Centerville/Farmington Journal | December 2021

Dec. 2021 | Vol. 01 Iss. 10

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BRING BACK THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS WITH ‘A CHRISTMAS STORY’

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com CENTERVILLE—Remember what it was like to be a child on Christmas, when the anticipation of waiting for Santa to arrive on Christmas Eve made sleep impossible? Then the next morning running down the stairs to see if Santa brought the thing you wanted most? CenterPoint Theatre makes those memories come alive as it brings to the stage “A Christmas Story,” a musical version of the movie that has become a holiday classic.

It’s almost Christmas and all Ralphie Parker wants is a Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model BB gun. If only he could convince his parents. Ralphie thinks his best chance is his mother so he mentions it one day but she dismisses the idea by saying, “You’ll shoot your eye out.”

When Ralphie’s school teacher Miss Shields gives the class an assignment to write what they’d like for Christmas he sees his chance. He writes all the reasons he should get the gun and day dreams of defending his teacher and town folk from nefarious robbers. Ralphie is confident he’ll get an A+ and Miss Shields will share the good news with his parents. But his hopes are dashed when he receives a C+.

As Christmas approaches, Ralphie gets more desperate to come up with another way to get the prized BB gun.

After waiting in a long line at Higbee’s Department store to see Santa he finally gets his turn but freezes and can’t get the words out. Santa and the elves are all pressuring him to

come up with something because the store is about to close.

When Santa suggests a football, Ralphie finds himself repeating it and then gets pushed down the slide on Santa’s hill. He can’t believe it – he said a football. He missed his chance. Now what? How will he ever get the gun?

Jean Shepherd (M/W/F) is amazing as Scott W. Butler who narrates throughout and Soren Ray (M/W/F) makes the perfect Ralphie, right down to the glasses and fur hat.

Jessica Love is sweet as his mother who patiently listens to her husband Frank Parker (played by Juston LeBaron) as he dreams of winning the top prize with his crossword puzzles.

The show is full of everything you’ve come to expect like the iconic leg lamp and the triple dog dare that makes Ralphie’s friend stick his tongue to the flag pole. Mix in some fun songs and lots of laughs and The Christmas Story is sure to bring holiday cheer.

The Christmas Story plays now through Dec. 23, Monday – Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 – $30. CenterPoint is located at 525 N. 400 West in Centerville. For more information visit CPTUtah.org or call 801-298-1302.

Ralphie Parker (Soren Ray) in front of Higbee’s Department store.

All Ralphie wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder BB gun.

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December 2021 | Page 3

FHS marching band scores big at state and national competitions

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

FARMINGTON—The school may only be four years old, but the Farmington High School marching band is giving the competition a run for their money.

The school moved up to 6A this year and placed second in state and third in the national Bands of America competition held in St. George Nov. 5-6.

“It was our first time in 6A,” said FHS Band Director Brek Mangleson. “We placed second in state every year in 5A so we’ve never placed lower than second.

That’s pretty awesome.”

In the end it comes down to the students, he said.

“They’re the ones performing. They work really hard and put in an enormous amount of time. We also have a great staff. There is one staff member who lives in Utah County and drives an hour one way to get here.”

The program changes each year, said Mangleson.

“Sometimes we come up with a concept then look for the music or we come up with the music then create a concept.”

The theme for this year’s performance was “Level Up!” and featured a light display and drill team dancers. “We chose Level Up because we would have to have a higher standard since we knew we’d be going up to 6A,” he said. “A lot of the kids are gamers so it was fun and they were excited about that.”

It’s basically the theme for our season, Mangleson said. “We leveled up in music and visual elements. We had the Nixelles, our drill team, that we added for visual stimulation to ‘Level Up’ just like in a video game.”

The Nixelles performed one show with the band at the Davis Cup, he said. “We had designed the show without them so it was a daunting task to add them but the students had an incredible time.”

Mangleson has been with FHS since it opened and started the band program at Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs as well and was there for nine years.

“I was at Lehi High School from 2007 to 2009 and they split to make Skyridge and Westlake split to make Cedar Valley,” he said. “It was fun to see all five programs in the finals. It was cool to see the success of all the programs participating in band.”

The FHS band has 124 students and 39 Nixelles.

“We were definitely the smallest band in 6A,” said

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The Farmington High School marching band performs ‘Level Up!’ during the 2021 state competition in St. George. The show featured light displays and the school’s drill team, the Nixelles. Photo by Lisa Gemperline

Mangleson. “When the school opened I was told to expect about 125-150 students but we haven’t reached that. We had 63 the first year. The second year we grew to 78, then 98 and 124 this year. It’s grown every year but it’s not where we anticipated.”

When Davis High was split to create the new high

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Centerville | Farmington City Journal

Academic coaches at VHS recognized by Davis School District

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

H

eidi Pitkin remembers her high school years as a time when she went to school, attended class, did her homework and got good grades. Now, as an academic coach at Viewmont High School, Pitkin said she’s realized that for many high school students, academic success doesn’t come that easy.

Pitkin is finishing a masters program to become a school counselor and her work this year with struggling students has been invaluable as she’s had to overcome her own biases and judgements around underperforming students.

“I have learned that I’m wrong a lot,” she said. “I’m almost 20 years removed from high school and things have changed so much. Coming from the corporate world, I was very judgmental of some of the students. Now that I’m here, I see it’s not that easy. I just didn’t really have a good understanding of the wide array of challenges that students face.”

The academic coaching program instituted this year at Viewmont hopes to change that. As academic coaches, Pitkin, Gabe Johnson and Joy Farley were recognized by the Davis School District Board of Education for their dedication to students at VHS. VHS Principal Travis Lund is credited with creating the academic coaching positions as a way to address the complex issues that can stop a student from graduating and having a balanced life. Adopting the Josh Shipp quote, “Every child is one caring adult away from being a success story,” the coaches were asked to be that one caring adult in a student’s life.

“It has been an incredible program,” Johnson said. “A lot of these students don’t always hear ‘good job’ because they’re not the types of students that get that kind of recognition. We ask that each student we work with gives 100% effort, and sometimes just showing up at school is their 100% effort that day.”

It’s Johnson’s first year at Viewmont and his main focus is to identify students who might be struggling and give them the support, resources and encouragement they need to succeed. Because each student faces different challenges, it can be an ongoing process to create a strategy for success, and coaches are dedicated to finding creative solutions.

Johnson worked with a student who ended up missing the first part of school due to health concerns. The teen had missed a lot of assignments and felt overwhelmed with what he had to do to catch up. Johnson helped him work through one assignment at a time and celebrated every success. The student ended the se-

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mester with a 4.0 GPA. “Travis created the positions and got the ball rolling,” Johnson said. “Eventually the district wants to have academic coaches in every school.”

Farley taught in the Philippines for several years before moving to Utah. As she works to get licensed to teach in the state, becoming an academic coach has given her critical experience. It could be the structure of classes or being overwhelmed by assignments, but the teens targeted in the program often struggle and frequently drop out of school.

Many students working with an academic coach don’t fit in with a structured form of education. Farley works with 16 students and each one has a learning strategy created just for them. For one young man, Farley’s approach wasn’t working.

He was frustrated and wanted to drop out.

Farley met with his mother and got some valuable information.

“I thought I was doing him a favor but I was actually cutting a thread that is Gabe Johnson (center) stands next to Joy Farley and Heidi Pitkin as they are recognized for the work they the only thing keeping him in school,” do as academic coaches at Viewmont. Photo courtesy of Davis School District she said. “The plan I’d created was too strict. Now I have a really good relation“Sometimes academic coaching isn’t having the kids stay in school. Having a ship with him and he respects me more. about academics,” Farley said. “It’s about kid stay in school is a huge success.”l I’m not another reason he doesn’t want to go to school. I get to help kids as another person they can trust, a person who can stand with them and know that there’s hope for them.”

Pitkin coaches a student who has a full-time job and gets home from work at 11:30 at night. She hopes to create a plan that allows him more time for rest because he’s exhausted when he comes to school. They’ve discussed options of a reduced school schedule or a different job or finding more distance learning opportunities.

A lot of the work is trial and error, and all three coaches admit they’ve made mistakes. It’s a constant process of gathering information, building trust, becoming aware of challenges and stepping out of judgement.

“What I hope to do is not make pre-judgements or assume I know a person’s situation. Everything isn’t always as it seems,” Pitkin said. “I definitely worry about a lot of the students I work with. I want them to be okay and have happy lives.”

The biggest takeaway from the first year of this coaching program is that kids are overwhelmed, valuable and fragile.

The coaches said they provide tender loving care and no micromanagement. While not all students are interested in working with an academic coach, the participating students are making progress.

