The Davis Journal | May 24, 2024

By Becky Ginos

LAYTON—Layton Elementary fifth graders have only read stories of the Vietnam War in their history books. Last week, though, they had a chance to look for the names of actual soldiers who died in the war on a field trip to the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Layton. The replica of the wall in Washington, D.C. was dedicated in 2018 and has more than 58,000 names on it. The children researched the names of those killed and picked one to learn more about and to find their name on the wall.

Jim and Linda Crismer and other veterans talked to the kids and gave them some facts about the wall and also the War Dog statue that sits near it. The Crismers had two war dogs with them that became the crowd favorites.

“Jeli is a narcotics detection dog,” said Linda. “Her job was to find illegal drugs that terrorists were selling to finance their attacks. She was in Kuwait for four years. We’ve had her for six years.”

Fighter the biter is an old dog, she said. “He’s over 12 years old. He served in Turkey for nine years. He was an explosion detection dog.”

The statue to honor the dogs is of the first war dog Mazzie who worked in Kuwait and was adopted by the Crismers. “There were about 5,000 dogs in Vietnam that served with American soldiers,” said Linda. “About 300 dogs were killed while serving, the rest were classified as equipment and were not brought back, 4,500 dogs were abandoned in Vietnam.”

If the dogs hadn’t been there there’d be 10,000 more names on the wall, she

see WALL: pg. 3

Simulated air taxi vertiport demonstration shows what the future of transportation could be

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

LAYTON—Wouldn’t it be nice to be above the traffic rather than caught in the middle of it down below? The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) in collaboration with Utah State University (USU) successfully launched the state’s first air taxi during a demonstration Monday from a “vertiport” in the parking lot of the Davis Conference Center using a Bell 505 Helicopter. The simulated air taxi launch was to demonstrate how aircraft can take off and land with minimal impact to homes and businesses nearby.

The demonstration comes after years of in-depth research to find locations for vertiports along the Wasatch Front, a UDOT release said. Those can be on the tops of office buildings, in parking lots and at airports.

see TAXI: pg. 5

A BELL 505 HELICOPTER comes in for a landing in the parking lot of the Davis Conference Center. The simulated air taxi launch was to demonstrate how aircraft can take off and land with minimal impact to homes and businesses nearby.

By Josh McFadden joshm@mycityjournals.com

The Farmington boys soccer team has a chance to win its first-ever state championship in the school’s young history.

The Phoenix. Class 6A’s top seed, will vie for the title on Thursday when they face the second seed in the tournament, American Fork. Getting to the championship wasn’t easy for Farmington.

The 16-1 Phoenix had a tough matchup on Tuesday with Pleasant Grove, the fourth seed. Ben Wright scored for Farmington in the first half, but Pleasant Grove matched that goal with one of its own to deadlock the score at halftime. Neither team scored in the second half, so the contest went to two overtime periods. There was no scoring in overtime either, meaning penalty kicks would decide which team would advance to the 6A championship.

Thanks to stellar play in the net from goalkeeper Jaxon Beynon and some precision shooting, Farmington prevailed.

The Phoenix made four shots in the shootout to two for Pleasant Grove. Beynon, who had seven shutouts on the season coming into the game, had some key saves in the shootout. Farmington kept its season going in its bid to capture the top prize in 6A.

The close call followed a 2-0 victory in the quarterfinals on May 16 over Skyridge. Playing at home, Farmington got two goals in the

DAVIS PLAYER KYLE LIVERMORE takes the ball down the field.

Photo courtesy of Dillon Richens

LAYTON ELEMENTARY FIFTH GRADER LUKE DABB points to the name of a soldier on the Vietnam Memorial Wall replica that he researched for his U.S. History class. Veterans gave the kids a tour of the wall on a field trip last week.

Photo by Becky Ginos

Photo courtesy of UDOT

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Compiled by Peri Kinder

The Bountiful Tabernacle – a fixture in the community

North Salt Lake Food Trucks Night

Monday, May 27, 5-8 p.m.

Legacy Park, 1140 W. 1100 North

Boomers & Birding

Wednesday, May 29, 10-11 a.m.

Boomers are invited for a social hour to converse and go birding with peers

Eccles Wildlife Education Center, 1157 S. Waterfowl Way, Farmington

K-Pop Event with Cupbop

Friday, May 31, 5-8 p.m.

Music, dancing and games for all ages

Cupbop, 743 King St, Layton

Rocky Mountain Shakespeare Company presents “The Merry Wives of Windsor” May 31-June 1, 6 p.m. FREE

North Canyon Park Amphitheater, 3900 Bountiful Blvd., Bountiful

North Salt Lake Summer Trail Series

Saturday, June 1, 8 a.m.

Wild Rose Trailhead Parking Lot, 609 Skycrest Lane, NSL

Weber Basin Water Learning Garden Fair

Saturday, June 1, 8 a.m. - noon, FREE Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, 2837 E. UT-193, Layton

Birding 101

Saturday, June 1, 10-11 a.m., FREE All ages can learn about birding in Utah (binoculars provided)

Eccles Wildlife Education Center, 1157 S. Waterfowl Way, Farmington

Safe Kids Day

Saturday, June 1, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., FREE

Learn about child and family safety

Northridge High School, 2430 N. Hill Field Road, Layton

Free Sunday Concert Series:

Bridging Betty

Sunday, June 2, 7 p.m.

Ed Kenley Amphitheater, 403 N. Wasatch Drive, Layton

Memorial Day Events

Memorial Day Boot Display

Honoring Utah’s Fallen Service

Members

May 24-27, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Ogden Union Station, 2501 Wall Ave.

Lindquist Mortuaries

Butterfly Release

A celebration of loved ones lost Thursday, May 30, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Lindquist Layton Memorial Park, 1867 N. Fairfield Rd., Layton

Memorial Day Utah Pipe Band Concert

Hosted by Bountiful Mayor Kendalyn Harris

Sunday, May 26, 7 p.m., FREE Memorial Lakeview Mortuary & Cemetery, 1640 Lakeview Dr., Bountiful

Bountiful Veterans Park Memorial Day Remembrance Monday, May 27, 11 a.m.

Bountiful Veterans Park, 690 S. 100 East

Kaysville Memorial Day Program

Monday, May 27, 10-11:30 a.m.

Featured speaker: Lorin Jeppsen Kaysville City Cemetery, 500 Crestwood Rd.

Send event info to peri.k@davisjournal.com for inclusion in the Davis Journal community calendar.

By Braden Nelsen braden.n@mycityjournals.com

BOUNTIFUL—Whether they’ve driven past it on their way to work, attended events there, or even relaxed on the front lawn for a parade or event, most Bountiful residents have had some experience with the beautiful big white building called the Bountiful Tabernacle. It’s in the center of downtown Bountiful, and hard to miss, but many don’t know the full story.

When the early settlers from the east arrived in the area, there was very little here. The native inhabitants, the Northwest Shoshone, didn’t have permanent settlements in Davis, but there was plenty of potential for many people to call the area home. However, significant challenges lay ahead: leaving an established home and city, and after an arduous trek of nearly 1,000 miles, enduring many hardships, they now had to start all over again, this time in a high desert.

“They had to create an entire community from scratch,” said Emily Utt, a historian with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “what do you need for a community?” As many eastern settlers coming to the area were part of a religious community, the sentiment was that the best way to start a community was with a place of worship: a church.

That’s exactly how the Bountiful Tabernacle was started: in 1857, just eight short years after Daniel C. Davis himself had put down roots in what would become Farmington, a meetinghouse was started. It was planned that the meetinghouse would be deemed a tabernacle, and one that would serve not just one congregation or ward, but many throughout the region. “It was meant to be the center of the community,” explained Utt.

Not only would the Tabernacle be the center of the community, but the materials used to build it would come from the community itself. Having just walked across the entire midwest, and leaving most of their worldly possessions behind, the residents of what would become Bountiful did not have the resources or money to import materials from other parts of the region, but instead, used what they had: adobe.

The Bountiful Tabernacle, as it stands today, was made from local adobe, lumber from the nearby canyon, and covered in a lime-based stucco, with the only purchased materials

being nails, glass, and ingredients for the paint to beautify the building. The design for the building came from a man named Augustus Farnham, a Massachusetts-born carpenter and local of Bountiful.

Farnham “learned on the job” according to Utt, studying, and reading about architecture from any books he could find on the subject. What he eventually decided on was a Greek Revival style, adapted to the available materials. Still, despite the desire and need for a meeting place, the work stalled, and Anson Call, another resident of the Bountiful area was called to finish the building. It would eventually be finished, and dedicated in March of 1863.

Since then, “There’s been a genuine love for this building,” said Utt, and the record shows that she wasn’t exaggerating. In the 1970s, the demolition of the building was put on the table, and, as Utt put it, “Outcry was swift and universal.” The demolition plans received national press and even had pushback from the Utah House of Representatives. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints changed direction and decided instead on renovation.

Old portions of the building were torn away, and new additions were made, and in 1977, Spencer W. Kimball rededicated the building for generations to come. The work of preservation has continued ever since, including regular maintenance, repairs, repainting, and even seismic bracing, as much as can be done given the original building materials. “We want it to still be here in 50 years, in 100 years!” said Utt, and the residents of Bountiful seem to agree.

The story of the Bountiful Tabernacle is so closely intertwined with the story of Bountiful itself, that to learn about the building is to learn about the people who built it, used it, and cherish it to this day. “It tells the story of thousands of ordinary people,” said Utt, “(and) those people’s stories are worth telling and remembering.”

From people like Augustus Farnham and Anson Call to Dan Weggeland who created the famous three-dimensional painting behind the pulpit, to the thousands of people who have worshipped, gathered, and celebrated in its halls, the Bountiful Tabernacle is a shining example of the city, and her people, both literally and figuratively, and will be for years to come. l

PUBLISHER

Scott | bryan.s@thecityjournals.com

Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

WRITER

Nelsen | braden.n@mycityjournals.com

Mieka Sawatzki | mieka.s@thecityjournals.com

Casper | ryan.c@thecityjournals.com

THE CENTER PORTION of the Bountiful Tabernacle, shown here, has been standing on this spot since 1863.

Photos by Braden Nelsen

BLAST FROM THE PAST NEWS BRIEFS

News stories from yesteryear in Davis County

Compiled by Braden Nelsen

1924

Considerable increase in county valuation

The total valuation of Davis County, exclusive of assessments by the State Board of Equalization shows an increase of $216,678 compared with 1923, according to the annual report of E.F. Richards, county assessor, which was filed with the State Board of Equalization, last Monday. The total is subject to adjustments by the county commission and the State Board of Equalization.

1934

Monument unveiled at Layton to mark stage station

Milton H. Welling, secretary of state, praised the sturdy and rugged qualities of the pioneers when he spoke before 600 people who gathered at the unveiling of a commemorative monument in the Layton City park, Wednesday. This monument, placed on the site of a pioneer stagecoach station, is a fourton stone in its natural state, symbolic of the strength of the pioneers. It was selected by members of Columbine Camp Daughters of Utah Pioneers, whose efforts made its establishment possible. On the face is a bronze tablet inscribed with the history of Layton’s first settlers, as well as a history of the stagecoach station.

1944

Electrical needs likely to be great following the war

Electricity has never been too little or too late for war or civilian needs in this territory and the close of hostilities will see a large block of capacity now used for war purposes, available for better living electrically in peacetime. This was the message received by dealers of Ogden and Salt Lake divisions from members of the general sales staff of the Utah Power and Light Company at recent meetings.

1954

Public meeting airs discussion on plans for expansion of Bountiful Power Plant

Bountiful has a municipal power

play to give the best possible service at the lowest rates possible, Harold Pope said in the special public meeting held Monday evening in the Stoker school. The meeting was called to explain both sides in the proposal to sell $275,000 in revenue bonds to expand the city power plant.

Mr. Pope, who presently heads the power commission for the city, gave a brief run-down on the events leading up to the engineer’s report in which it was suggested the city install a 1,000-KW natural gas engine to increase the plant’s generating capacity.

1964

Tree planting completed in N. Salt Lake

North Salt Lake City Council meeting was held Monday, May 18 at the North Salt Lake City Office. Councilman Stephen Odysseus reported to the city council that ll trees have been planted in the North Salt Lake City Park. Odysseus, with other city council members, Glen Wheelright, and young boys from the area, planted approximately 56 trees. He also reported that they have disked and smoothed the ground in the area where they plan to plant grass very soon.

1974

Vandals

spark more security on East bench

A meeting was held Wednesday, May 22, to discuss vandalism and trespassing on the new Bountiful City Golf Course property and the Maple Hills of Bountiful property on the bench land east of Bountiful.

Considerable damage has been caused by vandals and trespassers such as: removing survey stakes, glass breakage, stealing building materials, etc.

1984

Stacking

up the state championships

It’s becoming a perennial event to have South Davis County teams dominate spring sports and this year was no exception.

The stars were in perfect alignment for both the Viewmont track team and the Woods Cross soccer teams as each shook the odds and prevailed in the particular sports.

said. “This is a memorial to the dogs who died to save America.”

This was a combined effort of all of the fifth grade teachers, said Layton Elementary teacher Jamie Hammmerschmidt. “I had visited the Washington, D.C. memorial and I wanted to let the kids see that. It’s part of our curriculum in U.S. history. It’s a wonderful opportunity for them to find a name and learn a little bit about them and to honor the veterans who keep us free.”

It’s so fun because one day Linda was here (at the park) she said. “She started talking to the kids and she’s been doing it ever since. It was just by chance.”

The class visits the Wall of Faces at VVMF.org and they pick some general information, said Hammmerschmidt. “It shows the panel line where their name is on the wall. The kids learn about the people that soldier served with and they get to know their personality a little.”

“Mine is on the 59th row,” said fifth

West Bountiful shop damaged in fire

South Davis Metro Fire crews responded to a structure fire Tuesday night involving a 30’ x 80’ shop in West Bountiful. Firefighting efforts were challenging due to equipment and fuel but the fire was controlled with no threat to surrounding structures, according to a SDMF Facebook post. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters. The cause is under investigation by the fire prevention team.

Owl rescued from soccer net

North Davis Fire District Station 41 crews responded to a report over the weekend of an owl trapped in a soccer net. When firefighter/paramedics Ryerson and Toone arrived they were able to free the owl from the net using their turnout coats to calm and protect it from harm, according to a NDFD Facebook post. “The grateful owl even posed for a photo after its rescue,” the post said. “Afterwards, the owl was released and DWR was notified.”

LINDA CRISMER TALKS TO THE FIFTH GRADERS and gives them some facts about the wall and also the War Dog statue that sits near it with two war dogs by her side.

