allow people to hear him speak and it also will help our students and teachers in our

British historian, broadcaster and author Dan Jones will speak in May to help raise funds for school children sponsored by Jordan Education Foundation. (Photo courtesy Jordan Education Foundation)

district,” he said.

To register, go to www.jordaneducationfoundation.org/authornight.

Through its vision and mission, the Jordan Education Foundation supports nearly 58,000 students who attend 69 schools in South Jordan, West Jordan, Riverton, Bluffdale, Herriman and Copperton by engaging the community to provide resources and enhance educational experiences, improve education outcomes and assist students in the classroom. l

MURRAY PARK

Murray Park Amphitheater (495 East 5300 South)

Tickets: Scan the QR code or use link below in a web browser!

https://www.strideevents.com/events/murray-park-amphitheater/2024/tickets

Pianos for Schools provides keynotes for growing minds

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Michelle Willis started playing the piano at 5 years old. In fourth grade, she picked up the violin. Then she tried to learn any musical instrument she could get her hands on. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Boise State University and teaches at Early Light Academy, a charter school in South Jordan.

Willis understands the value of music and is passionate about ensuring that Utah students have access to pianos and music programs, especially in underserved communities in the state.

In the wake of budget cuts that affect music and arts programs across the country, Willis founded Pianos for Schools to address the need for music education in the classroom.

“It doesn’t matter where you live in this world, music is a universal language,” she said. “I’ve seen in the junior high where I teach that life is tough for these teenagers…Being able to come into a music class where you can do something that speaks to your soul and improves your mood and helps you deal with emotions that you have, there’s nothing like it.”

The Pianos for Schools’ mission is to foster creativity and a lifelong appreciation for music by providing new and used pianos to schools in need. Willis has set a goal to raise $50,000 by July 31 to place 10 pianos in Utah

schools. The foundation will collaborate with communities and educators to find areas with the greatest need.

According to the National Association for Music Education, students involved in music programs are more likely to attend college and demonstrate higher reading and math skills. However, in many schools, music education

nos,” she said. “We know that it’s going to be used for years. A good piano can last 50 years if it’s taken care of. So, we’re talking about generations of students who will have the opportunity to use it and perpetuate music.”

Willis said research shows music education can help students perform better academically, increase their social skills and emotional well-being, and enhance cognitive skills. She strongly believes music should be integral to a child’s education.

Pianos for Schools invites community members, businesses and music enthusiasts to contribute to the foundation’s efforts. The foundation aims to create a future where every student has access to the transformative power of music.

The charity accepts monetary donations but also takes pre-owned pianos from churches, schools or families to donate to schools. For more information, visit PianosForSchools.org or contact Willis at info@pianosforschools.org

remains underfunded and overlooked.

Last year, Willis and her husband were able to donate four pianos. One to a school, one to a church, one to a Rotary club and one to a family whose piano had been stolen from a U-Haul. It sparked the idea for the nonprofit, a mission Willis has been happy to create.

“They were just thrilled to have the pia-

“If you want to talk about music on a scientific level, just the physics of it, everything connected to the earth and music is those frequencies that can heal in a way that nothing else can,” she said. “It is super deep. Music is healing and powerful in ways that no other ways can be.” l

The Pianos for Schools foundation places pianos in schools to help students benefit from music education.

(Photo courtesy Pianos for Schools)

Over the last few years, more readers are emailing us about the Life and Laughter columns that run in the Journal. Last month, realizing the topic was more controversial, we decided to ask for reader feedback. Our readers left nearly 200 responses.

Over 60 percent of readers agreed with the article. Here is a small sampling of the comments that we received from our readers.

“I always love Peri Kinder's articles. I am on the same page with her politically. However, the length and tone of her articles make clear they are written for people who already agree with her - not for people on the fence or are looking for information on a topic”

“Peri inspired some thoughts that I hadn't paid much attention to.”