December 2021 | Page 5

Birds of a feather flock together at Farmington High

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@becky.g@davisjournal.com FARMINGTON—Adam Blundell’s love for birds came from his mother – now it’s become his passion. After months of preparation and hours and hours of work the Farmington High teacher’s idea has come to fruition with the creation of a first-of-its-kind aviary at the school.

“When I started the ornithology class four years ago I only had a few students,” he said. “Now it’s a thriving program and kids are on a waiting list to get into it.”

The aviary opened last Friday with South American, African and Australian displays and more to come. “This creates a great atmosphere for the students,” said FHS Principal Rich Swanson. “We were just in the right place at the right time. Youth are so engaged with the wetlands. It’s amazing to be able to have this here where kids can get hands-on experience in a world where they can really make a difference.”

It’s really the students who did all the work, Blundell said. “They put in an insane amount of work to get this done. It’s all the students, they’ve been fantastic.”

Farmington High senior Bella Hansen is one of those students who helped bring the aviary to the school. “I’m mainly in charge of the South American exhibit,” she said.

“We have a bird club that goes out to the bay to watch for birds and identify them. I love being outside in the environment so I found a bunch of people with the same idea and made a club. I just love it.”

Hansen said she was one of the main people who pushed for the aviary. “I’ve been in the ornithology class since the 10th grade. We spent most of last year planning the aviary then finished it up this year. Every day we spend

most of class time feeding the birds and cleaning the cages.”

It wasn’t just ornithology students who contributed to the display. “A computer science student developed an interactive app where you can select the country and it will tell you about the birds,” said Blundell. “The art department also got involved and past and present students. I designed the exhibit but it was student driven. They put up walls, hammered nails and put it all together.”

Blundell said for some students it was life changing.

“It gave them a clearer direction of what they want to do with their life.”

Bryon Geddes said his daughter Judith was one of those students who has had a life changing experience in Blundell’s class. “With COVID going on and just being high school kids it’s tough enough to be students,” he said.

“We moved here at the beginning of her junior year. There were clicks, etc. that made it hard for her to make friends.”

Mr. Blundell took her under his wing without knowing the private yearnings in the heart of a parent, said Geddes.

“He answered the call of providence to care about her. As a result of the love of a teacher she gained friendships and purpose and he gave her a direction of what she wants to be when she grows up. I can’t say enough about this man. He’s a rock star in the Geddes family.”

A conference room was remodeled across from the counseling office to create the exhibit, Swanson said.

“Adam wanted it to be on one of the ends of the school but we wanted to put it in the middle where it’s a focal point where people can see it and see what it’s doing for the stu-

Students look at the three bird rooms in the aviary display at FHS.

dents. You can’t walk out of the office without it catching your eye of this amazing exhibit.”

Blundell was teaching at the University of Utah when he decided to come to Farmington High. “I wasn’t looking for a job,” he said. “I loved the job I had. It’s crazy. When I told my wife I was leaving my position to go to Farmington High she said ‘are you sure about this?’ I said ‘nope’ but it all turned out great in the end.”

“This is a world-class experience for our students.

They’ll do all the cleaning, feeding, etc. l

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Centerville | Farmington City Journal 10/20/2021 12:18:52 PM

Davis elementary school readers get ready for battle

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

S

everal years ago, Davis School District created a reading competition to get students excited about books, and the program has been a hit. The Davis Book Battle pits students against students and schools against schools to see which team will be crowned the district winner each year.

Last year, the district-wide competition was canceled due to COVID-19 but this year, students are gearing up for a book battle of wits and knowledge.

“I have seen the Book Battles program get students excited about reading and excited about paying attention to important details in what they read,” said Eagle Bay Elementary Principal Taya Johnson. “They learn to really be cautious readers who pay attention to important details. It is a great learning experience for our students.”

The program is open to two groups of students: third and fourth graders, and fifth and sixth graders. Competitors are given a reading list with 15-20 books to choose from and are asked to read at least three to prove they’re ready to support the team.

Once a month, the teams get together for a battle based on trivia questions from the content of the books. Teams go head-to-head in a heated competition to determine a winner, getting points for each correct answer.

I have seen the Book Battles program get students excited about reading and excited about paying attention to important details in what they read.

Taya Johnson “I love that the program encourages students to branch out from what they usually gravitate toward,” said Eagle Bay Librarian Bethany Monroe, who heads the school’s Book Battle teams. “It’s so fun to see how it works and see how it gets students out of their comfort zone. Even our reluctant readers enjoy the competition.”

Danae Leu has been the Sunburst Elementary librarian for three years and is excited for her first non-COVID year of the Book Battle competitions. Choosing from books like Bunnicula, Wild Robot, The Black Stallion and Maniac Magee, students enjoy reading impactful stories while building comprehension and reading retention skills. Students at every

The 2019-20 winning Book Battle teams from Eagle Bay Elementary never got to compete in the district event because schools shut down in the spring of 2020. Photo courtesy Taya Johnson

reading level are encouraged to participate.

“It invites in a lot of types of readers,” Leu said. “Kids who love to read are drawn to it but kids who are struggling to read find they have an incentive to read and it gives them a chance to be part of a team.”

“It’s pretty awesome,” Monroe said. “Our district is great at choosing books at all reading levels. We have books that will help our lower-level readers and higher-levels.”

The Davis Book Battles championship

event is scheduled for March. Each participating school can send one team from each grade to compete for the district title. Because it’s an after school program, both Monroe and Leu are grateful for the help they’ve received in keeping this program running.

“It’s a lot of work and it involves a lot of support from parents and staff,” Leu said. “It’s been heartening to see parents willing to help and show up.” l

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December 2021 | Page 7

Centerville to get new cemetery – if land can be found Linda Petersen | The City Journals CENTERVILLE—City residents have given their approval for the city to issue a general obligation bond of up to $7 million to fund a new city cemetery. On Nov. 2, voters gave their support 2,316 to 2,085 to bond for the project.

“I think it’s important to know that if we do find that cemetery space, that money can only be used for cemetery space; it cannot be used for anything else,” Mayor Clark Wilkinson said. “I know that the council and myself are very mindful that if we’re successful in finding space that anything that we find we’ll want to do a financial analysis on.”

The current 7-acre cemetery which has been in use since 1851 is full. Although there are still thousands of open lots, they have all been purchased and any residents hoping to be buried in the town they love are out of luck – for now, according to Parks & Cemetery Director Bruce Cox. On Oct. 5 at a public hearing on the proposed bond, Wilkinson assured resident Mary Jo Tanner who expressed concern that there were no places within the city to build a cemetery, that there are several suitable lots. The city plans to develop the cemetery in Centerville and nowhere else, he said.

At that meeting, Wilkinson said the city has explored several options for a cemetery

Page 8 | December 2021

including a possible joint venture with a mortuary or with Fruit Heights, has approached the owners of a 5+acre parcel about donating or selling it to the city, formed an exploratory cemetery committee with about 12 residents, considered purchasing LDS Church ball fields (which it turns out are not available) and investigated getting federal land donations. None of them was viable.

“We’ve exhausted all of the options,” he said. “This bond allows us to potentially acquire land that we’ll start looking at in 2022 – within Centerville City.”

City officials are hoping to purchase at least a five-acre parcel.

At the Oct. 5 meeting, Zions Public Finance representative Marcus Keller shared what the impact of the bond would be for Centerville property owners. A $7 million bond would have a property tax impact on a $400,000 primary residential home of $56.46 per year, he said. The bond is anticipated to have an expiration date of 26 years. The tax levy would be removed when the bond was paid off. Wilkinson said he and the council hope to be able to pay the bond off in about 10 years based on plot sales.

The new cemetery is expected to yield about 800 burial plots per acre. Cox said if a new cemetery was approved, the city would

Voters approved a general obligation bond of up to $7 million to fund a new city cemetery. The current 7-acre cemetery is full. Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

need to form a new department with two to three full-time employees, additional seasonal employees and new equipment to operate and maintain it.

Prior to the election, a voter information pamphlet about the bond was sent to all Centerville households. No argument against a general obligation cemetery bond was submitted, Wilkinson said. An open house was also held on the issue on Oct. 19 after city council members insisted that it be held so residents

could get detailed information and have their specific questions answered.

Now that the bond has been approved, city officials will begin looking for property early next year.

“You hope that somebody would accept an offer,” Wilkinson said. “If they don’t, it will be interesting to see if the council wants to exercise eminent domain on the property. So we’ll see what they determine there.” l

Centerville | Farmington City Journal

Farmington’s Chandler signs with BYU

By Josh McFadden | The City Journals

F

or the past couple of seasons, Farmington basketball standout Collin Chandler has frustrated opponents and dominated play on the court.

Next year, the All-State shooting guard will take his talents south to Brigham Young University.

Last week, Chandler declared his intentions to play for the Cougars. He subsequently signed a letter of intent to make things official, joining a Mark Pope-coached squad that qualified for the NCAA tournament last season. BYU finished second in the West Coast Conference to Gonzaga, a squad that was ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of the season and ended up losing in the NCAA title game to Baylor.