Photo by Becky Ginos

grader Luke Dabb. “I feel joy because I have found something that is lost. I feel good when I find it. When I found out how he died it made my eyes get water in them.”

Dabb picked the soldier because he was born on the same day. “I wanted someone in the Navy. I went to the Vietnam Wall website and searched around,” he said. “I did an advance search for my own birthday on March 6 and I found him.”

It’s actually pretty cool, said Dabb. “We were able to take the time to appreciate the names of those who died. All dogs too. It wasn’t just humans.”

“I was talking to a group of kids by the statue one day,” said Linda. “Some jets flew over and I told them that was the sound of freedom. They started to applaud. They were patriotic. They got it. It’s been wonderful (teaching kids).”

The kids ended the visit by singing “Thanks to the Military.” “It was wonderful to see it,” said Jim. “The kids singing to the men on the wall – it was powerful.” l

Missing woman’s body recovered in Idaho reservoir

The body of an elderly West Bountiful woman who had been missing since April 8 was found in a submerged vehicle in the Weston Reservoir in Oneida County Idaho May 16. The vehicle was identified as belonging to 80-year-old Kay Prince Vest who was the subject of a silver alert after she was reported missing.

West Bountiful Police said after the vehicle was removed from the

Compiled by Becky Ginos

water, a body was found inside and based on the personal items in it and physical descriptions, investigators believe the deceased to be Vest. There were no obvious signs of foul play, the release said. The West Bountiful Police Department is working closely with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office on this case.

SDMF gets vehicle fire quickly under control

Crews from South Davis Metro Fire responded to a vehicle fire in Bountiful over the weekend and a full structure assignment was sent due to the close proximity of the home, a SDMF Facebook post said. The first arriving company was quick to get control before exposure to the home.

Slithering predicament

Something slithered into the South Davis Metro Fire Station 83 in Centerville last week in the form of a snake. A young man and his mother came into the station looking for help to free the boy’s ball python that got caught in a void space of his car seat and became wedged. After assessing the situation, members from the tech rescue team used the jaws of life to free the snake and return it to his family unharmed, a SDMF Facebook post said.

Davis County students receive Utah Sheriffs’ Association scholarships

The Utah Sheriffs’ Association awarded scholarships to 25 students from across the state earlier this month. Eight of the scholarship recipients were from Davis County. “We congratulate Ivy, Naomi, Sara, Gordon, Amelia, Brooklyn, Makenzie, and Emma,” a DCSO Facebook post said. “The Utah Sheriffs’ Association established its scholarship program in 1986 and considers this an investment in the future by providing deserving students with an opportunity to pursue an education and career in a law enforcement field.”

WALL

OPINION

At times, it would appear that we all get lost.

We lose our direction, we lose our motivation, and nothing seems to make any sense.

When this occurs, it is often because there is confusion with one or more of the following areas:

What is the purpose of our existence?

What is the role we have chosen to play in life?

What kind of legacy are we creating?

When we get lost, it simply means we have temporarily forgotten the answers to these questions.

Ironically, it is through the process of finding these answers, that we find ourselves, once again.

There are lessons to be learned, tears to be shed, people to be loved, and beauty to be shared.

There is wisdom to be gained from experiencing the exhilaration and freedom of the light, and there is emotion-

OP-ED

al depth to be gained from tolerating the “intolerability” of the darkness.

Life is full of these lessons. Life is never wasted.

At times

But sometimes, the apparent futility of learning these lessons makes us believe that we should give up, that it’s a waste of time to keep trying because this is as good as it gets.

And once again, with this kind of thinking, it’s easy to get lost. The fact is, we are “becoming,” and we only “become” by beginning, again and again.

And if we ever believe that it’s too late to begin again, then we rob ourselves of that which we might have been.

We need to remember that no one gets it right the first time!

There is always a price to be paid for insight.

But this process of “becoming” requires much more than just concern,

Promoting and protecting our free market

By Maxine Shreeve

Politicians sometimes push for proposals claiming they will benefit the American people when, in reality, they have ulterior motives at play. This is the case with recent government mandates targeting pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Many lawmakers, mainly the extreme left, are using the public appetite for drug pricing policy, as an opportunity to serve the American people with unnecessary government overregulation in the health care system.

Despite saying that these various policies would lower health care costs, they would actually have the opposite effect. In fact, a health care economist recently looked into one specific policy being considered to “remov[e] an incentive for PBMs to negotiate with manufacturers for the lowest net price (the price after discounts and rebates)” and would “likely result in higher costs for patients and taxpayers and more revenues for drug manufacturers and others.”

The economist concluded that this ban of market-based incentives in the commercial health insurance market would increase health care premiums by more than $26 billion every year. Costs are lowered when the free market is left alone to drive down costs. PBMs are free market solutions in the prescription drug supply chain that encourage greater competition to brand name drugs to lower prescription drug costs. They also provide health plan sponsors, like employers, with a range of options when it comes to how a health plan sponsor can design their prescription drug plan, making it easier and more affordable.

The government wanting to insert itself into the health care system would

only result in increased costs for patients, families and taxpayers, and less choices for hardworking businesses trying to offer competitive benefits for their employees and families.

The competitiveness of our state’s businesses largely rely on being able to provide high quality, affordable benefits and restricting PBMs would only make it harder for employers to do so. In fact, a recent national survey of employers actually found that 89 percent of employers think their pharmacy benefit company is valuable in helping their organization offer affordable benefits to employees.

Rather than focusing on effective policies that address the lack of competition in the prescription drug supply chain driven by Big Pharma, the Socialist Left would rather advance policies that help their agenda of universalized health care. That’s why Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez specifically used a hearing on PBMs last year as a proof point “of why Medicare for All is so essential.”

The same policy that would hike premiums by billions of dollars would also reward Big Pharma with boosted profits of nearly $22 billion. Big Pharma pushes the Left to pass proposals targeting our pharmacy benefits so they get increased profits, and the Left uses policies targeting PBMs to advance their Medicarefor-All type health care agenda.

Wins for Big Pharma and the Left would mean a major loss for Americans. Conservative lawmakers should not give the Left the chance to allow for the government to intervene in our markets; and they can start by protecting our pharmacy benefits and health care system.

Maxine Shreeve is a GOP activist in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Memorial Day program set for Monday at the Bountiful Utah Veterans Park

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

BOUNTIFUL—Memorial Day has been set aside to honor those who have died in the service of their country. As part of that remembrance a special Memorial Day program will be held at the Bountiful Utah Veterans Park, Monday, May 27 at 11 a.m.

The event will feature patriotic music, a flag raising, the National Anthem, sung by the Sugartime Singers and a medley of patriotic songs. Speakers include Ronald Mortensen Ph.d. Vietnam Era Air

Force and Doug White, Navy Retired.

Robert L. Vandegrift (Air Force), Lori Vandegrift Salas (Air Force), Camille Vandegrift (Army) will place the Memorial Wreath followed by Chris Johnson playing Amazing Grace on Bagpipes. Doug White will play Taps and the American Legion Post 79 will give a 21 gun salute.

The program finishes with a Royall Air Force fly over at 12:15 p.m. and a flag retirement ceremony at 12:30 p.m. The Veterans Park is located next to Bountiful City Hall, 795 S. Main Street.

The opinions stated in these articles are solely those of the authors and not of the Davis Journal.

more than commitment, and even more than determination. It requires a revolution! And because the breadth and depth of our patterns often span generations, it may take forever to “become.”

As a result, nothing short of a revolution will have the power to redirect our lives.

One of the fundamental elements in this revolutionary process, and the standard by which all things are clarified, is self-mastery.

In each of us, there is the best of us, and there is the worst of us. Self-mastery is developed when we recognize that while both of these possibilities exist, we find ourselves consistently making the conscious decision to choose the higher road.

Self-mastery allows us to listen to, and evaluate, what’s going on in the world around us, and then to integrate

the wisdom that we’ve been prepared to accept.

Self-mastery also allows us to be aware of what’s going on inside of us, to envision what our potential is, and to grow into who we are capable of “becoming.”

When viewed from this perspective, the development of self-mastery becomes one of the essential defining elements in life.

John Waterbury is a retired Clinical Mental Health Counselor who has lived in Utah since 1984 when he moved to Bountiful with his wife and four children. Since then, he has written a weekly column for several years for the Davis County Clipper titled “The Dear John Letters” which was also used throughout the intermountain West focusing on addiction and mental health problems. This new column will focus on mental health and life management issues.

Getting and giving

She waved me down with such enthusiasm that I had to stop.

I had been driving through a cute little oceanside town, wandering the streets, exploring the parks and now, trying to find a spot to park to access the beach.

It was after I turned down a little side street toward the coast that the woman’s wave stopped me.

“Would you like these daffodils?” she said with a generous smile, holding out a full bouquet of the spring flowers. “We are leaving today and I can’t take them with me.”

“I would love them,” I answered. “I’m leaving tomorrow, but I’ll love them all day and then find someone to enjoy them tomorrow.”

“Wonderful,” she said, handing them through the window and rushing off. “Enjoy them today!”

And her smile became mine.

I tucked the bundle, which she had wrapped in wet paper towels and plastic wrap, into the cup-holder of the car and every time I got in or out of the car that day, I smiled again.

And then I took them home, where I kept smiling.

Because more than the beauty of the flowers, which are so amazingly colorful and so strikingly delicate, and more than the goodness of the woman, who took the time to wrap the flowers and walk them down the street until she found someone to share them with, there was the thought that maybe my random driving and wandering and turning wasn’t so random after all. Maybe someone helped me get to that spot at that time.

Which made my spirit smile.

It’s just not every day you end up in the right place with the right people to get a meaningful gift from a stranger. In fact, that may be my only day

ever. Except for last week when I was standing at an intersection waiting for the light to change and a young woman in a car driving by yelled out the window at me – “You are beautiful.”

That was a meaningful gift.

Not that I believed her. I believed she maybe was just driving around saying that to everyone, but it was a gift just the same.

Strangers can make a difference. Kind words, kind actions – you don’t have to know the person to brighten their days. Or the reverse.

We all know the dark mood that descends when someone honks at us. Or someone criticizes something we hold dear. Or invades our space or hurts our feelings however unintentionally.

Even when we don’t know them and won’t see them ever again, we can be affected by the way they react to us.

So it was all the more sweet to be looking at that bunch of daffodils and thinking about the kindness of the woman I don’t – and won’t – know, and the random actions that brought us together.

And then the next day, when it was time to head out to catch my flight, I wrapped the stems in a wet paper towel and tucked them inside a plastic bag and drove around until I could find someone who might accept a bunch of still-beautiful flowers.

And as sweet as it is to get flowers, it is sweet to give them.

The smile returned.

Louise R. Shaw is a writer and photographer whose work was featured at the Lamplight Gallery. She is an avid traveler and currently lives with her husband in St. George.

JOHN WATERBURY

IN THIS TOGETHER BY LOUISE R. SHAW

Davis County Sheriff’s Office honors fallen officers

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

FARMINGTON—It was a bittersweet occasion at the Davis County Sheriff’s Office last week at a Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony that was held for four men who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty while serving the community. May 15 has been designated as National Peace Officer Memorial Day and the Sheriff’s Office honors Davis County’s fallen officers each year during that week.

A gathering of law enforcement officers and families of the fallen remembered the men with an honor guard gun salute, a bagpipes rendition, Taps and the Laying of the Wreath by Davis County Sheriff Kelly Sparks and the Chiefs of Police from each city.

The men who died are: Trooper George Rees, Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) 1960; Deputy Don Jensen, Davis County Sheriff’s Office, 1971: Lt. Thomas Rettberg, UHP and Officer Charles B. Skinner, North Salt Lake PD, 2008.

The Davis County Sheriff’s Office provided the following information about the men who died:

Trooper George Dee Rees died in a traffic crash in Davis County July 2, 1960. He was part of a roadblock in Farmington to intercept a stolen car fleeing from other officers. When Rees received a radio transmission reporting the stolen vehicle was approaching, he got into his vehicle and drove toward it. The suspect rounded a curve at a high speed and crashed into Rees who died as he was being extricated.

Deputy Don Perry Jensen died May 14, 1971 when he was shot and killed in Farmington. Jensen was on patrol when he saw an individual waving him down. He pulled over. The driver approached Jensen’s patrol vehicle and told him he was out of gas. Jensen started to become

suspicious of the man because his vehicle matched the description of an “Attempt to Locate Broadcast” for a stolen vehicle out of the Ogden area. The suspect pulled out a .38 caliber handgun from his belt and fired the weapon five times through the side window of Jensen’s window without allowing him any time to react and killed him instantly.

Shortly after the shots were fired, the suspect’s accomplice who was hiding across the roadway ran over to Jensen’s vehicle and fired a single .22 caliber round into the deputy’s body. They pulled Jensen’s body out of the vehicle, stole the vehicle and left the scene.

Lt. Thomas Sumner Rettburg died in a helicopter accident on Feb. 11, 2010 when he and civilian mechanic Thomas Bahoravitch were performing a maintenance check on a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter near 1500 South and Redwood Rd. According to witnesses, a part separated from the aircraft while performing a practice dive that they were not able to recover from. The aircraft slammed into

A CROWD GATHERS to watch the demonstration showcasing how air taxis and drone deliveries can safely operate.

: Continued from pg. 1

“A vertiport is an area where aircraft can take off and land electric air vehicles,” said Dr. Brent Chamberlain, USU associate professor in landscape architecture and environmental planning. “Our main objective was to identify locations for air taxis and air package delivery that minimize impacts to homes and businesses while balancing safety and opportunity.”

There are three phases to the project that is funded by the UDOT research division, he said. “Phase one is to identify suitable areas for potential vertiports.”

Phase two is to develop a guidebook partnering with community planners, councils and other decision makers, said Chamberlain. “We want to help them think about the future of new transportation and infrastructure.”

Phase three is just getting started, he said. “We’re trying to highlight vacant lots that are not fully used like state owned parking lots. This project is based on a legislative push to find ways the state could facilitate the wave in air technology.”

The demonstration is part of phase two, Chamberlain said. “It’s simulating using a vertiport space and getting feedback and information for the guidebook.”

Folks in the industry and government have a vested interest in aviation and they’re sensitive to opportunities and challenges, he said. “The demonstration simulates sounds to show how quiet the vehicles really are.”

There are air vehicle requirements and laws around space needed for takeoff and landing, said Chamberlain. “This project is to facilitate ground transportation and a transition zone for ground and air connection to cars and the air taxis idea. It’s in the very, very early stages.”

“We’re doing a live demonstration

an embankment killing them both.