“Peri's bigotry is showing. No one should have to apologize for their sex, race, income status, or sexual orientation, unless of course, according to Peri, you’re a straight white male in Utah. Replace white with black and male with female in her piece and maybe you’ll be able to recognize the vitriol for what it is. Women are entitled to safe, private spaces, and I guarantee that if there were a man pretending to be a woman ogling at Peri in the bathroom, she might feel just a wee bit uncomfortable. As a woman, I’m tired of feminists telling me to “just get over it” and that my feelings don’t matter. Must I once again subjugate my desires in deference to a man who wants things his way? Maybe you should ask the girl in Virginia who was sexually assaulted by a transgender girl in the girls’ bathroom at school. Just because Peri doesn’t mind men in her bathroom doesn’t mean the rest of us aren’t traumatized by it. The Legislature did absolutely the right thing, carefully balancing the rights of transgender people with women’s right to privacy and safe separate spaces.”

“Biological men do not belong in the same restroom as women. I do not want my children to ever be in a bathroom where a man is present. Just because the author has

Life and Laughter Reader Response

not encountered a “creepy man dressed as Mrs. Doubtfire, accosting women in the restroom,” does not mean this has not occurred. There are numerous cases where women have been assaulted by so called transgender info inside of women’s restrooms, for example, the case in Louden County VA.”

“I really like a lot of her articles but I am very opposed to pretty much everything she said in this one.”

“I agree with most of the comments about the legislature. However, I do not want transgender (born male) in my women's bathroom. They can use the family bathrooms which are becoming much more available.”

“Responding to "the article" as a whole cannot be done here because many different opinions were expressed on many issues. My only reaction to the overall article is "what happened to laughter"? I have often enjoyed your humor but this article had none! That's sad.”

"I agree that Trans women should not be allowed in the female bathrooms. Why? Because they are not women. There are only two genders. There always have been two genders and that cannot change. It is not dependent on what we think we are or are not.

We cannot and should not change the gender given to us by our Creator. I think He knows best.”

“Also, the author makes it sound like not allowing Trans women in a female bathroom is being unloving...love thy neighbor. Since when does disagreeing with someone's lifestyle directly correlate to being unloving? In any relationship we have with others, there are likely times we don't fully agree with someone's opinion or choices. We can still love that person, but not agree with their actions or lifestyle. These days it seems that if you disagree in any way with diversity, equity and inclusion you are labeled a hater. How is it that everyone else is entitled to their opinion but if mine is different in any way, I am wrong. How is that loving? We live in a free country that allows us to have a variety of opinions and express those opinions in a respectful way. But we also have to understand that not everyone is going to agree with each other and that is OK. With the bathroom issue, single stall bathrooms that allow either gender is the best solution in my opinion."

“Agree 100%. Peri is right. Sometimes it is embarrassing to live in this state with the things the legislature worries about and focuses on, and the bills they pass. There are more important problems to deal with than worrying about which bathrooms people are using, fighting DEI, and what books kids should or shouldn’t be reading. Frankly I think some of these things send the wrong message; I fear the kids are only learning that the adults don’t trust them to make good decisions. Or any decisions at all which will only lead to more problems down the road… an even more intolerant society with no critical thinking skills which is never a good thing.”

“This article is right. I couldn't agree more with all of Peri Kinder's articles. This one is my favorite.

I usually read the Peri Kinder column to get a good chuckle but this one hit the nail right on the head.”

“Thanks for printing this. I'm a trans woman who lives here and this was nice to see. I worked at the airport before, now I'm looking for a new job. It's been a rough couple of years for trans people and can seem overwhelming at times. Thanks for reminding me there's allies out there.”

“Peri is so sensible. I appreciate her writing this column.”

"I completely agree. We have a short legislative session and too much time and efforts were made supporting hatred and exclusion, singularity of thought and government being for themselves instead of for the people.

Read the polls: none of this is what the majority of voters are asking for.”