BYU will join the Big 12 conference in the 2023–24 season.

Chandler was a highly recruited player, having drawn serious interest from PAC 12 schools Arizona, Oregon, Stanford and the University of Utah, among others.

It’s not difficult to see why Chandler has been such a hot commodity. Last season as a junior at Farmington, he led the Phoenix to the Class 5A title game. He averaged 22.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game a year ago. He made nearly three 3-pointers per contest and had 17 games of at least 20

B

Farmington senior Collin Chandler, the top prospect in Utah, will take his basketball skills to BYU. Photo courtesy FHS Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

Beloved ballet returns to Capitol Theatre for the holidays

allet West’s most popular show and annual tradition, The Nutcracker, returns to the Capitol Theatre for live performances Dec. 4-26. It’s been two years since the holiday ballet was performed for a live audience, since COVID-19 shuttered entertainment venues in 2020.

Audiences are eager to get back to live ballet as more than 13,000 tickets have already been sold and this year’s performance of The Nutcracker is expected to bring in the highest level of sales in 25 years.

“Following the successful production of Dracula, where many performances were sold out, demand for The Nutcracker is expected to be high,” said Adam Sklute, Ballet West artistic director, in a media release. “We encourage all Nutcracker fans to purchase tickets early so they have a seat and don’t miss out.”

Made possible through support from The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, the $3 million production is a classic ballet in two acts based on the fairy tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann. The iconic score

by Tchaikovsky will be performed live, featuring the Ballet West Orchestra.

Choreographed by Ballet West Founder Willam Christensen, The Nutcracker has evening performances at 7 p.m., matinees at 2 p.m., and a special holiday matinee on

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points last season. He also hit the 30-point mark four times, including a 36-point outburst on Jan. 15 against Bountiful.

As a sophomore, he averaged 17.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists a game.

He had 36 points in his Farmington debut against East on Nov. 26, 2019, and had 35 points later that season at home against Box Elder on Jan. 10, 2020.

Chandler is one of the top prospects in the state in several years. ESPN rates him as the 28th-best player in the country in the class of 2022. In 2016, Lone Peak’s Frank Jackson was a top-15 national recruit coming out of high school. He enrolled at Duke University and was later selected in the NBA draft.

Chandler may not suit up for the Cougars for a while, however. He intends to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints first. l

Christmas Eve at noon.

Immediately following each matinee (except Dec. 24), Ballet West hosts a Sugar Plum Party where young audience members can join the Sugar Plum Fairy and other favorite characters from the ballet for a special treat.

“Each year, hundreds of Utah children from across the Wasatch Front audition for the opportunity to perform in Ballet West’s The Nutcracker, with just over 100 children being selected for the coveted roles,” Sklute said. “The story tells of a Christmas party at which little Clara, daughter of the house, receives the gift of a nutcracker from her mysterious uncle, Herr Drosselmeyer. After the party, she falls asleep and dreams of snow castles, sugarplums, and her nutcracker, which has turned into a handsome prince.”

Ticket prices range from $25 to $104 and are available at BalletWest.org or 801869-6900. l

Ballet West Principal Artists Emily Adams and Adrian Fry in The Nutcracker. Photos courtesy of Beau Pearson

December 2021 | Page 9

Peggy Strong recognized for 25 years at Reading Elementary

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

P

eggy Strong’s daughter attended Reading Elementary in Centerville, many years ago, and struggled in school. As a student on the autism spectrum, Strong’s daughter was shown patience, kindness and encouragement.

“To have someone support her was really important to me,” Strong said. “I wanted to be that person for someone else.”

In November, the Davis School Board presented Strong with a surprise recognition for her 25 years of service as a special education teacher assistant at Reading Elementary, and 28 years in Davis School District.

Reading Elementary Principal Scott Hughes nominated Strong for the award, commending her for introducing social and emotional learning to students before anyone knew what SEL meant.

“She is an amazing instructor and understands how to make connections with struggling students,” Hughes said, in the nomination. “Every child makes gains with Mrs. Strong, feeling loved and supported along the way.”

SEL is a process that teaches children how to manage emotions, care for others, make good decisions and create healthy relationships. Along the way, Strong’s students build confidence in their life skills. They

work on academic learning, but they also practice kindness to themselves and others.

“Learning to read and write and do math is important, but if we can learn to love ourselves, everything else falls into place,” Strong said. “The thing I love about my job is you can teach and teach and teach these kids and they can’t grasp a concept. But then you change the way you say it and they grasp the concept. It clicks in their brain and they just light up. They just start to fly.”

Strong witnessed an increased anxiety in students over the last couple of years, with families, friendships and schooling disrupted with COVID. She likes being part of the solution where kids have a safe place to go for social interaction, care and support.

Reading holds a special place in Strong’s heart. It’s her neighborhood elementary and the school her daughters attended. She jokes with her colleagues that she wants to be buried under the Buddy Bench on the school playground.

Hughes hopes Strong realizes the difference she’s made in the community by her dedication to her many students over the years.

“My resource teacher lives by the mantra WWPD – What Would Peggy Do? When in doubt, we all go to Peggy for advice,”

At Reading Elementary, Peggy Strong (center) received special recognition from the school board for her work with special education students. From left, Suzanne Dixon, Reading administrative intern; Brigit Gerrard, school board member; Ruhanne Keller, Elementary School Director; Reid Newey, Superintendent of Davis District; Strong; Scott Hughes, Reading Elementary Principal; Julie Tanner, school board member; John Robison, School Board President. Courtesy photo

Hughes continued. “She is an incredible educator and deserves whatever recognition the board and superintendency can give. She will

also be super mad at me because she hates attention, but it’s worth the risk. Peggy is awesome and I am so lucky to work with her.” l

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Centerville | Farmington City Journal

Council favors Community Park for new pickleball courts Linda Petersen | The City Journals

CENTERVILLE—The city council is looking at a new location to build eight new pickleball courts. Although on Oct. 19 and Nov. 3 in council meetings Parks & Cemetery Director Bruce Cox presented his recommendation of locating them at Smith Park, the city council instead seems to favor Community Park.

Of primary concern is the noise, they say. Although there is no park in the city located away from homes, the noise would be part of the normal activity expected at Community Park, they said.

Council member Robin Mecham said she initially favored locating the pickleball courts at Smith Park until she began talking to people and they encouraged her to look into the noise produced by the game.

Mecham said she subsequently visited a Farmington park which has eight pickleball courts. The noise was “almost deafening,” she said.

She also spoke of the need to maintain Smith Park as a passive park where people could hold family reunions, preschool graduations and similar events.

“We have this beautiful bowery, and we have this passive park,” she said. “I think we would be giving up all of those things if we were to put it on this property. I see a lot of people that come for the quiet place…I think we need a passive park.”

Council member George McEwan also favors locating the pickleball court at Community Park for other reasons.

“That area is just an ugly sinkhole where you can have nice courts,” he said.

“I walk that all the time and think this is ugly; it’s a mosquito breeding ground.

That seems to me like a perfect spot.”

The city council appear to favor locating the courts in the northeast corner of Community Park.

“As far as noise, I do feel better about it being by the freeway and frontage road,” Council member Tami Fillmore said.

Since Community Park is a designated wetland, the city may have to mitigate the impact caused by installing the courts which could amount to about $56,000 per acre, Cox said.

However, the city’s wetlands consultant is working to find out if recent legislative changes could have a positive impact. According to Cox, in instances where the wetlands are manmade and were created by such circumstances as a failed storm drain and a ditch that was diverted, as in the case of Centerville, it may be possible to bypass wetlands requirements and not have to be mitigated.

If it is needed, mitigation could take anywhere from three months to a year, said City Manager Brant Hanson.

McEwan said that even if mitiga-

tion is necessary, it would still be a good investment for the city to construct the pickleball courts at Community Park.

“I think it’s the best possible spot; it clears up so many problems for us,” he said. “And even if we do end up paying wetlands mitigation, it’s still a great amenity for that particular park, and it’s a very compatible use.”

Along with Smith Park and Community Park, the council also briefly considered Freedom Hills, Porter Walton and

Smoot Park as possible pickleball locations.

At the end of the Nov. 3 discussion, Mayor Clark Wilkinson instructed Cox to have the parks and recreation committee discuss Community Park as a location for the pickleball courts and come back to the city council with a recommendation.l

Jay Dee from Ogden returns a serve from Hannah Jenkins who lives in Bluffdale. The two met for their first date at the Woods Cross pickleball court because of its central location. Centerville is considering options to build eight new courts in one of the parks in their city. Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

DavisJournal.com

December 2021 | Page 11

Centerville police officers to get pay raise

By Linda Petersen | The City Journals CENTERVILLE—To remain competitive, Centerville City is increasing the amount it pays its police officers. If approved, new Centerville officers will receive a starting wage of $27.60/hour, up from $21.99; officers who have less than four years on the force will have their pay adjusted to that rate. The change was expected to be approved at the Dec. 7 city council meeting after a public hearing on the issue.