Officer Charles B. Skinner died Nov. 8, 2008 five days after he lost control of his patrol vehicle while responding to assistance from another agency pursuing a stolen car. On Nov. 3, Skinner’s vehicle collided with the concrete base of a business sign. He was flown to a hospital with severe head injuries and passed away five days later. Skinner left behind his wife and three-week-old twins.

“Hi, my name is Emma Skinner,” the daughter of Charlie Skinner said at the ceremony. “When my brother and I were three weeks old Charlie died.”

How one grieves is different for everyone, she said. “When I was younger I used to search the internet to find everything I could about him, hoping to get to know him a bit more. I scoured the internet hoping to make that dad figure a bit more than just my DNA.”

Emma said people have asked her

on the use of a vertiport,” said Paul Damron, UDOT advanced air mobility manager. “A helicopter uses a heliport to take off and land. We’ve adopted that for the future of aviation EVTOL (Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) operated like helicopters to move through air space. It brings in a new era of aviation for the public.”

Imagine going to downtown Salt Lake, said Damron. “A nearby vertiport can get you there. It allows for a transition to driving on roads to getting there much quicker. It is also good for the carbon footprint because it’s electric.”

Society has developed ride sharing, scooters, etc., he said. “This allows you to get to the area you want to go to then get around. It’s a new, innovative way of transportation. We want to make sure the price of flying is just a little more than what you’re paying for an Uber ride. Wouldn’t you rather fly over the top of traffic than drive through the congestion?”

It’s another mode of transportation, said Damron. “UDOT is in the business of moving people.”

There are already industries delivering small packages, he said. “We want to build the infrastructure to support larger air taxis by learning from the delivery of small packages by drones that we see today.”

The FAA is developing certain locations in the U.S. for small operations by 2025, he said. “‘Innovate 28’ goes on line with the Olympics in LA. They’re going to try to have them by 2028. In Utah it will not be until after 2028. We’re going to try to have the infrastructure for the Olympics in 2034 for a large operation.”

UDOT is partnering with the FAA and industry experts on the project, Damron said. “We don’t want to be on the bleeding edge of innovation but the cutting edge.” l

why she grieves if she hasn't even met him. “My grief is a lifetime of memories I missed because of one person speeding. It’s the fact that I’ll never get to meet him.”

It’s a collection of pictures and stories, she said. “How they’ll stay stories is the fact that that father figure will never be completely filled. That there will never be that one person who takes you out for ice cream after getting a good grade in school.”

There will always be an empty hole for that, said Emma. “I surprise a lot of people when they see me cry over him. Behind that mask is a little girl wanting to hold her father’s hand and walk her into her first year of school. The little girl who just wants him to hold her and teach her how to ride a bike. A little girl who just wants a hug from her number one fan. I am that little girl who just wants someone to call dad.” l

TAXI

Photo courtesy of UDOT

SYRACUSE POLICE CHIEF GARRET ATKIN and Davis County Sheriff Kelly Sparks Lay the Wreath at the Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony held last week.

Photo courtesy of the DCSO

ROBERT ROWE plays the bagpipes at the fallen officers memorial.

Photo by Becky Ginos

By Braden Nelsen braden.n@mycityjournals.com

What would happen without the Great Salt Lake?

Editors note: This is part one of a two-part series about what would happen if the Great Salt Lake were allowed to dry up.

GREAT SALT LAKE—There are many people on both sides of the Great Salt Lake debate: those who are passionate about saving the lake, and those who feel that Utah’s water and resources could be better used elsewhere. In the latter camp, many feel that the lake should be allowed to dry up, and the subsequent area developed, but, what would happen if, in fact, the lake dried up completely?

To preface, each of the described conditions that would be created by a dried-up Great Salt Lake is based on real-world examples that have occurred in other areas of the country, as well as areas of the lake that have already dried up. The statements below are also based on expert opinions collected from several different studies and experts.

Firstly, it would behoove residents to know just what that would look like. The Great Salt Lake, like other lakes, has a lakebed filled with silt – loose, uncompacted sediment brought from the tributaries that feed the lake. In addition, there’s also the local brine shrimp, as well as an extremely high percentage of salt in the water, hence the name. A dry Great Salt Lake bed would be a vast expanse of dry, cracked silty soil, laden with toxic particulates easily dispersed if the lakebed was disturbed by wind, weather, or animals.

Speaking of animals, one of the largest ways that life would be affected is the ecosystem. Everything

AN AI-GENERATED IMAGE of a hypothetical photo taken from Antelope Island, showing a dry lakebed, withered plant life, and the haze that would pervade the Salt Lake Valley if the lake were to dry up.

in nature is connected in one way or another. Prey and predators, temperature, vegetation growth, all of it. In the case of the Great Salt Lake, over 330 species accounting for 10 million birds utilize the Great Salt Lake and surrounding wetlands. They use the lake currently to rest, feed, and breed.

Eliminate the lake, and these birds’ numbers will fall drastically. There will be nowhere to rest, feed, or breed, and they will die out by the millions. Why

should this be a cause of concern? Well, let’s take the great blue heron for example. The heron is just one species that calls the lake a temporary home. Herons not only control the population of insects and other birds, but they and their eggs are also food for other birds, even bears, and the American bald eagle. With millions less available for bald eagles to feed on, their numbers, too will dwindle. Bald eagles, hawks, and other raptors that may feed on heron or their eggs contribute greatly to curbing the rodent population. Without these predators to feed on rats and mice, those numbers will surge, and, when they can’t find food out in the wild, they will come to the farms and cities to feed, bringing with them diseases like hantavirus, leptospirosis, and others.

Of course, this is just one small way in which the disappearance of the lake will directly affect those living here. For another example, one need look no further than the Salton Sea. Another saline lake, this one in California, the Salton Sea was a booming resort location in the 1950s and 60s, but, unlike the Great Sale Lake, Salton had no drainage. Due to many factors, such as runoff from agriculture which included pesticides, and desert evaporation, the saline levels in the lake rose significantly, causing an ecological disaster.

The fish and bird populations died out, the water began to stink horribly, and, as the lake dried up, the resulting particulates in the air contributed to some of the worst air quality in the United States. The Great Salt Lake is not the Salton Sea, but, the similarities between the two should give residents pause so that the salt-crusted derelict buildings that dot the former resort town don’t become Salt Lake City. l

NUAMES sophomore competes in National American Legion Oratorical Contest

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

FARMINGTON—Simon Parnell found debate when he was 12 and has been involved ever since. He put those skills to work participating in the American Legion Oratorical Contest for Utah and emerged as the winner. The NUAMES sophomore then moved on to represent the state at the National Competition held May 17 and made it to the quarterfinals out of 50-60 competitors from across the country.

“It was very competitive,” said Parnell. “But I learned a lot and next year I think I can get even further.” A NUAMES counselor recommended he enter the American Legion contest. “I feel I did pretty well, I went on to win at state.”

The contest started in 1938 and focuses on the U.S. Constitution. “We have eight to 10 minutes to give a speech on any topic to do with the Constitution,” he said. “Then we have five minutes to speak on one of the predetermined Amendments the judges give you. You have to be prepared for all four they select.”

Parnell said he read the book “1776,” that gave him a good idea of history in the making of the Constitution. “My speech for the district contest was on patriotism. I won and then I talked to the judges and they said it wasn’t close enough to Constitution education so for region I wrote another speech.”

The speech compared the U.S. Constitution to Afghanistan’s, he said. “There are a lot of similarities. The U.S. ambassador oversaw the writing of their constitution in 2004. It was part of their efforts to democracy.”

It accomplished almost the same thing as the U.S. but their government ended up falling apart, said Parnell. “My speech was ‘Why did ours work?’ We have

a good system for the treasury, strong military and relatively high trust in our laws. Our government is not perfect but it’s not extreme to the level of corruption in Afghanistan.”

Some of the points Parnell covered in his state

speech were the differences between Afghanistan’s constitution and the United States. “Afghanistan was really corrupt and there was abuse of power,” he said. “The laws weren’t adhered to. Even though good laws were made they didn’t have the strict systems the U.S. had.”

Parnell said he was introduced to debate when he was 12. “I found debate so interesting. A discussion that doesn’t turn into a hostile environment. It’s about comparing and contrasting in a respectful way.”

It’s a good feeling to work hard on a speech, he said. “There’s the satisfaction of getting it perfect. I dedicated a lot of time working on my debate skills when I was 12 and got a lot out of it.”

Debate encourages problem solving, said Parnell. “You can identify your weaknesses and strengths and defend your own ideas but not attack others. Debate develops analytical skills. You have to think about the main ideas other people are saying.”

This type of debate is structured, he said. “It’s back and forth, not like a family dinner bash. It’s very well organized. I love to compete like that.”

When he’s not participating in debate, Parnell said he loves to go running. “I also play the piano, drums and enjoy theater. I’ve been in various plays. I was Marius in Les Miz for the Jaks Youth Theater. The skills in theater work well in debate. It’s a good combination of speech and drama.”

Parnell said his main aspiration is to work for a diplomat when he grows up. “My dream is to go to Georgetown. They’ve got a good program in diplomacy and international relations. I could go into epidemiology, medicine, etc. It’s a big field. I could be an ambassador or foreign officer.

Parnell loves traveling. “So I hope I can get a job traveling the world,” he said. “I want to learn about the world. I love to learn.” l

NUAMES SOPHOMORE SIMON PARNELL loves to travel and hopes to work for a diplomat or become an ambassador someday. Parnell has been participating in debate since he was 12.

Photo courtesy of Simon Parnell

BHS boys volleyball finish inaugural season as state runners up

By Catherine Garrett c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

The third-ranked Bountiful High boys volleyball team defeated No. 2 Olympus in four sets – 19-25, 25-17, 2518, 25-20 – in the 5A semifinal match to reach the state title game against Maple Mountain, the state’s top team on May 18 at Utah Valley University. The Redhawks lost in three tight sets 25-20, 25-23, 25-22 to take second place in the first year of the sport’s sanctioning under the Utah High School Activities Association.

“State was such a great experience!” said head coach Sarah Chism. “Our team really shifted gears heading into the tournament. They trusted the work and training they put in, but more importantly they trusted each other. I could really see them believing in each other, and that was especially evident in the semifinals with how much fun they had playing together and finding their swing as a team. Although the championship match didn’t go the way we hoped, we played some of our best volleyball of the season, and I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”

After a bye in the first round of the state tournament, Bountiful defeated No. 14 Brighton 25-14, 25-21, 25-21 behind sophomore outside hitters Connor Burleson and Landon Chism with 14 and 13 kills, respectively. Senior middle blocker Mason Allen added eight kills in the win.

In the quarterfinals against No. 13 Clearfield, the Redhawks again swept the match 26-24, 25-18, 25-23. Sophomore outside hitter Connor Burleson led with 14 kills with Landon Chism adding seven and junior middle blocker/right side hitter Jacob Bremner had four.

“What an incredible first year for boys volleyball as a sanctioned high school sport,” coach Chism said. “The level of play just got better and better and anyone who had the opportunity to watch a match came away seeing just how athletic and talented these players all are, and hopefully they can’t wait until next season to watch it again!”

Viewmont

Ninth-seeded Viewmont reached the quarterfinal round in the 5A state tournament, losing to the eventual champions Maple Mountain 25-10, 25-15, 25-17 and

then No. 4 Wasatch 25-23, 25-16 in the consolation bracket May 18 at UVU.

“Maple Mountain had a strong performance and won the state championship without dropping a set in the entire tournament,” said head coach Karl Lippa. “Their offense was strong with tremendous defense, and I am proud of our boys for continuing to improve each set against a very formidable opponent.”

In the first round of the 5A state tournament May 14, the Vikings defeated No. 24 Taylorsville in straight sets 25-13, 2518, 25-10. Against No. 8 Alta in the second round, Viewmont pulled out a 25-21, 2522, 21-25, 23-25, 16-14 win.

“It was an exciting five-set thriller,” said Lippa. “We were down 4-9 in the final set and came roaring back to lead 1411 before things got extra exciting. The final point came down to an incredible block by our front line to send us into the state quarterfinals.”

Lippa recognized his seven seniors – Brandon Groethe, Aaron Harkness, Christian Hirst, Michael Kabo, Ty Philips, Daren Tovey and Ryker Zeh – for the “tremendous role models” they have

been this season for the Vikings program.

“They are a special group of young men, and I am so excited to watch them go on to great things in their life,” said Lippa.

“I am incredibly pleased with the first season of Viewmont volleyball for these boys,” Lippa said. “To go 19-12 overall in our first year and to finish as a state quarterfinalist, especially for a team that was picked in the pre-season to fin-

ish sixth in the region, is something I am incredibly proud of these young men for. To watch where they started Feb. 26 until the final day of the state tournament was exceptional, but more importantly, fun. I had a great time, and this first group of young men were incredibly fun. This Varsity team was the best team I have ever

Bountiful, Davis advance in state softball tournaments

By Catherine Garrett

c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

Bountiful

No. 3 Bountiful narrowly beat No. 19 Wasatch 1-0 in the Game One of the Super Regionals round of the 5A state tournament May 16. A combined 28 batters were struck out in the game, including 17 Wasps by Redhawks pitcher Ella Miller. The game additionally only had four hits with three by Bountiful. Athena Tongaonevai drove in the game’s only run with an RBI double in the bottom of the third inning.

“Both pitchers were outstanding,” said head coach Butch Latey.

In Game 2, the Redhawks defeated Wasatch 3-1.

“Ella led us to our 25th win of the year, striking out 16 batters while also having two of our hits with a double and a home run, driving in all three runs,” said Latey. Bountiful faces No. 6 Salem Hills May 21 to begin bracket play.

Davis

No. 5 Davis defeated No. 12 Syracuse May 16-17 in Game One of the 6A state Super Regional round with a 6-3 win.

The Darts went into the bottom of the first inning down a run before answering with three of their own and then added to a 4-3 lead in the game’s final innings. Rayleigh Starnes drove in two runs with Chloe Peery and Katie Klaumann recording an RBI each in the win. Serena Roth was the winning pitcher with five strikeouts.

In Game Two May 17, Davis won 13-12. The Darts got out to a strong start, going up 5-0 after two innings before giving up six runs in the third. The game began a back-and-forth affair with the Titans leading 7-5 after the top half of the fifth inning and then Davis regaining the lead 8-7 in the bottom half. The teams combined to score five runs in each of the game’s final innings with the Darts pulling out the win, scoring four runs to end

the game.

“We have become the cardiac kids, having to come from behind again,” said head coach Todd Street. “We made it to the final eight in the state. Now we hope to make some noise at the complex.”