“It is so refreshing to read an opinion driven by common sense and compassion, rather than ignorance and fear. I know people in Utah are more compassionate than those who represent them, based on proposed legislation.”

“I look forward to Peri Kinder's article every month. This article was especially "spot on". Government needs to be more transparent! Not hidden behind so called "privacy" laws that block access to to the daily calendar of elected officials. I also agree with Peri's stance on public restrooms. Nobody goes into a restroom 'looking for" a transgender. They are there to "do their business" and leave asap! I have noticed that airports, some restaurants, and some of the wonderful theaters (Pioneer Theatre's new Meldrum Theatre and The Eccles) have an open doorway. The stalls allow for individual privacy, but the rooms are open and very visible. This is the first time I have used my scanning code. I felt it was important to express my point of view.”

“Acceptance has been slow over the years, but acceptance of the reality is gaining more support as people learn about their families.”

“I question the comments about guns in schools but clearly agree with the rest.” l

My dog, Jedi, runs to the closet where her leash hangs. She spins in circles as I take it off the hook and click it on her collar. She bites the leash and pulls because I’m just not moving fast enough. She is so happy to walk the neighborhood and terrorize small animals.

Usually, these daily walks cheer me up, but recently, I follow behind her like I’m wearing cement shoes on a muddy beach. Does anyone else feel soul-tired?

I’m the weariest I’ve been since my daughters were newborns when sleeping two hours a night left me moving through life in a haze of dirty Pampers and milk-sour T-shirts.

But what’s my excuse now? I’m a deflated balloon, bouncing along the floor without the helium needed to float. I’m too weary to yawn, too sluggish to nap.

I guess I’m not alone because author and computer science professor Cal Newport said we’re in the throes of “The Great Exhaustion.”

It’s not about getting more sleep, it’s not about eating more fiber or fewer Hostess Twinkies, it’s a complete burnout because rest is a sign of weakness.

Taylor Swift recorded a double album while performing in a sold-out global tour

Dead on My Feet

and then flew halfway around the world to catch her boyfriend’s little football game. And here I am, struggling to write a column and make it to my granddaughters’ soccer games.

I sprawl on the couch watching dust accumulate on the end tables, too fatigued to do anything about it. I pray a brisk breeze blows through the house, scattering the dirt back to the floor where it belongs.

I feel a lot of people are in this same engineless boat. It doesn’t help that companies now require employees to return to the office, even though the flexible, at-home schedules have kept thousands of women in the workplace. Even though, for the first time in history, job schedules have helped women feel like work and home are almost manageable.

Our energy is also being drained fast-

er than our bank accounts because we’ve trained ourselves to be 24/7 content creators. We spend a crapload of time making reels about our trip to the Grand Canyon or a TikTok video about how to raise goats and make goat milk ice cream.

But there’s more! Start a tech company during your free time! Renovate your kitchen and use time-lapse videos to share with the world! Become an Instagram influencer by creating beauty masks using pencil shavings! Document all the moments all the time and share on all the platforms!

With nonstop information from streaming shows, music, podcasts, audiobooks and social media going directly into our big noggins, our brains are tired. Every person in your household (and possibly your pets) is processing information at speeds unheard of just a few years ago. There’s probably smoke coming out of our ears.

It’s a firehose of electronic data. Everything is breaking news. Everything is trying to capture our brief attention. Life is one big clickbait link and we doomscroll like we’ve been enchanted by a wizard to sell our souls for just a little more spilled tea.

The funny thing is, we can turn it off, silence the noise and deactivate the notifications. But our cortisol addiction is out of control.

So what do we do?

Jedi has the right idea. Walking outside, breathing fresh air, maybe even chasing a cat up a tree reminds us the small things matter. Quiet rituals are important. “The Great Exhaustion” is a bone-deep weariness but also a reminder we’re not alone as we stumble through life.

Maybe in sharing our weariness, we can find a listening ear, a comforting shoulder or a Hostess Twinkie.

iospirals@yahoo.com ioironrails.com