City officials have been discussing the issue for some time. On Nov. 16, Police Chief Paul Child presented proposed hourly pay increases which he said, were very conservative.

Competition for new officers has been strong and many departments have already increased their pay, he said.

“It started with Salt Lake City and the dramatic raises they did, and has dominoed from there,” he said referring to a 30 percent increase in starting wages implemented by Salt Lake City Police Department this summer. “Several agencies in Salt Lake City have also done significant increases there and that is driving up wages here in Davis and Weber Counties.”

Child shared starting wages for some surrounding police departments including Woods Cross ($25.60), North Salt Lake ($27.60), Kaysville ($24), Layton ($24.44) and Ogden

($26.93). He wasn’t able to confirm Farmington’s rate but thought it was $24, he said.

“The one that is the shot across the bow for me is Woods Cross City at $25.60,” Child said. He recommended that the city council approve a minimum of $25.60 for new Centerville officers.

“The writing is on the wall; we’ve got to do something,” he said.

After hearing from Child, some city council members indicated they would like starting rates to be higher.

“I think it is too low,” Council member George McEwan said. “The reason I say that is I would prefer that our chief have the ability to have his pick of the litter rather than the runt.

Just being barely in the competitive range does not give any movement for that … I prefer to have them have more tools to retain the good officers.”

“I agree with George,” Council member Stephanie Ivie said. “I don’t want you to go into a recruiting situation saying, ‘We pay the least in the county, so do they.’ That’s not a good employment pitch.”

In the end, council members agreed to set the starting rate at $27.60/hour.

Child said applicants will test for an upcoming January police academy class on Dec. 11. That would be when he would be able to

Competition for new officers has been strong and many departments have already increased their pay. The city council is ready to approve a significant increase to attract superior officers.

sign up new officers as long as Centerville’s pay was competitive, he said. The department has been looking for new officers since July.

Along with the 17 percent increase in starting pay, “to maintain internal equity” Child recommended the following increases: officers with more than five years of service, 10 percent; sergeants 5 percent; lieutenant 2.5 percent, with no pay raise for himself. The city is also planning on giving police officers a one-

time $5,000 bonus to be paid from American Recovery Program Act funds.

If all the increases are approved, it will cost the city an additional $198,000 per year, City Manager Brant Hanson said. This year the city has excess sales tax revenue to cover that but in future years it is likely that property taxes would need to be increased to cover those costs, he said.l

Energy efficiency saves money while providing better learning environment

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com FARMINGTON—The Davis School District has seen an increase of just under 3 million square feet over the last 14 years, but energy use has actually gone down by 13 percent.

“That’s a lot of buildings,” said District Utility Services Director Doug Anderson during a presentation to the school board. “I love energy management, it’s a passion of mine. We’re behind the scenes. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But we’re able to provide a better learning environment for the students both in comfort and in light while returning money to the district for education.”

Anderson said there was a drop in energy usage during COVID when all of the schools were shut down. “There was nobody there for a time. Then you can see that we’re rising again. Some of the things we’re doing for COVID is we’re running the air two hours before school starts and two hours after students leave to purge the building and try and get rid of the virus. We also had several summer programs this year that we haven’t had in the past so we had to run the air conditioners for those.”

The department tracks a lot of things, he said. “We track heating and cooling days, student count and how many thousands of gallons of water we use. We track our natural

Page 12 | December 2021

gas and CO2 we emit. We’re also beginning to track our renewable generation.”

Utility costs have increased, said Anderson. “Back in 2006 we paid $7.2 million for natural gas electricity and today we paid $8.2 million this fiscal year. Our kilowatt hours increased. That’s how much time you leave a light on, that’s a kilowatt hour. That’s increased by 5 percent which isn’t bad when you consider we’ve increased the square footage by 36 percent and air conditioned many of our facilities.”

Schools use electricity more and more to heat and cool the buildings, he said. “We’re using a little bit less gas because of that.

Also our decrease in gas is because of all the upgrades we’ve done. We’ve upgraded the boilers that were really old, we’ve gone through the schools and upgraded the buildings’ automation system and gotten rid of the old numatics where you can turn the thermostat up and hear the air hiss out of it. They’re electronic now so you can visually see that offline.”

The energy department has also received praise from professionals outside of the district. Paul A. Mathew, Ph.D. Staff Scientist, Department head, Whole Building Systems Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory made the following statement: “We were im-

Farmington High has many energy saving systems in place. Ten schools have photovoltaic panels on their roofs and 16 schools have ground source heating and cooling options. Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

pressed to hear about the energy team’s work and Doug Anderson’s leadership to make energy efficiency a priority in Davis School District operations. In particular, we were struck by his focus on building trust among different functions and key stakeholders in the district, which has enabled Davis School District to make many energy efficiency investments

such as in system controls – which has energy, comfort and maintenance benefits.”

“Mr. Anderson and his group are exceptional,” said Superintendent Reid Newey.

“The effort they make is great for the kids as well as the teachers. Teachers are happy when they have some level of comfort in the buildings.” l

Centerville | Farmington City Journal

Santa and Mrs. Claus wave to the crowd after arriving at Station Park last year. Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

Centerville/Farmington holiday events roundup: Santa Visits • Monday-Saturday 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.

• Friday, Dec. 24, Christmas Eve: noon – 5 p.m.

• Santa will be taking a short break from 5:30 – 6 p.m., Monday-Saturday.

• Children will be seated near Santa for a visit and photo.

• The set will be cleaned throughout the day for the health and safety of our guests.

• Station Park will follow all current CDC Guidelines along with individual state mandates. Hand sanitizing stations at the entrance/ exit, masks worn by staff, wiping down surfaces that are in contact with staff and customers during visits/transactions.

Ice Bumper Cars at Station Park in Fountain Square • From Nov. 19 – Jan. 29 • $10 per person • Average ride time of 7-10 minutes • All America First Credit Union members receive a $5 discount • Info can be found at: https://www. shopatstationpark.com/event/Ice-BumperCars/2145555568/ Aerial Nightmare Before Christmas at Root to Rise Studio • Saturday, Dec.4 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

• Join in the fun at Root To Rise Studio for a night of aerial and acrobatic performances by teachers and students and hear the tale of Jack Skeleton, Sally and other Nightmare Before Christmas Friends!

• $15/individual or $30/family • More information can be found at their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ Yogastationpark Farmington Community Christmas • Saturday, Dec. 11 at 11 a.m.

• The 30th annual Farmington Community Christmas is a volunteer event that provides a Christmas for the needy. Take part in the spirit of love, service, and community.

• Message them to donate, volunteer or to be a guest from their Facebook page: https://

DavisJournal.com

www.facebook.com/FrodshamsCommunityChristmas Good Life Holiday Boutique at Station Park • Friday and Saturday, Dec. 10 and 11 from noon – 8 p.m.

• Shop unique boutique clothing, jewelry, arts, artisan crafts, handmade wares, treats, crafts, pet products and lots more. With up to 60 local vendors! Bring the whole family for food, fun and shopping.

• More information can be found on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ GLMarketEvents Breakfast with Santa at the Megaplex Theater at Legacy Crossing • Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021 at 9 a.m.

• Enjoy a holiday filled breakfast with Santa. Meet Santa before or during the breakfast and receive a candy cane treat. Small crafts and coloring pages will be available throughout the morning. Pick up popcorn and head to the theater for a screening of a children’s holiday favorite.

• More information can be found at www. megaplextheatres.com/film/HO00000251 Utah Foster Care Fundraiser Breakfast with Santa at Davis Conference Center: • Saturday, Dec. 18 at 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

• Fill your hearts with the true meaning of Christmas by joining Utah Foster Care as they raise money to ensure that every child in foster care can pursue their passion. Money you donate will help support a Utah foster child play a sport, learn an instrument, learn an art.

• Bring your family to meet Santa, the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who along with Anna and Elsa! Enjoy a delicious breakfast and make a difference.

• You can also sponsor a foster child and their family so that they can attend the event or you can sponsor Christmas for a foster child.

• To register for this event, call the Davis Conference Center at 801-416-8888.

• If you are interested in becoming a potential foster parent or to learn more about Utah Foster Care check out their website at Utahfostercare.org. l

December 2021 | Page 13

Fill your hearts with the true meaning of Christmas by supporting Utah Foster Care

By Sarah Segovia | s.segovia@mycityjournals.co

J

oin Utah Foster Care at the Davis Conference Center on Dec. 18 from 9 a.m. – noon for their annual Breakfast with Santa fundraiser event. Families are invited to come meet all of their favorite characters with special appearances by: Santa, the Grinch, Cindy Lou Who, and Anna and Elsa. There will also be a variety of activities for kids, such as face painting, letters on the tables that can be written to Santa along with Christmas cookies to decorate.