Davis is scheduled to face No. 4 Pleasant Grove May 21 to begin bracket play.

Farmington

In the Super Regionals of the 6A state tournament, No. 13 Farmington lost to fourth-seeded Pleasant Grove 18-8 in Game 1. The Phoenix squad got up early and had a 4-2 lead after an inning before the Vikings tied things up at 5-all after two innings. Down 10-5 heading into the fourth inning, Farmington scored three runs but that was the rest of their offense – while giving up eight more runs – in the loss. Ella Nielson and Lexi Crowley both had two RBIs while Lola Ogzewalla, Kiley Gazafy and Nev Carrasquel each drove in a run.

In Game 2 May 17, the Phoenix lost 14-4. Farmington again scored first in the game and then were up 4-3 in the third inning before Pleasant Grove scored 11 runs to win out. Crowley hit two home runs, driving in three runs in the loss.

The Phoenix team ended its season with a 9-13 record.

Viewmont

After a 2-0 sweep of No. 17 Kearns in the Regional Round of the 5A state tournament May 13, the No. 16 Vikings faced the state’s top team in Spanish Fork in the Super Regionals. On May 16, Viewmont lost 16-0 –being mercy-ruled in four innings and struggling to find offense with just three hits as a team. In Game 2 against the Dons, the Vikings lost 15-2. Viewmont scored a run in the top of the first inning, but then gave up 11 runs before scoring again in the third.

THE BOUNTIFUL HIGH boys volleyball team finished as runners-up in the 5A state championship at Utah Valley University May 18.

Kennedy Embrey and Ricky Smith both drove in runs in the loss that ended their 9-14 season. l

FARMINGTON HIGH SOPHOMORE CLAIRE HANSEN rounds the bases in a game earlier this season. The Phoenix squad lost to Pleasant Grove in two games in the Super Regionals of the 6A state tournament May 17, finishing the year with a 9-13 record.

Photo courtesy Haleigh Mortensen

Photos courtesy Lesli Groves, Haven Rock Photography

Jackson Cheney is next with five. Wright and Toby Grant have four apiece. Burrup and Janke have been the top players on the team in the assists category with five each.

Farmington will have some big shoes to fill next season with the loss of several key players off this unit. Grant, Foster, Janke, Ashby and Wright are all seniors. However, Beynon and Burrup are just a sophomores, while Cheney is a junior.

Davis After picking up a shootout win in round two over region foe Fremont, Davis bowed out of the Class 6A state tournament in the quarterfinals May 16.

The Darts finished their season with a 6-9 record with a 2-1 defeat at Pleasant Grove in a close game that typified Davis’ season. The game was knotted at 1-1 at halftime, but Davis couldn’t match Pleasant Grove’s second-half goal. It was Davis’ sixth loss this season

first half – one each from Cole Janke and Chase Ashby. Jack Burrup got an assist, while Beynon provided the shutout. Heading into the championship game, Farmington has allowed just 11 goals in 17 contests all year, never giving up more than two goals in a single game. Meanwhile, the Phoenix have scored 37 goals on the year, with 11 players contributing on the scoreboard. Josh Foster paces the team with nine goals, and

that either came by a single goal or in a shootout. The Darts also had three twogoal losses, as the team was competitive all year in its matches. In fact, despite having a losing record, Davis outscored its opponents by a cumulative score of 25-23.

Davis does return a lot of players next season, with 31 players in the program listed as freshmen, sophomores or juniors this season. The Darts will look to return to the top of Region 1 in 2025. l SOCCER Continued from

Woods Cross boys finish second at track and field state finals

By Tom Haraldsen t..haraldsen@mycityjournals.com

T

he Woods Cross boys track and field team brought home the silver trophy after finishing second among 5A teams at this year’s state championships. The three-day meet concluded Saturday at Brigham Young University.

The Wildcats finished just a few points behind state champ Maple Mountain. Woods Cross did it with depth –top finishes by Daniel Chase in sprints and strong performances in field events from Clarence Pututau, Ezra Grout, Cole Brooks and Rory Violette.

Two Davis County athletes won individual state titles: Cache Bennett of Davis in the 6A boys high jump at 6-6, and Bountiful’s Mae Johnson in the girls 5A high jump at 5-6. And Viewmont won gold in both the boys 1600 and 3200 meter relays.

Here are the athletes who scored points for their teams at state. Relay team members are listed for all those who ran preliminary as well as final races.

6A GIRLS

100 meters: Aubree Hardy, Davis, 6th, 12.63

100 hurdles: Sahara Yates, Farmington, 2nd, 15.36

200 meters: Hardy, Davis, 7th, 25.56

300 hurdles: Yates, Farmington, 8th, 46.39

Shot put: Lottie Krutsch, Davis, 8th, 32-5.5

Javelin: Ellie Pitcher, Davis, 8th, 92-1

Long jump: Addisyn Webb, Farmington, 5th, 16-11.25

Pole vault: Saige Baxter, Farmington, 8th, 10-0

400 relay: Farmington (Charley Van Zweden, Addie Anderson, Jaci Jacob-

smeyer, Addisyn Webb, Isabel Callister, Rees May) 4th, 49.27

800 relay: Farmington (Van Zweden, Anderson, Webb, Anderson, Calister, Sarah Yates), 5th, 1:43.89.

1600 relay: Davis (Rachel Crummett, Aubrey Rowe, Grace Frodsham, Ellina Perry, Eliza Swain, Sara Norton, Natalie Johnson, Sienne Holje) 4th, 4:00.16

3200 relay: Davis (Swain, Frodsham, Angelina Leone, Kate Larsen, Isabella Cram, Juliet Stanley, Ashley Jensen, Crummett) 7th, 9:43.43

6A BOYS

110 hurdles: Caleb Flint, Davis, 6th, 15.46

300 hurdles: Flint, Davis, 2nd, 38.88

Sam Brumbaugh, Davis, 8th, 39.95

400 meters: Bode Jensen, Farmington, 2nd, 47.91, Ethan Cook, Farmington, 4th, 48.65

Discus: Jarome Parker, Davis, 7th, 147-0

High Jump: Cache Bennett, Davis, 1st, 6-6, Jake Taylor, Davis, 8th, 6-2

800 relay: Farmington (Kai Nielson, Lucas Peterson, Cook, Jensen, Tanner Nielsen, Austin Wilcox). 3rd, 1:27.44

1600 relay: Farmington (Cook, Sam Swain, Josh Halverson, Jensen, Izaac Crosland, William Prusse), 3rd, 3:20.12. Davis (Flint, Heber Davis, Carter Rawlings, Brumbaugh, Gabe Trujillo, Tyler Leduc, Davis, Cameron Littlefield) 8th, 3:22.99

3200 relay: Davis (Cade Rawlings, Isaac Lundberg, Carter Rawlings, Heber Davis) 7th, 8:03.40

6A BOYS TEAM SCORES: 9. Davis 28 10. Farmington 26

6A GIRLS TEAM SCORES: 10. Farmington 22.5

14. Davis 14

5A GIRLS

100 meters: Sabrina Hubbel, Woods Cross, 5th, 12.62, Cayla Stout, Viewmont, 6th 12.69

100 hurdles: Kirra Singley, Viewmont, 8th, 18.01

200 meters: Cayla Stout, Viewmont, 5th, 25.71, Breklyn Stout, Viewmont, 8th, 25.88

300 hurdles: Singley, Viewmont, 8th, 46.66

400 meters: Lexi Toronto, Viewmont, 6th, 58.34

3200 meters: Katie Hansen, Woods Cross, 6th, 11:05.01

Long jump: Hubbel, Woods Cross, 4th 17-2

High jump: Mae Johnson, Bountiful, 1st, 5-6, Arya Cummings, Bountiful, 3rd, 4-11

400 relay: Woods Cross (Jayli Loveland, Oakley Anderson, Bailey Brown, Hubbel) 2nd, 49.29, Viewmont (Savannah Randall, Annika Stout, Cayla Stout, Berklyn Stout, Marina Espona, Singley, Toronto) 3rd, 49.82

800 relay: Viewmont (Randall, C. Stout, B. Stout, Singley) 4th, 1:44.06, Woods Cross (Brown, Madison Bancroft, Anderson, Hubbel) 5th, 1:44.30

3200 relay: Viewmont (Audrey Lemon, Keira Stacey, Margaret Jeppesen, Toronto, Grace Mitchell, Naomi Egnew, Lyndsey Parke) 4th, 9:34.0, Woods Cross (Kiera DeVries, Hansen, Brie Nydegger, Kendall Rhees, Abigail Marx, Angie Payan, Bancroft, Kara Keeler) 8th, 9:53.85

5A BOYS

100 meters: Daniel Chase, Woods Cross, 3rd, 10.64, Ryan Tillman, Viewmont, 5th, 10.69

200 meters: Chase, Woods Cross, 3rd, 21.74

400 meters: Grant Nelson, Woods Cross, 6th, 49.15, Jordan Jensen, Viewmont, 8th, 49.96

800 meters: Brennan Koldewyn, 2nd, 1:53.53, Weston Egnew, Viewmont, 5th, 1:54.53, Phillip Olsen, Bountiful, 6th, 1:54.78

1600 meters: Gabe Hooper, Viewmont, 5th, 4:16.93, Ben Hyde, Viewmont, 8th, 4:18.06

3200 meters: Hayden Hooper, Bountiful, 4th, 9:21.68, Hyde,Viewmont, 5th, 9:23.24, Egnew, Viewmont, 6th, 9:24.08

Discus: Parker, Davis, 7th, 147-00

Shot Put: Clarence Pututau, Woods Cross, 3rd, 49-8

Javelin: Ezra Grout, Woods Cross, 3rd, 171-2

Long Jump: Cole Brooks, Woods Cross, 2nd, 21-10

High Jump: Brooks, Woods Cross, 2nd, 6-2, Rory Violette, Woods Cross, 4th, 6-2

800 relay: Viewmont (Ace Brown, Jordan Jensen, Kingston Mickens, Ryan Tillman) 4th, 1:30.04

1600 relay: Viewmont (Brown, Jensen, Egnew, Hooper, Peter Gehring) 1st, 3:18.65, Woods Cross (Parker Jacobs, Koldewyn, Nelson, Thompson, Samuel Poulton, Brady Christensen, Henry Hyde, Groat) 3rd, 3:23.31 3200 relay: Viewmont (Hyde, Egnew, Gehring, Hooper, Ayden Lee, Talmage Bruschke, Hyde) 1st 7:43.31.

5A GIRLS TEAM SCORES: 6. Viewmont 31 9. Woods Cross 25 16. Bountiful 15.5

5A BOYS TEAM SCORES: 2. Woods Cross 67 6. Viewmont 52 19. Bountiful 8

Farmington

Woods Cross No. 16 Woods Cross fell to No. 17 Box Elder in the first round of the 5A state tournament May 14 25-23, 27-25-, 25-18.

The Wildcats ended its inaugural season with a 10-18 record.

coached in a high school sport. The boys were committed to each other to work hard, hold each other accountable, and to just enjoy themselves along the way. Their camaraderie and cohesiveness were by far something as a coach I was truly grateful for. I am proud of each of these boys from our 9th to 12th graders, and I am looking forward to the foundation set by this year’s group of Viewmont mens volleyball.”

After a first-round bye in the 6A state tournament, No. 12 Farmington lost to fifth-seeded Lone Peak 18-25, 25-15, 2522, 25-21 May 16.

In the consolation bracket, the Phoenix squad defeated No. 13 American Fork 25-18, 26-24 and then No. 8 Davis 25-21, 25-21.

In the sixth/eighth place match May 18, Farmington lost to sixth-seeded Riverton 25-17, 17-25, 25-16.

Davis

Davis also had a first-round bye in

“Overall, the state tournament was a great experience for our young team,” said head coach McKay Barker. “We were able to see that we can compete with any team, which makes us even more excited for next season. This season the boys have completely won me over! As coaches we have had an absolute blast coaching these incredible young men. Unfortunately, we will be losing three incredible seniors, but are very confident with the players we have returning and can’t wait for next season.”l VOLLEYBALL: Continued from pg. 7

the 6A state tournament and then faced ninth-seeded Skyridge in the second round May 16, losing 18-25, 32-30, 2513, 27-25. The Darts then defeated No. 16 Lehi 21-25, 25-21, 25-23 in the consolation bracket before losing to Farmington in straight sets.

THE DAVIS HIGH BOYS soccer team. Davis bowed out of the Class 6A state tournament in the quarterfinals.

DAVIS TAKES a moment to offer a prayer before the game starts. Photos courtesy of Dillon Richens

Bountiful, Woods Cross boys soccer fall in 5A quarterfinals

By Josh McFadden joshm@mycityjournals.com

Against some stiff competition, the Bountiful and Woods Cross boys soccer teams saw their seasons come to an end in the Class 5A state tournament. Following earlier-round wins in the playoffs, both teams reached the quarterfinals where they couldn’t overcome higher seeds in road games.

Bountiful

The Redhawks were impressive in its second-round victory on the road at Brighton on May 14. But on May 17, that pitted the team up against undefeated Wasatch, the top seed in 5A. With a trip to Zions Bank Stadium and the semifinals on the line, Bountiful had to find a way to do what no other team had done all season – give Wasatch a loss.

It didn’t happen.

Bountiful kept things close with a 1-0 deficit at halftime but allowed two Wasatch goals in the second half. Elias Pacheco scored off an assist from Thomas Thorne in the second half, but it wasn’t enough. Bountiful fell 3-1, ending its season with a record of 11-6.

Thorne ended up leading the team in scoring this season with 10 goals on the year. Cody Forbes wasn’t far behind with eight goals, while Pacheco added six goals. Thorne’s stellar year also included a team-leading eight assists. Five other players – Giona Weston, Jakob Patterson, Pacheco, Forbes and Trent Millard – each had two assists. In the net, goalie Nash McReynolds had 2.5 assists.

The Redhawks will have no shortage of returning players in 2025.

Bountiful’s roster lists 32 underclassmen, including juniors Pacheco,

Millar and Forbes. Thorne is a senior, so replacing him will be no easy task. McReynolds graduates this year, but backup goalkeeper Carter Watson, a junior, saw some time in the net this season. He produced 0.5 shutouts this season.

Woods Cross

The Wildcats defeated a pair of fellow Region 5 foes in the first two rounds of the 5A playoffs. But Woods Cross ran into too much firepower in the quarterfinals.

On May 17, the Wildcats traveled to Salem Hills to take on the third-seeded SkyHawks from Region 7. As the 22nd seed, Woods Cross had already advanced further than most people thought.

Early on, Woods Cross has in striking distance.