The event is sponsored by Swier Coca-Cola. Food will be served by the Davis Conference Center.

Utah Foster Care invites you to fill your hearts with the true meaning of Christmas as they raise money to ensure that every child in foster care can pursue their passion. Money you donate will help support a Utah foster child play a sport, learn an instrument, or learn an art. You can also sponsor a foster child and their family so that they can attend the event as well or sponsor a Christmas gift for a foster child.

“This is our 4th year hosting this event with the Davis Conference Center. Every year, it is really inspiring because people always come through to donate and it’s profound.” said Dan Webster the Director of Foster-Adoptive Family Recruitment for the Utah Foster Care State office in Murray.

This event is to raise awareness about Utah Foster Care, to get new sponsors in the community and to raise funds. “The funds raised will go to help our foster kids to enjoy some normal experiences, during this abnormal time in their lives,” said Webster. Creating access for our foster kids to play sports, play an instrument, or make art

can be such a healing outlet and help kids to develop more positive attachments with their caregivers.

Utah Foster Care has been serving Utah foster kids for the last 22 years. Webster and his team work with Child and Family services to help recruit and train foster families. “We train new foster families about trauma and attachment and host on-going support groups for our current foster parents,” he said. “We also host continued training for foster parents on working with the state system and overcoming barriers to successful fostering.”

The team also works to raise awareness of the need for more foster parents in the community. “We meet oneon-one with potential foster parents to help them decide if foster care is a good fit for them,” said Webster. “It usually takes three-five months for an interested foster family to be able to host their first child. It can take time, but we support them every step of the way.”

To register for this event, call the Davis Conference Center at 801-416-8888. If you are interested in becoming a potential foster parent or to learn more about Utah Foster Care check out their website at Utahfostercare.org.

To help support Utah foster kids directly you can go to Utahfostercare.org/donate. You can also follow them on social media. l

Anna and Elsa delight the children at the annual fundraiser. Courtesy photo

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Adoption – a bittersweet journey

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com BOUNTIFUL—It took Jen Deveraux years to become a mother but looking back all the effort was worth it now that she has adopted two beautiful little girls.

“We had infertility issues,” she said. “We tried for about six years and nothing happened. I did six rounds of IVI. Then I got into a car accident and it got put on the back burner.”

Deveraux spent three years in rehab. “Then we said ‘let’s try again.’ Nothing was happening. They did every test under the sun. At one time they took 16 vials of blood.

I was on the edge of the bed and fainted. When I came to they said they weren’t done and that unless I kept going it would be a waste of time.”

The tests showed she had an over-acting immune system. “I had a 10 percent chance of having a baby,” said Deveraux. “My body kills everything foreign that comes in.”

They hadn’t considered adoption at first, she said. “I had decided I was just not meant to have kids.”

When they did decide to try adopting, they went through a private agency. The first time, after the baby was born, the birth mom decided to keep her, said Deveraux. The next one they followed the girl all the way through to delivery but she lost the baby.

“It was such a rollercoaster,” she said. “It’s nothing you can imagine.”

One night while they were having dinner Deveraux got a picture from the agency of a 14-month-old little girl.

“She said ‘she’s not an infant do you still want her?’ Instantly we had an almost 2-year-old. It was literally 48

hours. We had sold everything because I didn’t want a baby room. We went to Target and got two cart loads of stuff.”

That’s when Journee, now 8, came into their lives.

“We met in a hotel lobby in Bountiful and they slid her on her bum across the table,” Deveraux said. “She is one of eight children. The mother has given up seven.”

Deveraux said she then learned of a mother who was pregnant with a boy and due in April. “I thought ‘a boy and a girl, that’s perfect my work is done.’ But then April came and went and I didn’t know what was happening.

She decided she didn’t want to give him up. It’s too emotional.”

Then nine months after getting Journee, another girl became available for adoption and Swayzee came into their lives. “I had two under two,” said Deveraux. “Be careful what you wish for.”

Parents want kids so badly but they have to do what’s best for them, she said. “It happens when it’s supposed to happen. We appreciate our kids because we had to fight for them.”

Parents are searching and waiting and wondering why it’s taking so long, Deveraux said. “I look back and I was in my closet in tears and on my knees but once you get them in your arms – it’s amazing.”

The birth moms don’t know the gift they’re giving parents, she said. “There are no words to say how much this means. I can’t thank them enough, all I can do is make sure their children are taken care of and have what they need.” l

Little baseball stars Journee, 8 (left) and Swayzee, 6 were adopted.

Their mother Jen Deveraux is grateful to their birth mothers for bringing them into her life.

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December 2021 | Page 15

Davis County ‘princess’ teaches friendship, inclusion, and affirmation

By Karmel Harper | k.harper@mycityjournals.com

W

hen South Jordan’s Cindy Chia, who is Malaysian Chinese, took her then 2-year-old daughter, Maya, to Disney On Ice last year, Maya was so upset that the show did not include Mulan, the Chinese heroine who saves her country. “So I lodged a complaint to Disney and I was still not hopeful,” Chia said. “But surprisingly this year there was a whole segment for Mulan! Maya was so thrilled! My mom and I were in tears because it’s very rare that we get represented in such a big production like that.”

Although heroines of color have been rare in the early decades of Disney, recently more and more productions feature strong women of various ethnicities. As more of these princesses of color have become popular, the demand for character actors to play them has also increased which is why Davis County’s Allegra-Bree Moreno stays quite busy appearing at various events and parties as Princess Jasmine, Raya, and Moana among other characters.

With an extensive background in musical theater, acting, and modeling, Moreno began her “princess” career in March of 2021 when she answered a casting call for the role of Jasmine. While Jasmine was rarely booked at the time, once Moreno took over the role, Jasmine bookings increased significantly, attributing to her talent of not only playing the role well but also her gift of connecting with children. From there, her roles expanded to Moana, Elena of Avalor, and Raya.

In addition to Disney characters, Moreno also plays villains, super heroes, and science fiction characters. Most of her bookings come from word-of-mouth and recommendations. Chia, who recently moved from Herriman to Daybreak, celebrated her daughter

Maya’s third birthday by inviting Moreno to play Moana. Moreno, as Moana, paddle-boarded across Oquirrh Lake to greet an excited group of tots in front of Chia’s new home. Chia said Moreno “was patient, caring, and engaging to make sure my daughter had the best third birthday.”

“It makes me feel good that they had a great experience with how we have been trained, the costuming we use, the wig quality, how we handle ourselves at a party and how we interact with children,” Moreno said. “A lot of people think it’s just dress up and cosplay. But when you have to be fully immersed in the role, it’s an entirely different skill because you have to create magic for the kids.”

As a person of mixed race including Cuban, West African/Haitian, Chinese, Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, British, Scandinavian, and Filipino, Moreno and the three character companies she works for are passionate and proactive about representation and transcendent casting, the practice of casting people of color in traditionally whitecast roles. Moreno has had opportunities to play Belle and Cinderella, giving children the experience of interacting with favorite princesses who look like them.

“In this industry, there are a lot of problems with colorism and racism and I have been fortunate to have found a community of people who do really care about these issues and strive to understand and become educated,” she said. When Moreno first started playing Jasmine she experienced the previous “white-washing” of Jasmine at a birthday party when one of the little girls showed her a Jasmine doll. Moreno said, She held her doll next to me and she said, ‘I didn’t know you really were brown. You are so pretty.’”

Moreno’s personal experience as a minority and a child who was bullied growing up has given her the dedication to empower children who feel “othered” and seek belonging. When she first arrives at an event, she seeks the outliers and shy kids who feel like they don’t fit in.

“I recognize them because that was me,” Moreno said. “I approach them first before I interact with the other kids and I try to talk to them, relate to them, and personally invite them to join in. The child thinks, ‘Wow, Jasmine thought I was cool enough to talk to and be her friend.’ When it’s a kid that talks to you, well cool, you have made a new friend. When it’s another adult, you think they have to do that. But when it’s your HERO right in front of you, it gives you confidence for the rest of your life. I want to give them at least one memory that builds them up to draw on – especially when they need it the most.”

And indeed, there is power in that. In a time when the Department of Justice recently delivered a scathing report about racism in the Davis School District followed by a 10-year-old North Salt Lake child taking her own life due to bullying because of her autism and skin color, teaching simple kindness and acceptance is more important than ever before. Perhaps what we truly need are more princesses and more super heroes to literally save lives.

Moreno said, “I always tell kids when they’re down on themselves...I’ll ask, ‘Are you royal too?’ Of course they will first answer ‘No.’ But then I ask, ‘Are you loyal to your friends and family? Are you kind?