Zach Despain scored a first-half

goal for Woods Cross, keeping the game close at 2-1 at halftime. But Salem Hills added two more goals in the second half while shutting out the Wildcats after the break. With the 4-1 loss, Woods Cross ended its season with a 7-10 record. Despain led the team in scoring in 2024 with five goals. He was also the leader in assists with three. Spencer Keddington contributed four goals this season along with a pair of assists. Cohen Neilson had three goals on the year. Goalie Brayden Lloyd had two shutouts this season. Though it had 10 losses on the year, most were close and competitive. Woods Cross lost seven games by a single goal. The Wildcats will be looking to improve its offensive production next season. The Wildcats scored 21 goals this season and were shut out four times. l

Local teams fall in baseball playoffs as seasons come to an end

By Josh McFadden joshm@mycityjournals.com

With some surprises, the 2024 high school baseball season is in the books for local Davis County teams. Viewmont, Woods Cross, Bountiful, Davis and Farmington each bowed out of the playoffs, as the Class 6A and Class 5A state tournaments continue through May 24 and 25. In some cases, the defeats were surprising and earlier than expected.

Viewmont

For a time, the Viewmont baseball team looked to be a favorite in Class 5A. But nobody told that to Box Elder. The Vikings were seeded third in the 5A tournament after winning Region 5 with a 12-2 mark. The high seed earned the team a bye in the regionals and gave it home-field advantage in the best-ofthree super regionals. In that round, the Vikings faced fellow Region 5 opponent Box Elder, a team they had already defeated twice during the regular season. Viewmont won 10-0 on April 8 and 11-4 on April 10.

But in the playoffs, Box Elder turned the tables on the favored Vikings. After winning game one at home, 11-1 on May 16, it may have looked as though Viewmont was on its way to the next round. In that one-sided win, the Vikings only needed five innings to pick up the win. Six of the team’s runs came

in the first two innings, with four more coming in the fourth. Cal Miller was the winning pitcher, striking out eight batters. Viewmont outhit Box Elder 14-3 and got doubles from Miller and Kade Marriot. Elias Culley and Marriot drove in three runs apiece in the victory.

Viewmont wouldn’t win again this season.

Box Elder won games two and three – both on May 17 – prevailing 6-4 and 10-0. Viewmont had a big game from pitcher Jack Owen in game two, as he struck out six batters in defeat. Game three was a rough one for the Vikings. Box Elder had 15 hits to just one for Viewmont, which finished its season with a 19-7 record.

Woods Cross Meanwhile, after getting by 23rd-seeded Wasatch in the regionals, Woods Cross lost a pair of games to Murray in the super regionals.

The Wildcats were agonizingly close in both outings, falling on the road May 16 and 17 by one run each – 6-5 and 3-2. A three-run fifth inning put the Wildcats up 3-2, and they were still ahead 5-3 in the seventh inning when Murray came up to bat. However, the Spartans had three runs in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the victory. Beau Blackwell had a double and two RBI for Woods Cross in defeat.

Game two went nine innings, as both teams had two runs in the eighth inning

to make the score 2-2. After Viewmont went scoreless in the top of the ninth, Murray scored the winning run, clinching the series and ended the season for the Wildcats. Blackwell had a double and an RBI for Woods Cross, which finished the year with a 17-12 record.

Davis vs. Farmington

Thanks to Farmington’s 2-0 series win over Westlake in the regionals May 11, 13, the super regionals saw an exciting matchup of the Phoenix and Darts.

Davis had won Region 1 with a 12-3 record, while Farmington was 6-9 in league play, tied for fourth. The Darts had already defeated Farmington three times – in the final series of the regular season May 8 and 9 (with two games on May 9).

The Darts 2-0 series sweep meant they beat the Phoenix five times in a row.

Davis improved to 22-5 with the two wins, the first coming May 16 by the score of 6-3. Davis outhit Farmington 9-6 and scored four of its runs in the sixth inning. Wally Grant had two RBI in the victory, and Andrew Fillomohala was the winning pitcher. Four other Davis players had an RBI each. For Farmington, Easton Wight had a solid outing, driving in a pair of runs in defeat.

The following day, Davis clinched the series and advanced to bracket play with a 5-3 win over Farmington. This time, Grant was big on the mound, get-

ting the win and striking out five batters. He also hit a double and had an RBI. Max Hunter had two doubles and three RBI for Davis. Max Pearson and Caleb Hadley had RBIs for Farmington. With the loss, Farmington’s season came to an end, leaving the Phoenix with a 10-18 record.

Davis’ season continued.

The Darts advanced to double-elimination bracket play, but this round wasn’t as kind to them.

Davis lost to Corner Canyon 8-6 on May 20. A six-run sixth inning for Corner Canyon was the deciding factor. Carter Garrett had a triple for Davis, while Hunter hit a double. Carter Knight and Grant had RBIs for Davis, which outhit Corner Canyon 8-7.

With the loss, Davis’ season was on the line in a matchup with Mountain Ridge May 21.

The Darts fell behind 5-0 in the first inning but added three of their own when they came up to bat. But Davis only managed two more runs and couldn’t overcome the early deficit. Davis’ season ended with a 22-7 record. In the final game, Hunter had a double and two RBI, while Knight had two RBI of his own. Davis loses some key players of this year’s group but also returns some experience and talent for the 2025 campaign. The team brings back 19 players next season as the Darts will once again look to contend in Region 1. l

Season concludes for high school lacrosse; Davis and Farmington in semifinals

By Tom Haraldsen

t..haraldsen@mycityjournals.com

Two teams from Davis County remain alive as the final games of high school lacrosse season approach later this week. As of our press deadline on Wednesday morning, both Davis and Farmington are in the 6A boys semifinals, with winners from Wednesday’s games playing for the state title on Friday.

Earlier this week, Farmington’s girls lost a 12-11 heartbreaker in three overtimes to Fremont. Last week, all 5A schools and the Davis Dart girls team were eliminated.

6A BOYS

Davis, the third seed at state, moved to 14-3 on the year with wins over Lehi 19-4 and Westlake 14-6. The Darts were set to meet second-seeded Fremont in the semis. Luke Donigan scored seven goals, and the trio of Brek Jensen, Carson Smolka and Ashton Wood each had two goals in the rout over Lehi.

Against Westlake, it was Donigan again leading the scoring with five goals. Ben Roylance added three and Wood two for Davis. The winner on Wednesday would face either Farmington or Corner Canyon in Friday’s championship game at Zions Bank Stadium in Sandy. Farmington made it to the semifinals with wins over Herriman 12-5 and Lone Peak 7-6. The Phoenix, 13-6 on the year, spread the scoring around. Against Herriman, Dominic Coats, Mitchel Milne, Kai Beynon and Kai Leavitt each scored twice. Against Lone Peak, it was Beynon, Leavitt and Milne with two goals apiece.

6A GIRLS

Farmington finished the year at 13-6 following the loss to Fremont in triple OT. MacKaylee Sargent scored the winner for Fremont, which was the second seed in the tourney. She scored five times for Fremont against the third-seeded Phoenix. Farmington was led by Alexandra MacAuley with eight goals. She has been among the top scorers in the state all year.

Earlier in the tourney, Farmington topped Corner Canyon 21-8 behind six goals from Ruby Roche and five each from MacAuley and Kate Carter. It then beat Lone Peak 13-7 as MacAuley scored four times, Carter and Hailey Larsen each added three and Kathleet Moffat a pair. Davis defeated Herriman 12-10 in a first round game, as Olivia Lifferth scored five times, Esther Facer added three and Tallulah Raser scored twice. The Darts’ season ended with a second-round loss to top-seeded Riverton 12-6. Scoring was not available by press time. Davis finished the year with a record of 10-8.

5A BOYS

Bountiful beat Alta 13-12 in the first round. Carter Terry scored four times, Jensen Freeman and Tate Terry three times and Nathan Horne twice for the Redhawks, who rallied and out scored Alta 8-1 in the fourth quarter. Second-seed Olympus ended the Bountiful season with a 14-5 win in the quarters. Carter Terry scored twice, with single goals from Tate Terry, Brandon Wilkinson and Jensen Freeman. Bountiful finished the year at 11-8.

Woods Cross and Viewmont were both eliminated last week.

5A GIRLS

Woods Cross advanced into the quar-

ters, beating Wasatch 11-10 then losing to Maple Mountain 6-5 in overtime. Against the Wasps, Lila Dunn scored four goals and Grace McArthur two. Scoring against Maple Mountain was not available. The Wildcats won their first 14 games and finished the year at 15-3 overall.

Bountiful was 11-7 on the season following a 14-2 loss to Brighton in the second round. Scoring for the Redhawks in this one were Claire Jensen and Naomi Brice. Viewmont’s season ended with a 12-8 loss to Highland. Cecilia Walton and Brienna Wallis each scored three times and Alexis Lee twice for the Vikings, who finished the year at 13-4. l

Sun safety tips for Skin Cancer Awareness Month

By Bailey Chism bailey.c@thecityjournals.com

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and Utah has one of the highest rates of melanoma, about twice the national average.

It’s estimated that one in five people will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. Due to an outdoor lifestyle and elevation, Utahns are at increased risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Douglas Grossman, a professor at the University of Utah and investigator for the Huntsman Cancer Center, said Utah’s fairskinned population is at higher risk because of the higher UV rays at Utah’s altitude.

According to an article from the National Library of Medicine, “Melanoma incidence and mortality in Utah is the highest in [the] USA. Melanoma incidence in Utah is 80% higher than the national average and mortality is 31% higher.”

So what can you do? Grossman said to avoid being outside during peak sun hours. The sun is typically strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

If you are going to be outside, wear SPF 30 or higher, even on cloudy days.

By Peri Kinder peri.k@thecityjournals.com

U

TA’s popular summer youth pass is back, providing unlimited rides on FrontRunner, TRAX, streetcar, UTA On Demand and buses for kids ages 6 to 18. For $49, the UTA Rider’s License can take youth to places from Weber to Utah County.

“UTA is excited to once again be offering kids the chance to get out and explore their community this summer,”

Seeing a dermatologist at least once a year can help, as well as performing self-exams. Doctors recommend using the acronym “ABCDE” to check for melanoma.

• Asymmetric: Look for asymmetric or unequally sized moles.

• Border: Look for spots with jagged borders.

• Color: Look for spots with varying colors.

• Diameter: Look for large spots. Any moles bigger than the eraser of a pencil should be checked out.

• Evolving: Look for any developing or changing moles.

Grossman said people should give themselves a self-exam every one or two months and seek attention for new, changing, and suspicious lesions.

Grossman said if you have a strong family or personal history of skin cancer, or have large, irregular moles, it’s best to see a dermatologist at least once a year.

While skin cancer is dangerous, it is also preventable, so instilling good safety habits in the sun can help you in the long run.

Doctors say artificial UV light sources, like tanning beds, can also cause skin damage. l

says UTA spokesperson Carl Arky.

“Our hope is once they start using public transportation, they’ll become more comfortable and familiar with the UTA system and continue using transit as they get older. That will help reduce congestion and air pollution all while enhancing the quality of life for everyone along the Wasatch Front.”

The pass is valid through Aug. 31 and can be purchased as a mobile ticket on the Ride UTA mobile app. For youth without a smartphone, Tap passes can

HUNTSMAN CANCER INSTITUTE with the University of Utah. Utah has twice the national average for skin cancer diagnoses.

Photo by Bailey Chism

before the big day.

Photos by Braden Nelsen

NOTICES

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE

The following described property will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder, without warranty as to title, possession, liens or encumbrances, payable in lawful money of the United States, at the main entrance of the Second District Court, 800 W State St., Farmington, UT 84025 on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., for the purpose of foreclosing a Deed of Trust, dated May 24, 2019, executed by RAUL G. CAMPOS and MARY M. CAMPOS, husband and wife as joint tenants, as Trustor, in favor of ZIONS BANCORPORATION, N.A. dba ZIONS FIRST NATIONAL BANK, as Beneficiary, recorded on June 21, 2019, as Entry No. 3167629 Bk 7289, Pg 424-443, in the Davis County Recorder’s Office, State of Utah, covering real property located in Davis County, State of Utah, and more particularly described as follows: THAT CERTAIN PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, AND THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, KNOWN AS: 1084 E NORTHERN HILLS DR IN THE TOWN OF: BOUNTIFUL COUNTY OF: DAVIS AND STATE OF: UT

LEGAL DESCRIPTION: COMMENCING AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE PROPERTY

CONVEYED BY DEED RECORDED IN BOOK 557 OF OFFICIAL RECORDS, PAGE 256, WHICH POINT WITH RESPECT TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF LOT 1, NORTHERN HILLS, PLAT

A, A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF SECTION 20, TOWNSHIP 2 NORTH, RANGE 1 EAST, SALT LAKE BASE AND MERIDIAN IS SOUTH 149.66 FEET TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE RESERVOIR SITE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND WEST 118.5 FEET ALONG THE BOUNDARY OF SAID RESERVOIR SITE AND SOUTH 76° 14’ WEST ALONG THE NORTHERLY BOUNDARY OF SAID RESERVOIR SITE 7.0 FEET, THE POINT OF BEGINNING, AND RUNNING THENCE NORTH TO THE SOUTHERLY BOUNDARY OF A STREET KNOWN AS NORTHERN HILLS DRIVE; THENCE WESTERLY ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID STREET 90.0 FEET; THENCE SOUTH TO THE NORTH LINE OF THE RESERVOIR SITE AS CONVEYED IN BOOK 147 OF OFFICIAL RECORDS, PAGE 601; THENCE NORTH 76° 14’ EAST 90.0 FEET, MORE OR LESS TO THE BEGINNING.

Parcel No.: 04-002-046

TOGETHER WITH all existing or subsequently erected or affixed buildings, improvements, and fixtures; all easements, rights of way, and appurtenances; all water, water rights and ditch rights (including stock in utilities with ditch or irrigation rights); and all other rights, royalties, and profits relating to the real property, including without limitation all minerals, oil, gas, geothermal and similar

matters.

The real property or its address is commonly known as 1084 E NORTHERN HILLS DR., BOUNTIFUL, UT 84010. The undersigned disclaims any liability for any error in the street address or tax identification number.

The current Beneficiary of the Deed of Trust is ZIONS BANCORPORATION, N.A., dba ZIONS

FIRST NATIONAL BANK.

Bidders must be prepared to tender to the Successor Trustee a $5,000.00 deposit at the time of the sale with the balance delivered by 12:00 noon the following business day to the Trustee’s office, located at 230 South 500 East, Suite 300, Salt Lake City, Utah 84102. The deposit must be in the form of a cashier’s check, bank official check, or U.S. Postal money order, payable to TraskBritt, P.C. The balance must be in the form of a cashier’s check, bank official check, U.S. Postal money order, or by wire transfer, payable to TraskBritt, P.C.

In addition, Beneficiary may, pursuant to the Utah Commercial Code, cause any personal property described in the Deed in which Beneficiary was granted a lien to be sold in connection with the real property.

THIS NOTICE IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT, AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

DATED the 2nd day of May 2024.

Glenn R. Brom

Glenn R. Bronson, Successor Trustee TraskBritt, P.C.

230 South 500 East, Suite 300 Salt Lake City, UT 84102 (801) 532-1922

Publishing: 5/10/2024, 5/17/2024, 5/24/2024

(10600 South),

MORGAN COUNTY NEWS

Covering Your Community

Morgan boys back-to-back state track champions

By Liisa London Mecham

After Morgan finished second at the Region 13 Track Championships to Union on their home turf, some were counting the Morgan boys team, the reigning state champions, out of the state race, but the Trojan Track Family certainly wasn’t. Behind their 2024 theme “Why Not You?”, Morgan's team rallied together to prove their naysayers wrong and to bring home their second consecutive 3A State Boys Track Championship, and fourth of the past five titles.

With titles in 1996, 2019, (no championship was held in 2020 due to Covid), 2021, 2023, and 2024, the boys track program is now tied with the girls basketball program with five titles apiece, just behind boys golf with six and football with eight (girls volleyball leads with 20 titles).

The remarkable comeback story begins and ends with the track family theme–“Why Not You?” Returning from

the Arcadia National Meet earlier in the spring, seniors Tucker Giles and Brogan Garrett brainstormed with coaches to find a mantra for the year. “Why Not You?” rose to the top, and since it was introduced, members of the track family have embraced the motto, giving their best and answering the question for themselves, “Why Not You? Why won’t you be the one to push harder at practice, to PR when you’re tired, or to win a race no one expected you to win? “Why Not You?”

At the State Track Meet, there are countless stories of individuals on the Morgan track team who embodied the theme and performed above expectations. These individuals pulled together to earn the 112.50 points that put the Trojans on top. Juab finished second with 87 points and the Region 13 Champion Cougars earned third with 82.

Morgan’s individual and relay state champions celebrated the title along with other placers, non-state qualifiers, and

fans as one. “No one achieves greatness alone,” sophomore sprinter, hurdler and high jumper Kenny Whitmer declared. “It takes a team and a family!”

Family is the cornerstone of the Morgan coaching staff’s philosophy. Coach Brennen Fuller uses the hashtag #familyovereverything to describe the relationship his team has amongst themselves.

“I am SO proud of my team and how they battle and come together,” he shared on social media.

“The boys have been battling setbacks, injuries, and illnesses going into state… but they knew they had a shot at it, and man, did they show up the last few days. As with the region tournament, we had our downs.. but kids that we weren’t expecting stepped up for their family! They were able to cap it off with their Back 2 Back title. Those senior boys

TRACK on page 6

County commissioners tweak fairgrounds plan

By Linda Petersen

Morgan’s county commission has taken the next step in the process of reinventing the county fairgrounds. On May 7 Wasatch Civil Engineering presented a broad-strokes concept plan to the commissioners as a starting point in developing a final plan.

Wasatch Civil Engineering held a kickoff meeting with the commissioners and the public in May 2022 and since then has solicited public input on the plan on the county website. Both commissioners and the public agree that the first priority should be developing more parking, including horse trailer and RV parking, for the county fair and other events.

The site has two major impediments that need to be addressed in the plan, Tyson Knobla, a Wasatch Civil Engineering GIS specialist said.

“A major flood plain encompasses a large part of this park which prohibits the construction of major structures but can allow for some surface features including parking and fields,” he said.

THIS CONCEPT PLAN shows what the Morgan County Fairgrounds could look like in the future.

There are also two major pipeline easements through the property. Despite these constraints Tyson expressed confidence that they could be worked around. This initial plan includes two fullsize multi-use fields that could be used for soccer or other sports, five major parking areas including a gravel parking area, an asphalt paved trail connecting several of these areas, additional pickleball courts near the current courts, improved access to the river and a pro-

posed site for a new events center.

“This is really about the only location you could fit an event complex,” Tyson said. “We recognize that that is probably larger in scope and budget than what is currently planned but we wanted to identify an area that could potential-

Study sheds new light on dinosaurs

Despite being extinct for millions of years, new information is always being found about dinosaurs, and this time, it’s pretty significant. According to new studies reported on by CNN, dinosaurs may well have had a good mix of warm-blooded, and cold-blooded species. Paleontologists have reached this conclusion due to the finding of fossils in arctic areas, the likelihood of feathers on these species, and their dayto-day activities, which would have been impossible for cold-blooded animals. Of course, some experts disagree, citing findings of other fossils in other regions. The potential, however, of dinosaurs in frozen environments could mean a completely different view of the animals than previously held.

Adult attention span shrinking

A recent report on CNN cited evidence that the average adult's attention span is shrinking. Over the past 20 years, attention spans have shrunk from two and a half minutes to only 47 seconds. This diminishing has been attributed to several factors, including screen time, social media content like Tik Tok which is catered to shorter offerings, and interruptions at work. Hope is not lost, however. The article cites methods that everyone can use to increase their attention span, everything from avoiding social media or making it more difficult to access to taking a walk in nature and unplugging from the screens that dominate our day-to-day lives.

Chiefs kicker causes commencement speech stir

Just when the relationship between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce bolstered female NFL viewership and fanbase, things took an immediate turn when fellow Kansas City Chiefs player and kicker Harrison Butker made some inflammatory comments during a commencement speech just last week. Butker’s speech started out fairly ordinary but soon turned to speaking directly to the female graduates, telling them that they had been lied to and that it was likely that their true ambitions lay with home and family rather than career. The unbalanced nature of the speech caused severe backlash online amongst proponents of Feminism, and female rights activists. At the time of going to press, Butker has not responded to the backlash.

Iranian president dies

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and several others were killed in a helicopter crash this week. At the time of going to press, it is uncertain what caused the crash, though an attack is deemed unlikely. Rather, experts are leaning toward the age of the aircraft, a model originating in the 1960s, and the weather, which included dense fog and rain. Raisi’s death comes at a tumultuous time in the region, right on the heels of an Iranian drone and rocket attack on Israel, in the midst of that nation’s ongoing war with Palestine/Gaza. Raisi is expected to be replaced fairly quickly as Iran, and its allies mourn the loss of the president.

‘Finding Nemo Kids’ Mountain Green Musical Theatre presents movie classic page 8

MORGAN’S 4X400 TEAM of Tucker Giles, Brogan Garrett, Kenny Whitmer and Maverick Guymon won first place at the state meet.

Photo Courtesy of John Heywood

Courtesy image/Morgan County

A LOOK BACK

Staying safe around this Utah predator

By Braden Nelsen

MORGAN - The second largest feline on the American continent may be closer related to a house cat than to a lion, but make no mistake: mountain lions, sometimes called cougars, pumas, or other nicknames, are not predators to be trifled with, and an encounter with one may be terrifying. Fortunately, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has provided helpful tips to both avoid these animals and survive encounters with them.

Attacks on humans by mountain lions are very rare, but, as development proceeds and their natural habitat shrinks, more and more have been sighted in suburban and urban areas. However, people are more likely to see mountain lions in the same area where they encounter their prey: deer, pronghorn, and other mammals.

“People are the most likely to encounter cougars in areas frequented by mule deer and during the early morning and at dusk when cougars are most likely to be hunting,” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Game Mammals Coordinator Darren DeBloois said. Mountain lions are also known to “cache” their prey, or hide it under dirt, leaves, or snow for later eating.

Of course, the best way to survive an encounter with a mountain lion is to simply avoid them. The Utah DWR suggests the following methods to significantly reduce the chances of seeing a cougar in the wild:

• Do not hike or jog alone.

• Maintain awareness in cougar country while hiking or jogging and avoid using headphones that block out your surroundings.

• Travel in groups and keep everyone together, including children and dogs.

• Make noise while hiking to alert cougars of your presence.

• Leave the area if you find a dead animal, especially deer or elk since it could be a cougar kill.

• If you live in an area near deer habitat, do not leave children outside unattended, especially at dawn and dusk.

• As a deterrent, install outside and motion-sensitive lighting around your property.

• Trim vegetation and remove wood piles to reduce hiding places for wildlife.

• Bring pets and livestock inside at night or secure them in a barn or kennel with a top.

Cougars are stealthy predators, however, and even when doing all the right things, people have still had run-ins with

them all over Utah. As opposed to predators like grizzly bears where the prevailing advice is to play dead, the DWR suggests the opposite in the unlikely event that residents encounter cougars:

• Never run from a cougar, since that could trigger the cougar’s instincts to chase.

• Maintain eye contact.

• Pick up children and pets or keep them very close.

• Stand up tall.

• Do not crouch or squat.

• Make yourself look bigger by raising and waving your arms or jacket above your head.

• Talk firmly in a loud voice, back away slowly, and leave the area.

• Fight back if you are attacked! Protect your head and neck.

• If you are aggressive enough, the

UDOT seeks input on I-84 interchange plan

By Linda Petersen

The Utah Department of Transportation

is conducting an environmental assessment of the proposed Mountain Green I-84 interchange and related improvements including the proposed southern extensions of Trappers Loop Road and the proposed removal of the Exit 92 on and off ramps. The project is intended to improve highway and interstate mobility on I-84, SR-167 and Old Highway Road through improving roadway network linkages.

On May 1 at Mountain Green Middle School, UDOT representatives informed the public about the project in a scoping meeting. They provided information on the environmental process, mobility needs in the area, and the proposed action being evaluated. Now they are looking for public input.

Those who comment are asked to be specific in their comments and to focus on the action being considered and its potential impacts. Comments should include where the individual travels to in the area,

transportation issues she/he sees in the area, community features that are important to them, what they think would make that area easier to walk and bike through and what environmental impacts concern them.

The public input period is open through May 31. Interested parties may comment through a link at the Morgan County website: https://udotinput.utah. gov/I84mountaingreen#tab-50356, by email to i84mountaingreen@utah.gov, by mail to I-84 Mountain Green Study Project Team, care of Avenue Consultants, 6605 S. Redwood Rd. Suite #200, Taylorsville, UT 84123.

This input will help the project team develop an environmental document for the project which is expected to be completed in early 2025 when public input will again be solicited.

Interested residents may contact the project team at 385-365-1616 or visit the website at https://udotinput.utah.gov/ I84mountaingreen. l

cougar will probably flee.

“Typically, a cougar that is trying to prey on something will sneak up and ambush them,” DeBloois said. “When a cougar lunges or bluffs a charge at someone, they are typically just trying to drive them out of the area because they have kittens or a kill nearby that they are trying to protect.”

While it may seem logical to report a cougar sighting, the DWR states that onetime sightings usually indicate the animal is simply passing through, and therefore do not need to be reported. Cougar sightings should be reported if the animal is sighted more than once in the same area, if pets or livestock have been killed, or if the animal is exhibiting aggressive behavior. l

MOUNTAIN LIONS are stealthy, ambush predators, and can be hard to spot at times. Photos courtesy of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

THIS IMAGE DEPICTS the area being studied in the I-84 interchange environmental assessment.

Courtesy image/UDOT

THE UTAH DIVISION OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES advises residents to be aware of areas where mountain lions may be: anywhere a deer might be, a cougar could be too.

Schools in MCSD perform one last time

With the school year ending, the music departments at Morgan High School, Morgan Middle School and Mountain Green Middle School performed one final concert. MHS Orchestra performed May 13 under the

direction of Rudy Cordeiro. MHS and MMS performed May 14 under the direction of Sadie Julander and MGMS band and choir performed May 16 under the direction of Kennan Thompson. MHS and MMS Bands under the

direction of Chad McLean performed May 15. Each group showcased the talent that is alive and strong within Morgan County.

MHS ORCHESTRA

Photo Credit Verlene Johnson

ADVANCED MS CHOIR SINGS “One More Day,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing.”

SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE Advanced MS Combined Choir sing “Have it All.”

SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE CHOIR sing “Ain’t no Mountain High Enough” and “Surfin’ USA Medley.”

Photos by Verlene Johnson

SPORTS

Morgan Trojans boys tennis save best for last

By Brian Shaw

After putting a tough season together and making it work for the betterment of the team that is fairly young to begin with, the Morgan Trojans boys tennis team finished third overall at the Region 13 Championships at Liberty Park.

It starts with sophomore Sawyer Peterson, a player that Morgan head coach Gary Weitzeil said has loads of potential.

“We’re just very young across the board,” said Weitzeil, who noted that his team had no seniors returning for this year’s squad.

Peterson advanced all the way to the Region 13 final before losing 1-6 and 6-2. Armed with a No. 16 seed, the Morgan sophomore competed at the recently completed 3A state tennis championships and lost to No. 17 Logan Bergfeld of South Sevier, 0-6 and 2-6. Still and all, a bronze medal at the region championships should bode well for Peterson.

In second singles though, the Trojans had their first big breakthrough.

Treyson Ordyna also reached the Region 13 semifinals like Peterson. But, with a No. 13 seed in his pocket at the 3A state championships, the Morgan junior pocketed that knowledge and won his first-round match in straight sets, 6-0 and 6-0 over Draper APA’s Oliver Slaugh.

Ordyna would then register arguably the biggest upset of the year for the Trojans when he dispatched of No. 4 Peter Ondrus of Ogden in a second-round

state tournament slugfest, 6-4 and 7-6. The Morgan junior’s magic carpet ride would end in the 3A quarterfinals in a loss to Grantsville’s Rowan Nielsen, 2-6 and 2-6.

Junior Dax Helsten was Morgan’s pick in third singles for the state tournament and the No. 19 fought hard before falling to higher-seeded Cameron Jones of Carbon, 7-6, 5-7, and 6-7—a literal battle in every sense of the word, the kind of tennis that Coach Weitzeil said the Trojans are capable of playing.

“Because we’re so young, we’ve had to play catchup for most of the season,” he said before the Region 13 tour-

TRACK on from page 1

won 3 out of 4 years!”

“On the girls' side, we lost almost all of our girls' points from last year’s state championship team to graduation and weren't even looking to go even top 10.. but these girls exceeded our expectations and went top 5 at state!” he concluded.

Fuller was awarded 3A Coach of the Year and shared the honor with his staff. “I have the BEST staff,” he noted. “I was awarded Coach of the Year, but I completely give that to my coaches who give SO much to these kids and have bought into the culture and family that has brought us so much success. This is impossible without all of us. I love this track family!”