Are you brave?’ Are you a good friend? Do you stand up for those who need help?’ And when they can answer ‘yes,’ they realize, ‘I

Moreno's Raya, the Southeast Asian warrior from “Raya and the Last Dragon,” appeals to her Filipino heritage. Photo by Ashley’s Flashy Photos.

AM royal. I can make a difference.’” But Moreno said we don’t have to be dressed up in tiaras and capes to lift children up. We just need to accept and love them exactly as they are.

If you would like to hire Moreno at your next party or event, visit www.charactersandcrowns.com, www.characterbooking. com, or www.yourfairygodmotherutah.com.

Moreno also volunteers as Wonder Woman with the Legacy Initiative Cosplay organization which sends super heroes to children’s hospitals and other events for hope and healing. l

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LUNCHES FOR DAVIS SCHOOL DISTRICT December 2021

DEC. 1 Taco Meat Tortilla Chips Cheese Sauce Refried Beans Canned Pears DEC. 2 Popcorn Chicken Smackers Mashed Potatoes Chicken Gravy Whole Grain Roll Canned Peaches DEC. 3 Grilled Cheese

Tomato Soup Crinkle Cut Carrots Canned Apricots Cookie Assortment DEC. 6 Cheese Omelet Hash Brown Patty Applesauce Welches Juice Slush DEC. 7 Cheese Pizza Rippers Pepperoni Pizza Rippers Marinara Sauce Canned Peaches

Page 16 | December 2021

Chocolate Pudding DEC. 8 Popcorn Chicken Smackers Mac & Cheese Whole Grain Roll Green Beans Canned Pears DEC. 9 Beef Meatballs or Pork Meatballs Sweet & Sour Sauce Brown Rice Steamed Broccoli Canned Peaches

DEC. 10 Chalup, Bean & Cheese Cinnamon Puff Canned Apricots Cookie Assortment Shredded Lettuce Refried Beans DEC. 13 Cheese Bites Tomato Soup Cooked Corn Applesauce Welches Juice Slush

DEC. 14 Bean & 2 Cheese Dip Taco Meat Tortilla Chips Shredded Lettuce Canned Peaches DEC. 15 Cheese and Pepperoni Calzone Waffle Fries Canned Pears Marinara Sauce Apple Crisp Whipped Topping

DEC. 16 Pot Pie Cinnamon Roll Steamed Broccoli Canned Peaches DEC. 17 Sloppy Joe on a Bun Crispy Curly Fries Baked Beans Canned Apricots Cookie Assortment Winter Break—Happy Holidays See you in January

Centerville | Farmington City Journal

Tread Lightly! gets $10,000 grant

P

olaris has donated $10,000 to Tread Lightly! a locally-based nonprofit organization to support trail stewardship and rider education aimed at promoting safe, responsible riding practices.

“The funds received from the Polaris TRAILS Grant will fund a trail improvement project in the Talladega National Forest in Alabama,” Tread Lightly! Communications Manager Jerrica Archibald said. “We are working with the U.S. Forest Service Region 8 office to bring aggregate to improve a trail system in the forest.”

Tread Lightly! helps outdoor recreationists minimize their impact on the environment. It was originally started by the U.S. Forest Service in 1985 to address impacts from off road vehicles. It became a nonprofit in 1990. According to its website, Tread Lightly! is “dedicated to promoting responsible motorized recreation through stewardship campaigns and educational programs.”

Those programs include online classes on minimizing impact in the outdoors, an elementary education curriculum, media and video libraries and information, Restoration for Recreation volunteer stewardship opportunities for ATV clubs at such Utah locations as Hardware Ranch, Monte Cristo and Buckland Springs. The organization recently

By Linda Petersen | The City Journals moved from Centerville and has also completed some projects in Farmington.

Through a cooperative agreement with the Forest Service, Tread Lightly! also created a RIDE ON Designated Routes educational message to help promote the importance of keeping motorized vehicles only on designated routes and areas open to motorized vehicle use.

Tread Lightly!, which has a national presence, partners with a wide array of organizations including the federal highway administration, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, the game and fishing departments of several states, chambers of commerce and tourism bureaus and outdoor recreation businesses.

Tread Lightly! is one of 21 organizations from across the country that Polaris has donated to this year as part of its T.R.A.I.L.S. Grant Program.

“Like Polaris, these local clubs and organizations are committed to helping maintain and create safe and enjoyable riding experiences for all,” said Steve Menneto, president of Polaris Off Road. “Polaris is proud to recognize their dedication and help amplify their efforts to support the off-road and snowmobile communities through our long-running T.R.A.I.L.S. Grant Program.”

DWR proposes moving elk permits to the big game drawing

B

ecause of increased public interest in elk hunting – and to avoid overloading its permit sales system – the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing to add general-season elk permits to the big game drawing for one year. (In past years, these permits have been sold online and over the counter.)

The demand to hunt big game in Utah has increased over the past few years. The general-season bull elk and spike bull elk permits have traditionally been sold online, over the counter at DWR offices and at a variety of retail locations. These elk permits, in particular, have grown in popularity over the last three years: • In 2019, all 15,000 permits sold out in 11 days.

• In 2020, the 15,000 permits sold out in eight hours. (This was also a record sales year for hunting and fishing permits in Utah.)

• This year, the 17,500 permits sold out in 10 hours.

“The increased demand for these permits has caused an overload to the license sales system for the past two years, which has led to slower processing times and a frustrating customer experience,” DWR Wildlife Licensing Coordinator Lindy Varney said. “Our current contracted sales system does well during the rest of the year, but these ‘sales days’ for the elk permits causes a buying rush that overloads the system a few days a year. We have been work-

DavisJournal.com

Holbrook reappointed to UTA Board

By Tom Haraldsen | tom.h@davisjournal.com

B

Bull elk hunting has become increasingly popular in Utah, so changes may be made in getting elk permits. Photo by Jim Shuler, DWR

ing with our contractor to address some of the technical issues, including pursuing a database capability expansion.”

In an effort to resolve some of those frustrations in the interim, the DWR is recommending to include the general-season any bull elk and spike elk permits in the big game drawing (rather than selling the permits online or over the counter) for a one-year trial period.

“During this one-year trial period, we

will assess the pros and cons of the current system compared to including the permits in the big game drawing,” Varney said. “We will also work with the statewide elk committee to improve the permit process. Then, we will recommend a long-term solution in 2022 that we hope will alleviate the issues our customers have experienced in recent years.”

— Tom Haraldsen

ountiful resident and former city council member Beth Holbrook has been reappointed as a Trustee on the Utah Transit Authority Board. She was first named to the position in November of 2018 when the Board was created and will now serve a full four-year term. Her confirmation was approved by the Utah Senate on the recommendation of Gov. Spencer Cox. Holbrook will represent Davis, Weber and Box Elder counties as a UTA trustee.

Before joining UTA, she worked in real estate and as Director of the Business Resource Center for Zions Bank in Salt Lake City. She was Public Sector Solutions Manager for Waste Management of Utah and was first elected to the Bountiful City Council in 2007, where she served until her appointment with UTA in 2018. She’s also served on a number of other boards, including with the Bountiful Planning Commission, the Utility Facility Review Board, and is a past president of the Utah League of Cities and Towns.l

December 2021 | Page 17

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Page 18 | December 2021

(right) Kelen Gold (right) plays under COVID rules in 2021. Gold represented Utah in the national competition and tied for 13th.

Chess player named best in state

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com CENTERVILLE—Kelen Gold has been playing chess since he was in kindergarten and it’s paid off. The Stewart Elementary sixth grader was recently named the best elementary school chess player in Utah at the Rockefeller Chess Tournament.

He went on to represent the state in New Jersey and tied for 13th against 50 other players.

“It was mostly my dad who started teaching me,” said Gold. “Over time I liked it more and more and started practicing every day.”

Gold said the thing he likes best about competing is playing against a lot of people. “It’s always a different game. It’s never the same. You have to stay focused because you have to stay at the board for a long time.”

Stewart Elementary is one of the top ranked public schools in the state, said Steve Butler who coaches the chess program at the school. “To be able to reach that level you have to have supportive parents and a good program. It’s just been fun to see a lot of growth and understanding of chess.”

Kelen started in kindergarten and played really well, said Butler. “Starting in first grade he was the top student in the state every year.”

Butler has been at Stewart for 20 years

and started playing chess in high school.

“I watched Bobby Fisher in 1971 and got involved then,” he said. “I would play my dad. He was a really good chess player and taught me the game.”

It’s a great way for kids that don’t get a lot of recognition in other ways to be able to get it in chess, said Butler. “Kids might not be strong academically but they might be good at seeing the patterns in chess. It’s a combination of the left brain and right brain. Just because you’re academically smart doesn’t mean you’ll do well.”