Fuller’s sentiments are echoed in each member of the track team who was interviewed after the championship. High jumper Joe McLean, who medaled at state after qualifying by mark at Region Championships explained, “I couldn’t have done it without the track fam around me cheering and supporting me. That’s the main thing.”

Jumper and hurdler Lainey Hansen declared, “I love all things about Morgan High track and field. I love the family atmosphere that we have. I couldn’t have gotten anywhere without my teammates, my coaches and my family’s support.”

“Track has been the best part of my life since I joined the team,” senior thrower Londyn Elmer reminisced. “Leaving my track family is going to be the hardest goodbye as a senior.”

Hurdler and javelin thrower Gavin DeWitt added, “Why Not You? It was our team motto for the year.” And in a crazy, yet relatable way to

success, performance and seizing the day, Maverick Guymon quoted Bodie Erickson;s “If you don’t eat it hot, it will be cold.” Way to seize the day, Trojans.

Although it’s hard to break a family down into individual parts, Morgan celebrated three individual state champions: seniors Tucker Giles, Brogan Garrett and Abby Titus.

In addition, four more athletes earned gold as members of the 4x400 relay and Sprint Medley Relay along with Garrett and Giles. Running the Sprint Medley were Jake Carter (12), Jacob Halls (10), Maverick Guymon (11) and Giles (12). Their gold medal time was 3.33.73.

Members of the 4x400 relay include Giles (12), Guymon (11), Kenny Whitmer (10), and Garrett (12). They cruised to a 3:22.92 victory.

In addition to his 4x400 and sprint relay gold medals, Giles won an individual championship in the 800m (1:58.24) and earned a bronze in the 110m hurdles (15.49).

Garrett also medaled in three events in addition to the 4x400. He brought

nament.

It seems that Morgan might finally be settling in and playing good tennis, though.

In first doubles, the duo of juniors Luke Wilson and Jackson Flitton fell in the second round of the Region 13 Championships. But at the state tournament and with the No. 13 seed, Wilson and Flitton fared better. In the first round, they whacked No. 20-ranked Kannon Christiansen and Coby Rasmussen of Manti, 6-4 and 6-0 before falling to Grand’s No. 4 team of Oren Moore and Jacob Jones in the second round, 2-6 and 5-7.

Then, to wrap up a crowded lineup, the Trojans trotted out junior Tripp Curtis and freshman Blake Hadley in second doubles. At the Region 13 Championships, the Morgan duo reached the semifinals.

At state, Hadley and Curtis put their No. 16 seed to good use in the first round and dispatched of Draper APA’s pair of Finnegan McVicar and Weston Stratton, 6-2 and 6-3. Morgan’s duo then faced the No. 1 team from Waterford of Shayan Pandit and Nathan Kwon, falling 2-6 and 4-6.

STATE TRACK MEET RESULTS

BOYS RELAYS

4x400-1st place Giles, Maverick Guymon, Kenny Whitmer, Brogan Garrett

Sprint Medley- 1st Place- Jake Carter, Jake Halls, Maverick Guymon, Tucker Giles, 4x100-3rd place - Christian Nunez, Tate Nelson, Jake Halls, Talmadge Sommers (43.33)

BOYS INDIVIDUAL PLACERS

Tucker Giles- 1st (800m), 3rd (110m Hurdles) Brogan Garrett- 1st (400m); 2nd (200m), 4th (100m) Kenny Whitmer- 2nd (110m Hurdles), 4th (High Jump), 8th (400m) Maverick Guymon- 2nd (300m Hurdles), 6th (110m Hurdles) Christian Nunez-7th (Long Jump) Gavin DeWitt- 4th (Javelin); 6th (300m hurdles) Joe McLean- 6th (High Jump) Bodie Erickson-8th (300m hurdles) GIRLS RELAYS 4x100- 3rd-Abby Titus, Brier Gailey, Lauren Kobe, Caitlyn Flitton Sprint Medley- 7th place Brier Gailey, Caitlyn Flitton, Kate Brewer, Alexis Cox 4x400- 5th-Aubree Brooks, Sarah Wilkinson, Lainey Hansen, Kate Brewer

INDIVIDUAL PLACERS

Abby Titus-1st (High Jump); 2nd (Long jump) Tori Smith- 3rd (shot put) Lainey Hansen-6th (300m hurdles) Londyn Elmer-7th (discus) Kate Brewer-8th (400m) Kendall Peterson-8th (long jump

home his individual gold in the 400m (47.74), claimed second in the 200m (21.91), and finished third in the 100m (11.17).

Another four-medal winner was Renaissance sophomore Kenny Whitmer who sprints, hurdles and jumps. Along with his gold in the 4x400, he earned a silver in the 110m hurdles (15.31), fourth in the high jump (6-0.0) and eighth in the 400m (51.28).

Junior Maverick Guymon collected three medals with gold in the 4x400, silver in the 300m hurdles (39.66) and sixth in the 110m hurdles (16.02).

Titus won her gold in the high jump (5-3.0) and earned a silver in the long jump and a bronze in the 4 x 100 relay. Going into the long jump finals, Titus

qualified eighth out of nine with a jump of 15-8.75. In her first jump of the finals, she improved by over 12 inches to jump 16-9.0 to move into second place. Freshman Kendall Peterson placed eighth in the long jump (15-11.0).

Titus effused: "I cannot believe the amazing opportunity that track has been for me these past four years! I am so grateful for the wonderful family that I was able to be a part of, and I am beyond grateful for each of the coaches.”

“Without this family, I would have never been able to come as far as I did. It was a dream come true when I became the 3A girls high jump state champion.

DAX HELSTEN

Photos courtesy of Studio One Images

SAWYER PETERSON

TREYSON ORDYNA

SENIOR ABBY TITUS clears the bar at 5’3” to win the state championship.

SENIOR GAVIN DEWITT throws the javelin at the state meet. DeWitt took fourth in the javelin and sixth in the 300m hurdles.

Photos Courtesy of John Heywood

CHRISTIAN NUNEZ jumps through the air in the long jump pit. Nunez claimed seventh place.

TRACK on from page 5

I never would have thought that this could have ever happened. I want the track team to know how much I love each of them and how influential they have been to me throughout my four years of track. They are the ones who pushed me to work harder each day and to do my best. My teammates were the ones I ran and jumped for at every meet, especially region and state. I want each of them to remember the phrase “Why Not You?” as they continue to compete in the years to come.”

Morgan’s hurdlers crushed it on the track. Coach Michelle Wilkinson aka “Coach Mom” led the hurdlers and rejoiced in their success at BYU. Morgan advanced four hurdlers to the 300m finals and placed three (2nd, 6th and 8th). In the 110m hurdles, they advanced three to the finals and finished second, third and fourth. In the girls’ 300m, Lainey Hansen qualified for the finals.

Coach Wilkinson detailed,” Our goal from the beginning of the year was to take as many hurdlers to the state finals as possible. We almost got all four in both races (Gavin barely missed qualifying in the 110’s.)”

“Those boys have pushed each other all year long in practice and at meets. Nothing gets you better faster than having teammates who are the best in the state,” she continued.

“I would always love to have every one of my athletes on the podium, but I’m even more proud that they work hard together and truly care about each other. They are amazing boys, and I’m so grateful I get to be their coach.”

“On the girls’ side, we weren’t as deep, but my varsity four were a tight-knit group. We were all brokenhearted when Sara didn’t make finals, but Lainey

stepped up and made us all proud with her 6th-place finish in the 300’s. Those girls cheered each other on every step of the way. Her win was a win for them all.” Wilkinson summarized.

The girls’ team wrapped up their season with a fifth-place finish, six individual medalists, and three relays that placed. l

MGES STUDENTS OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL

JOE MCLEAN leaps over the bar in the high jump. McLean placed 6th.

THE MORGAN TRACK TEAMS celebrate the boys back-to-back championship at the 3A State Meet. The girls team placed fifth.

ABBY TITUS TAKES her first jump of the long jump finals. This jump moved her from eighth place to second.

TUCKER GILES raises his hands in victory as he hits the tape in the 800m race.

Photos Courtesy of John Heywood

KINDERGARTNERS

Shelby West, River Shaw, Lily Whitear, Gatlin Kirk *not pictured Peyton Lehr

BREKLYN BUTTERS, OAKS ORTON

MGES Students of the Month. Our theme for April was MANNERS. Our sponsor for SOTM is FLY HIGH.

1ST GRADERS

Juniper Marshall, Thomas Perkins, Gemma Olaveson, Mac Wilding

2ND GRADERS  Ephraim Holden, Avery Atwood, Jorie Hansen, Averie Horne, Lydia Gardner

3RD GRADERS

Davis Rabe, Drake Schultz , Waylon McKean, Jack North, Kaylin Snodgrass

4TH GRADERS

Michael Mendenhall , Samantha Linford, Brielle Bess *not pictured, Madison Hunt

MGES STUDENTS OF THE MONTH FOR MAY

This year at MGES we implemented Student of the Month, our theme was the "EAGLE IN ME".

Each month our teachers selected a student in their class who had the characteristic of the month. May was EXCEPTIONAL- the student who displayed most of the previous characteristics. Thank to FLY HIGH for sponsoring our students of the Months this year! l

KINDERGARTNERS

MCSD schools give last performance

by

4TH GRADERS

Kaleb Weeks, Ella Pace, Zoey North, Lennox Smith

Lucy Jones, Jett Manwaring, Hudson Story, Davey (Matthew) Redding

HAYZEN MORRIS, STERLING COX

1ST GRADERS  Blair Cook, Piper Peay, Luke Hansen, George Lawlor, Luca Whittier

2ND GRADERS

Olivia Hansen, William Redding, Evan Zemke, Genevieve Morgan, Cora Taylor

3RD GRADERS

Maverick Whittier, Rowan Sundberg, Johnny Whitmer, Makayla Love, Breklyn Buttars

Photos

Verlene Johnson

Mountain Green Musical Theatre presents ‘Finding Nemo Kids’ with the students from MGES

In April, Mountain Green Elementary students in conjunction with Mountain Green Musical Theatre performed “Disney’s Finding Nemo Kids.” This new production based on the 2003 film “Finding Nemo” was directed by Jennifer Hancock, with music director Michelle Stocking. Choreography was done by Tori Cox with costumes designed by Marina Hallsten. Each cast got the opportunity to perform for the community twice. These young stars show a promising future for the arts in Morgan County.

BLUE

CAST ORANGE CAST

FAIRGROUNDS on from page 1

ly be used and not build major features there.”

The anticipated budget for all the improvements would be in the neighborhood of $74 million. This could be handled in a phased approach over many years and developed as grant funding and other funding could be found, Tyson said. Commissioners responded mostly positively to the plan and threw out some ideas of their own.

Parking needs to be a priority, Commissioner Matt Wilson said. “I think that

whole area where the event complex is going has to be parking. You barely can fit people as it is.”

Another important priority is planning a location for a future exhibit building, Commission Chair Mike Newton said. “Our current exhibit building is nearing the end of its life. It’s in pretty sad shape so we need to provide for some space for that. Additionally, we have a request to from the livestock group to extend their livestock barn to the north.”

“One of the biggest goals is this event complex is not just going to be for the fairground time, the Fourth of July time; it’s going to be a year-round event

center,” Commissioner Blaine Fackrell said.

More pickleball courts would allow the county to host tournaments which could bring in more tourism dollars and help pave the way for a future hotel, he said. Fackrell also suggested that a water kayak park on the river might be a possibility sometime in the future.

Commissioner Jared Anderson expressed appreciation for the work that has been done on the plan so far and said the county should begin to move forward toward making the plan a reality.

“I know we need to use some impact fees that we have available,” he said. “Currently we are renting field space

from the school for our recreation sports, so this is very, very helpful.” Commissioner Robert McConnell agreed.

“The fundamental thing that we would want to identify is to first get some cost estimates with respect to some of the items,” he said. “I think it sounds like we need to move forward [on] at least one of the fields sooner rather than later.” Wasatch Civil Engineering will take the feedback provided by the commissioners and work on further refining the fairgrounds plan, Tyson said. l

MARLIN, NEMO, Pearl, Tad, Sheldon, sing “Big Blue World.”

PROFESSOR RAY sings part of “Big Blue Worlds.”

“FISH ARE FRIENDS NOT FOOD” sung by Bruce, Chum, Anchor and sharks.

TANK GANG.

FINALE OF “FINDING NEMO.”

JELLY FISH SING “Just Keep Swimming.”

JELLY FISH, Nemo and Dory.

DORY, CRUSH, AND NEMO perform “Go with the Flow” with sea turtles in the background.

NEMO AND HIS sea friends being caught in a net. Photo credit Kelsey Hadley

are hoping for a gradual snow melt.”

Barbara Dickson Whittier, age 97 passed away May 15, 2024. Barbara was born to Anona and Reed Dickson on Oct. 5, 1926 and with the exception of some time at college resided in Morgan her entire life.

By Linda Petersen

M

ore than half of this winter’s snow has melted, and widespread flooding is not anticipated, according to the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Short periods of warm temperatures followed by cooler weather and precipitation have helped slow snowmelt.

“A slow warmup is exactly what we need to have a safe and effective spring runoff,” Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources, said in a press release. “We still have a good amount of snow in the mountains, so we

This year’s snowpack peaked on April 2 at 18.8” snow water equivalent, 131 percent of normal, the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s May Water Supply Report said.

As of May 1, most of Utah’s major watersheds were 90 percent of normal precipitation or above for the 2024 water year, with the northern Utah basins faring the best. Statewide, reservoirs are currently at 90 percent, around 22 percent higher than normal. East Canyon Reservoir is currently seeing water levels at more than 88 percent. l Spring snowmelt has been perfect in Morgan County and much of state, officials say

MGMS Performs songs of America

By Quinn Ouellette

Great American is a challenge that the fifth graders at Mountain Green Middle School do every year! The fifth graders have the option to participate in the challenge. But it is a challenging task, students must do many things. It is hard work, but if you work for it they can complete it.

Some of the tasks students must pass off are: writing the Pledge of Allegiance in cursive, with no errors, recite the National Anthem, the Preamble and the Gettysburg Address from memory. In addition, students must pass the 100-question citizenship test along with all 46 presidents in order, identifying the 50 states on a map and match the states and capitals. It is crucial to be able to know all the stuff. The Great American Challenge teaches the fifth graders at MGMS. While earning the Great American is optional, all students participate in the Great American program where they perform songs they learned about America such as “Fifty Nifty,” “The Gettysburg Address,”

“God Bless the USA,” “This Land is Your Land,” and “The Preamble.”

The fifth graders had the opportunity to learn the sign language to the chorus of “God Bless the USA.” They also learned hand movements to “This Land is Your Land.”

Every Tuesday and Thursday for three weeks the students worked hard on memorizing these songs.

When the day came to perform the Great American program, the fifth graders invited family and friends to see them perform what they learned on the 15th of May. Students who worked hard for the Great American Challenge sat on the front row and In between songs the great American people gave short speeches introducing what each song would be about.

At the end of the program, students who completed all the requirements were rewarded the Great American Award. Twenty-three fifth graders passed off Great American this year Each received a certificate and a medal to show how proud the teachers were that their students had worked so hard. l

Barbara married Gerald (Short ) Whittier on Nov. 10, 1948 in the Salt Lake City Temple. She is survived by their five children, Diane (Jerry, deceased) Sorensen, Hooper, Utah, Dee (Mary Lou) Whittier, Blacksburg VA, Dick (Becky) Whittier, Logan, Utah, Jack (Robynn) Whittier, currently serving an LDS mission in Toronto Canada and Bret (Margo) Whittier, Cedar City, Utah. She is also survived by two brothers, Lee (Veloy) Dickson and Norris (Pam) Dickson both of Morgan, and a brother-in-law, Paul Porter, Bountiful, Utah. At her passing she had 21 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald, sisters Dixie Porter and Maisie Whitaker, grandson Drew and granddaughter Katelyn.

Besides being a mother and homemaker, Barbara taught science, math, physics and chemistry at Morgan High school for 23 years, retiring in 1987. She was always active in the LDS church and served in many positions, taking a special interest in humanitarian projects. In 1989 she and her husband served an LDS mission to Alaska.

Barbara loved Morgan and took any opportunity she could to participate in organizations and activities that made Morgan an inviting place to live. She was an avid supporter of education and continued involvement with the education systems by volunteering after her retirement. For many years providing books for school age children who might not otherwise own a book.

The family would like to thank the administration and staff at Family Tree Assisted Living for their kind and respectful care of our mother these past few months. Also a special thanks to the staff of Enhabit Home Health, especially Corey, Tina and Marty. The compassion and caring they showed Mom was exceptional.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 25 at 10:30 a.m. at the Rock Church, 10 W Young Street. A viewing will be held Friday, May 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Walker Mortuary, 45 W, 200 North St. Morgan, Utah and at the Rock Church one hour prior to services, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Live streaming will be available from her obituary page on the Walker Mortuary web page. In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Philanthropies, Missionary Fund or Humanitarian Aid Fund (churchofjesuschrist. org) or donate to your favorite library.

FARM LOAN ASSOCIATION AT MORGAN NAMES HEADS

At the annual meeting of the Norgan National Farm Loan Association. V. Cassidy of the Federal Land Bank explained to the members of the new program as outlined by the Farm Credit Administration. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Alonzo Francis; vice president, Ralph G. Warner; directors, Clarence Thurston, Carl Phillips, and Wilford H. Toonel secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Kate Littlefield; loan committee, Alonzo Francis, J. G. Littlefield and Hiram H. Giles.

MORGAN; WASATCH DEADLOCKED IN SUMMIT BASKETBALL RACE

Morgan and Wasatch County High won

over North Summit and Judge Memorial last Friday to continue in a deadlock for the Summit District lead, both fives having won eight and lost one. Coach Paul Rose’s Trojans of M.H.S. took a thriller at Coalville from North Summit by a 28 to 22 count, while the Heber City five romped through an easy victor against the Salt Lake City Boys, 36 to 11.

Courtesy photos

Obituaries

Hollywood Q&A

By Adam Thomlison TV Media

Q: Why are all the characters leaving “S.W.A.T.”? Is Shemar Moore planning on leaving? Is this the last season for the show?

A: This was going to be the last season of “S.W.A.T.,” but then suddenly it wasn’t. Again. CBS first canceled the cop drama in 2023 at the end of its sixth season, but then changed its mind and renewed it for a miniature seventh season (13 episodes

instead of the usual 22) to allow the show to wrap up its storylines. But then, just a few weeks ago, CBS surprisingly un-canceled it again, ordering a full, 22-episode Season 8. That is, of course, great news for fans. But unfortunately, in all the tumult, a number of stars left the show, as you say. The exodus started with Lina Esco (“Kingdom”), who left at the end of Season 5, but she was followed by Alex Russell (“Chronicle,” 2012) and Kenny Johnson (“The Shield”).

But, even here there’s some potentially good news: series lead Shemar Moore (“Criminal Minds”) — who plays the delightfully named Hondo and will be back for Season 8 — pointed out that if a show can be canceled twice and come back, anything’s possible.

“Nobody died,” he told Deadline.com.

“And in the world of Hollywood, anything can happen.”

With that in mind, this time no one’s saying whether Season 8 (scheduled for the fall) is the last one.

Q: Is Timothy Olyphant going to do another season of “Justified”?

A: Another season of “Justified” is a distinct possibility, but it doesn’t look likely any time soon.

The series, which originally ran on FX from 2010 to 2015, returned last year for a limited series called “City Primeval.”

That was always intended as a one-anddone installment — a sort of update on the life of Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens — but with the understanding that others could follow in the same fashion.

It’s unlikely to be soon, though, because star Timothy Olyphant (“Daisy Jones & The Six”), who played Givens, has signed on for an incredibly high-profile new project: the TV adaptation of the 1979 horror classic “Alien.”

This, too, will air on FX, and is being written and produced by Noah Hawley, who previously gave us another great cinemato-TV adaptation, “Fargo.” (Olyphant also starred in the fourth season of “Fargo,” so everyone’s going to know each other on set, which is nice.)

The “Alien” series is reportedly still filming and won’t likely see release until 2025.

Haveaquestion?Emailusat questions@tvtabloid.com.Pleaseinclude yournameandtown.Personalreplieswill notbeprovided.

Monday

M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television

(13) KSTU 7 p.m.

This feature-length documentary pays homage to the beloved, influential and enduring comedy, “M*A*S*H.” The special features new interviews with cast members and producers, never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, photos, stories and more.

Weakest Link

(5) KSL 9 p.m.

During this special episode, eight U.S. military veterans join to answer rapid-fire trivia questions, each hoping to evade elimination from the game. With a huge cash prize at stake, these comrades in arms will have to choose allegiances to win.

Tuesday America’s Got Talent

(5) KSL 7 p.m.

Singers, dancers, magicians and the occasional fire-eating ventriloquist prove that talent in the United States remains top-notch as aspiring performers hope to win that $1 million prize. Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara judge.

The Quiz With Balls

(13) KSTU 8 p.m.

It takes balls to compete at the highest level on a television quiz show. And that is precisely the point for the premiere of this new game show where families must work together to answer questions right or be run over by giant balls. Jay Pharoah hosts.

Wednesday

The Price Is Right at Night

(2) KUTV 7 p.m.

Junior fans of this beloved game show can rejoice, as this episode sees host Drew Carey inviting the game’s youngest superfans to “come on down” and try their hand at some price-guessing games that could earn them cash, prizes and a shot at the showcase.

Pompeii: The New Dig

(7) KUED 9 p.m.

In this gripping series finale, archeologists work to wrap up the excavations of the home of a wealthy Pompeiian and a nearby bakery and laundry. They uncover fascinating details of what the people were doing as the city was destroyed by molten ash.

TELEVISION GUIDE

Thursday

I Can See Your Voice (13) KSTU 7 p.m.

Grab your partner and swing ‘em round, because it’s time for Country Night: This week, Finesse Mitchell and Maddie & Tae visit and serve as celebrity detectives, and the duo listens to some good ole country tunes performed by singers good and bad.

Lovers and Liars

(30) KUCW 9 p.m.

Tensions reach an all-time high between the ladies when they’re forced to share their men with the competition during this week’s group dates. Afterwards, Nikki Glaser performs, and tough choices are made leading into the men’s final eliminations.

Friday

WWE Friday Night SmackDown

(13) KSTU 7 p.m.

Coming out of the major King and Queen of the Ring PLE, their muscles are twitching for some hard-hitting action as the stars of WWE, including Jade Cargill, Cody Rhodes, LA Knight, Bianca Belair and Randy Orton, head to New York’s capital city of Albany.

20/20

(4) KTVX 8 p.m.

No story is off limits for host David Muir and correspondents Juju Chang, John Quiñones and Diane Sawyer. From true crime to celebrity scandals, these ABC News journalists dive into the nitty-gritty of the stories that are sure to captivate viewers.

We’re Here

HBO 9 p.m.

In this Season 4 finale, Jaida Essence Hall sits down to give an inside look at the season and the drag queens and townspeople who made it happen. From Priyanka, to Sasha Velour, to Latrice Royale, the drag show must go on and on and on.

Saturday

Property Virgins

A&E 10:30 a.m.

When potential first-time property owners hit a road

block, it’s time to call top realtor Wendy Wolfe for some help. This time, a couple looks to move out of their basement rental, but they disagree on what they want in a starter home.

The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson

LIFE 6 p.m.

The premiere of this two-part documentary about the life and death of Nicole Brown Simpson revisits the story of her life with O.J. Simpson, some 30 years after her murder. Her sisters, friends and others reflect on who she was and what she went through. How I Learned to Fly STARZ 8:15 p.m.

Teenage brothers are abandoned after suffering from years of mental and physical abuse by their father (Cliff Smith). Older brother Daniel (Marcus Scribner) is determined to make things OK, but younger brother Eli (Lonnie Chavis) struggles.

Sunday 2024 U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship

USA 1 p.m.

Known as one of the oldest inland cities in the country, Lancaster, Pa., now acts as home to the final round of this year’s U.S. Women’s Open. With several past champions on the course, including Allison Corpus, it should be an exciting finish.

60 Minutes

(2) KUTV 6 p.m.

The longest-running newsmagazine returns for a new episode. From politics to pop culture, CBS News correspondents Lesley Stahl, Scott Pelley, Bill Whitaker and more shine a light on the most pressing issues in the United States and the people involved.

Thursday

(4) KTVX 8 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy

In this Season 4 premiere, Joey shows her mother the door, but suspects she was right about Rex. Then, Lorena, Josh and Aryn examine their throuples history and Lorena’s preference for spontaneity. Casimar hopes to end the terrible fighting with Alexes.

Although it’s been renewed for a 21st season, there’s still the case of the Season 20 finale of “Grey’s Anatomy,” airing Thursday, May 30, on ABC. This time, the colleagues of

try their

to

in

Celebrity Profile

By Jay Bobbin TV Media

Jeremy Renner is resuming his current series, but for quite a while there, the question of whether he’d be able to.

On New Year’s Day 2023 near his Nevada home, Renner was hit by a snowplow that he saved his nephew from being injured by. Renner sustained blunt chest trauma and more than 30 broken bones from the incident. He was in a hospital’s intensive care unit in critical condition, but returned home after two weeks to continue his recuperation, then started to walk again roughly three months after the accident.

By January of this year, Renner was ready to resume production on “Mayor of Kingstown,” the Paramount+ drama that starts streaming its third season Sunday, June 2. Also an executive producer of the show — created by Taylor Sheridan and series co-star Hugh Dillon (both of “Yellowstone”) — Renner stars as Mike McLusky, an exconvict who’s at the forefront of his family’s efforts to maintain peace among the various factions of their Michigan town. Contraband distribution and Russian mobsters are among McLusky’s chief problems as “Mayor of Kingstown” returns, and so is someone he knows from his time in prison. Though Oscar winner Dianne Wiest (“Bullets Over Broadway,” 1994) has exited the series as the McLuskys’ matriarch, Paula Malcomson (“Ray Donovan”) is among new cast members, with Michael Beach (“Dead Boy Detectives”) now a show regular as police captain Kareem Moore.

Restarting “Mayor of Kingstown” has been Renner’s first professional commitment since his accident, and though he also has the role of Hawkeye in Marvel Cinematic Universe projects, he has said that he wanted to see how his health and energy were from making “Mayor” again before deciding on any other career plans. (His 2023 Disney+ documentary series “Rennervations” had largely completed production before his mishap.)

Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo)

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her footsteps. Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr. and Kevin McKidd also star.

Dr. Jared R. Heaton Board Certified Dermatologist

Jared Heaton is an attentive and thorough dermatologist & MOHs surgeon, serving his patients in Bountiful, Centerville, North Salt Lake, Woods Cross, Farmington, Kaysville and West Bountiful.

Dr. Heaton is board-certified in dermatology and is currently a member of the American Society of MOHs Surgeons.

Dr. Heaton prides himself in serving all patient populations and treating all areas of dermatology from children through retirement age. Dr. Heaton performs skin cancer diagnosis and treatment, MOHS surgery, mole exam and removal, acne, warts, cyst removal, spider vein treatment, CO2 laser resurfacing, microneedling and many other skin and cosmetic related procedures.

Dr. Heaton received his undergraduate degree in International Relations with a minor in Asian Studies from Brigham Young University (BYU). He earned his medical degree from Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM) in Glendale, AZ. And completed both his internship and medical residency in Tampa, Florida.

In his spare time, Dr. Heaton enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking, vacations to Bear Lake, movies, grilling and spending time with his wife and three children at home in Bountiful.

320 W 500 S, Ste 210 Bountiful, Utah above Ski ‘N See

Dr. Marc Mitton Board Certified Dermatologist

Marc Mitton is a Utah native and cherishes the opportunity to serve the people of this beautiful state. His passion for dermatology began after receiving his own skin cancer diagnosis as a medical student. He believes that listening and being thorough are the keys to successfully practicing medicine. He specializes in skin cancer detection and removal, rashes, acne, warts and molluscum, as well as several other skin conditions. Dr. Mitton has specific interests in complex dermatological conditions and dermoscopy (the use of a light-based tool for classifying skin lesions and certain rashes). He prioritizes staying up to date on recent research, best medical practices and surgical techniques, and enjoys applying them into his practice.

Dr. Mitton received his undergraduate degree in biology at the University of Utah and graduated with his medical degree from Rocky Vista University in Parker, CO. He completed his intern year of residency at LewisGale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, VA and his dermatology residency at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, PA. His residency provided many opportunities for specialized training including treating potentially life-threatening skin conditions at one of the state’s burn units, training with a nationally-renowned pediatric dermatologist, and countless exposures to rare and difficult-to-treat cases at conferences on a nearweekly basis through Lehigh Valley and the University of Pennsylvania.

In his free time, Dr. Mitton enjoys spending time with his wife and two kids, being outdoors, biking, board games, and especially making weekend breakfasts with specialty pancakes.