It takes hard work to be where he’s at, said Gold’s father Jason. “He’s probably put in 1,000 hours and played in a lot of tournaments out of state.”

Jason said the thing he likes about chess is players have to be focused. “It’s really easy to get distracted in today’s culture. There are no phones or electronics allowed in the game. You have to focus, there’s no luck involved. It takes mental toughness to play one on one.”

Chess builds a strong work ethnic, he said. “It helps you to improve and apply it to other things in life. For me that’s the beauty of chess. I love it.”

“Every game I want to win,” said Kelen. “It’s fun. But if you don’t have the patience it’s probably not the sport for you.” l

Centerville | Farmington City Journal

Talbot reflects on his years as Farmington mayor

By Tom Haraldsen | tom.h@davisjournal.com

W

hen Jim Talbot moved to Farmington 24 years ago along with his wife Karen and their children, he didn’t realize the impact he’d have on the community.

It’s been quite an impact. He took time to reflect back on his eight years serving as Farmington mayor, what’s happened to the community during that time, and what the future may bring.

Talbot had spent most of his professional life as a developer, a skill set that would prove particularly important when he was asked to serve on the city Planning Commission under former mayor Dave Connors. “I think it was the perspective I had with developers that made Dave reach out,” he recalls. Farmington was just starting to grow when he got on the PC, watching the layout for the future. Smith’s had opened its market at that time, and Talbot’s development firm had attracted Kmart to the community. Those two retailers, along with the Lagoon Amusement Park, were pretty much the only retail revenue generators in the community. He knew there needed to be more.

He enjoyed his work on the PC, and was later elected to the city council. In 2013, Mayor Scott Harbertson was not seeking reelection and Talbot felt “we hadn’t gotten everything done that we wanted to do. So I ran for mayor.” He won, and the next phase of his plan began.

His first priority was continuing the development of Station Park, a multi-million dollar regional shopping center, something he started working on during the Planning Commission days. The goal was to make Station Park profitable, starting with the first phase which was the Harmon’s supermarket.

“Everyone said it couldn’t be done in Farmington,” he recalls about the Station Park concept. “We were in the narrowest neck of Davis County, divided by four roadways. I met with and loved the developers (CenterCal) and what they were bringing to the city. I didn’t want us to be just a normal city at all. I wanted us to be unique and a gathering place.”

Many other businesses joined the party. Mercedes Benz opened its second-ever Utah dealership in Farmington. Software megastar Pluralsight opened its first headquarters in the community. The University of Utah opened a health center. Both large and small retailers filled the rings at and around Station Park. It was financially a success from day one, and that success was just the beginning.

The city needed a recreation complex – a ball field for its aspiring teams to play upon, and a recreation center for indoor sports. Voters narrowly passed (by just 25 votes) a 20-year revenue bond to construct that facility on the city’s westside. The city

DavisJournal.com

paid off that bond in just nine years, bolstering its credit ratings to levels seldom seen by municipalities.

“There was such a ground-roots effort by residents to get that bond passed – lots of soccer moms and PTA groups and many others,” he said. “We never could have done it without all that help and support.

It’s a beautiful facility and the residents have told us over and over again how much they love it.”

When it came time for the 2016 election, Talbot said he ran for another term because “I had this dream about a business park. We had a lot of land on the west side, and City Manager Dave Willheim and I started working on that. I found great support in the community and I looked at both of my elections as a real compliment, because the residents of Farmington are really engaged. They are highly educated, the median income here is high, and they’re first and foremost really nice people. So it was a real pat on the back that they had enough confidence to support us.”

That business park is in development.

“The whole thing has been based on trying to keep the downtown the way it is, trying not to do too much, and use the ground out west to compliment Station Park and to make us viable for the next hundred years.”

To know Jim Talbot is to also know his wife Karen, and how vitally important she has been to his life both as an elected official and as a husband and father. They met at BYU where Jim was playing on a baseball scholarship. Following a twoyear church mission to Colorado and New Mexico, they married in 1973. She is not just his biggest support, but also his biggest fan. During our interview, they continually held hands.

“Jim’s had a real passion for making sure that Farmington was developed properly and carefully,” she said. “People may not realize how lucky they’ve been to have someone with Jim’s experience as a developer. You can’t just have all residential – you need to have businesses to support a city. He’s saved the community millions of dollars by knowing the right questions to ask.”

What’s next? The Talbots have been called to the Honolulu Hawaii Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Senior Supervisors-Missionary Coordinators over all senior missionaries at the Polynesian Cultural Center. They will leave for training in the Provo MTC on Dec. 6 and head for the islands on Dec. 13. They are parents of four children, all of whom still live in Utah, and 11 grandchildren. l

Farmington Mayor Jim Talbot and his wife Karen have loved living in the community for the past 24 years.

Photo by Tom Haraldsen

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December 2021 | Page 19

Celebrating the history of Centerville’s Literature, Music and Art Club

By Tom Haraldsen | tom.h@davisjournal.com CENTERVILLE—It was the mid 1930s, and three Centerville residents were getting together regularly “for the sheer pleasure of discussing books and exchanging our own ideas and opinions of the things of greatest interest that we read from time to time.” That was the recollection of Nora B. Miles who, along with friends Vera L. Smith and Lucille Reading, started what would become the Centerville Literature, Music and Art Club.

Last month, the group of current members met to celebrate its nearly 84 years of existence. What a history the club has enjoyed.

Long-time journalist Twila Van Leer, who serves as historian for the club, recounted a lot of its legacy. She said that in 1938, Centerville was “essentially a farming community. But the notion that every family needed at least one automobile was taking hold (and people) moving to the suburbs held an unprecedented promise of growth in Davis County. Conditions were prime for the birth of progressive ideas,” she said.

So Smith, Reading and Miles felt there might be other women in the community who would like joining a literary club.

As Reading later recalled, such gatherings would offer “a feast for the mind, instead of the body. Such things are even finer and more enjoyable when shared with others.”

They visited with five other women, and on March 2, 1938, the club was essentially born.

“I have great admiration and appreciation for the founding members of (the club),” said Dian Olsen, current club president. “They were women who loved books and derived great joy from meeting together to share what they learned and exchange ideas. This describes what we still are doing 83 years later.” Besides Olsen, other officers now are Pam White, vice president and president-elect; Judy Cella, secretary; Debbie Randall, treasurer; and Twila Van Leer, historian.

Olsen recalled that when she joined the club in 2000, one of the original members, Sylvia Tingey, was still an active member, and Olsen has also been acquainted with others of the early group. “They were amazing women and it is astounding that what they started is still going. I feel blessed to be a part of it,” Olsen said.

The formal name of “Literature, Music and Art Club of Centerville” was adopted at a later meeting. The only requirement for membership was “an interest in the objectives of the organization.” Membership was capped at 24 so the group could be accommodated in a member’s home. Dues were set at $10 a year and for a time, a 10cent fine was imposed on those who turned up to meetings late. As general inflation took its toll, the dues increased, standing currently at $20 annually. Today, those dues cover the costs of a spring social event and a $25 donation to the Whitaker Museum in memoriam for deceased members.

For a time, the Centerville group affiliated with the national Federation of Womens’ Clubs, but that involved additional fees and the association was dropped. Meetings have historically been on the second Tuesday of each month.

What has kept the club thriving for more than 80 years? Van Leer said it’s the same interests that brought three women together in the 1930s – a love for the arts, literature, history and music. The list of topics that have claimed attention is long and varied. The members have focused on many elements of literature, from classic English and American poetry to folk and modern writing. A topic is chosen for a two-year period and each month (except for a summer and winter hiatus) one of the members is assigned to add something to the theme.

Currently, the club is focused on women who have accomplished exceptional things or who have been instrumental in furthering the accomplishments of their husbands. Just a few of those whose life stories have been

Club officers are, from left, Dian Olsen, club president; Pam White, Vice President/president-elect; Twila Van Leer, historian; Debbie Randall, program coordinator; and Judy Cella, secretary.

presented are Queen Victoria, Eleanor Roosevelt, Marie Curie, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Golda Meier. Club members put great effort into research and presentation and present uniformly excellent programs, Olsen said.

In the meeting held Oct. 13 at the home of Bonnie McCauley, the hostess shared insights from the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, whose husband, Charles Lindbergh, gained lasting fame in aeronautics history as the first pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean in one flight. That flight in 1927, did as much to promote the growth of air travel as any other event since the invention of the airplane. Anne Lindbergh’s contributions as a pilot in her own right, and as a writer and successful mother paralleled those of her husband.

Over the years, many friendships have been forged among club members. A sense

of shared interests and sociability makes a special bond among them. “There are lots of hugs and laughter,” Olsen said.

The club has always been integrally involved in the larger community and during World War II and other critical times in its history has made significant contributions to joint efforts. During the height of the war, the club auctioned a pair of nylon hose for $70! The ladies contributed to the national drive to restore Independence Hall in Philadelphia and donated shirts to the Utah State Hospital, among dozens of philanthropic efforts they supported.

But the Centerville Club members have always held to the mandate made in the beginning. Keep things simple. The effort has been focused on feeding the finer sensibilities. l

District hopes pay increase will encourage more substitutes to apply

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

FARMINGTON—The Davis School District has had a large number of open positions, including substitute teachers.

The district announced that it will increase pay to encourage individuals already on the list to apply for those jobs.

Currently, the district has nearly 2,000 people in the substitute pool.

When they don’t apply for open jobs it creates a shortage, said Anjel Hislop, District SubSystems Specialist.

The district has never had a problem

Page 20 | December 2021

with recruitment of substitute teachers but the difficulty lately has been filling open positions. Usually the district has had about a 94 to 95 percent fill rate for substitute teachers. Since COVID the number has dropped to about 75 percent.

The full day amount has been increased to $85 for non-degreed substitutes, $105 a day for degreed substitutes and $113 a day for certified or licensed substitutes. For degreed and licensed substitutes, the long-term daily pay in-

creases to $140 a day. Long-term substitutes include those who spend 20 consecutive days in a classroom. Applicants must have a high school diploma and be at least 20 years old.

The increase puts the district near the top of the pay scale in comparison to neighboring districts, said Assistant Superintendent John Zurbuchen. It keeps the district competitive which helps to attract temporary employees.

Substitutes are vital to the district

team, he said. The district hopes this increase will show how much substitutes are valued.

“Substitute teachers, especially those who work consistently in the district are invaluable to student learning,” said Zurbuchen. “They provide continuity in both curriculum delivery as well as promoting our Davis Culture. When we get the best subs, we get the best learning.” l

Centerville | Farmington City Journal

Internship program gives students first hand experience in law enforcement

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com FARMINGTON—Students at Farmington High School are looking at crime scene photos, watching a K-9 sniff for bombs and going to court. It may seem unconventional but it’s all part of an internship put on by the Davis County Sheriff’s Office for kids who are interested in a career in law enforcement.

“It’s amazing,” said Jan Wray, Internship Coordinator for Davis School District. “Because of COVID, the students couldn’t go onsite at the Sheriff’s Office but Capt. (Jen) Daley has been working hard to get everybody out here.”

The first class was a CSI presentation by Det. Chad Nicholls. “I’m going to teach you the principles of a death investigation,” he said. “I’ll show you a scenario from a Davis County death and let you be in the shoes of an investigator and figure out what they would do. Things are not always what they seem so don’t assume.”

Wray said for another class a dispatcher came and shared her experiences with the kids. “She talked about suicide because September is suicide awareness month and she almost committed suicide herself. During her presentation she had the kids eating out of her hands.”

UHP also came out with a recruiter from their dive team, she said. “They also brought

a K-9 bomb sniffing chocolate lab.”

The students got the opportunity to go to court as well, said Wray. “They took us into an empty courtroom and let them sit where the judge sits, where the attorneys sit and where the defendant sits. We talked about proper attire and how to act in the courthouse.”

Coming up they have someone from the records department who does the ankle monitors and looks at all the footage from police body cameras. “We have finger printing coming up and the FBI is coming too,” she said.

“You literally couldn’t have more of a oneon-one experience.”

Wray said the students have been so interested in everyone who comes. “One boy wants to be a detective, one wants to work with the K-9s, another as a crime scene analyst and one girl wants to be an officer/paramedic. She just wants to be on the streets.”

It’s just so fun to see these kids thriving, said Wray. “These presenters want to help them with their future. It’s all about investigating careers and test driving a career to decide where to go.”

The Davis County Sheriff’s Office has hired 12 of her interns over the years. “It shows the quality of the interns that we have.”

Wray has 306 kids out right now in a variety of internships. “It’s good because if they

CSI Det. Chad Nicholls explains what investigators look for at a crime scene. The class is part of an internship program at Farmington High. Photo by Becky Ginos

love it they can pursue it after high school,” she said. “If they hate it they can go another direction and save time and money.”

It’s getting them prepared for real life and post secondary education, said Wray.

“This is the best job ever – I love it.” l

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December 2021 | Page 21

Farmington swimmers turning obstacles into opportunities

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

T

he Farmington High swim team has been doing their best to be in the pool whenever they can to practice and improve for the current season.

However, with limited pools in the area and the South Davis Recreation Center pool closed until mid-December, the Phoenix squad hasn’t just gotten creative; they’ve turned outward and decided to serve others.

“We have been trying to find places to train,” said head coach Stacy Edholm. “When we don’t have a place to work out, we have decided to do a service project instead.”

Two weeks ago, the team made posters for the football, volleyball and marching band programs who were heading to state playoffs.

This past week, the FHS swim team volunteered at Canyon Creek Elementary School – where assistant coach Heather Lyman works – reading to kindergarteners and first graders in Mrs. Albert’s and Mrs. Elliott’s classes.

“I don’t know who had more fun, the big kids or the little ones!”

Edholm said. “Those littles thought the big kids were so cool to come and

The Farmington High swimmers volunteered at Canyon Creek Elementary School this past week. Photo courtesy Stacy Edholm

spend time with them. The big kids had a TON of fun, especially playing at recess. The teachers and my swim-

mers all asked to come and do this again. Everybody had such a great time.”l

The Farmington High swimmers enjoyed time on the playground at the school. Photo courtesy Stacy Edholm

Holiday tree-cutting permits now available

By Tom Haraldsen | tom.h@davisjournal.com

T Mention this ad and we will pay of your bill! (bills over $500)

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Page 22 | December 2021

he Bureau of Land Management is now offering non-commercial holiday tree permits to cut Pinyon Pine, Juniper and Fir trees in Utah. Each year, thousands of Utahns find their Christmas and holiday trees on public lands, and permits are available for purchase online anytime and in-person during regular business hours, excluding federal holidays.

The public website for the permits is https://forestproducts.blm.gov. The Salt Lake Field Office is located at 2370 South Decker Lake Drive in Salt Lake City for those wishing to purchase one in person. Cost is $10 each with a limit of two per household. Types of trees available are Juniper and Pinyon Pine.

Early season cutting is advised as winter weather conditions in the mountains are unpredictable. Be prepared for slick, snowpacked roads and carry chains. The BLM recommends using a four-wheel drive vehicle or snow machine in many locations.

It also advises those getting trees to stay on

designated roads and trails, respect private property boundaries, let someone know where you are planning to go and the approximate time you will return, carry a cell phone, bring additional warm clothing, gloves, boots, a container of hot liquid, water, and a lunch or snack. Those who are getting trees should also carry a flashlight, shovel, first-aid kit, matches, axe or handsaw, and a rope to secure your tree. Additional information about BLM Utah tree permits, and any updates, are available online at: www.blm.gov/utah/ tree-permits.

The Salt Lake Field Office can be reached at 801-9774300 or email at utslmail@blm.gov. That office also sells tree-cutting permits for the Fillmore Field Office and BLM-managed lands in Elko County, Nevada. Tree permits for Elko County are $4 each with a limit of 10 per household and are only available to purchase in person. l

Centerville | Farmington City Journal

Life

T

Laughter AND

by

PERI KINDER

I Saw Mommy Kicking Santa Claus

he holidays have arrived. Snow is falling, candles are aglow, the smell of cinnamon wafts through the air, and somewhere in Utah a middle-aged woman is screaming at a Walmart cashier because the store is out of the candied cherries she puts in her fruit cake.

Blame the supply chain, but it’s not just dried fruit running low; it’s patience, compassion and the ability to be a nice human being. If you’re on TikTok, along with videos of flying reindeer and holiday proposals, you’ll see flight attendants being punched, teachers yelling at students, customers throwing coffee at baristas and whales capsizing kayaks. Even whales have had enough.

You’d think being isolated last year would make us happier to interact with fellow humans this holiday season, but it seems to be the opposite. Social distancing and isolation has taken our stress levels to nuclear proportions. We’re reacting like the Tasmanian Devil, whirling ourselves off a cartoon cliff.

News programs broadcast warnings about packages stolen from porches and backseats, felons posing as Salvation Army bell-ringers and spiteful elves spying on children and reporting back to Santa.

Poor Kris Kringle will deliver a lot of coal this year . . . well, not coal because it’s

destroying the planet. Maybe since wind power is a sustainable coal alternative, Santa can bring naughty people a stiff, gusty breeze.

We’re living in a heightened state of fear, and fear is the opposite of what we should feel this time of year. This season of love and light and joy has been co-opted by those who would divide us. The farther apart we get, the less we are able to see each other.

Here’s an idea. What if we put all talk of politics on hold for December? That would be one month of no talking heads and finger-pointing and dire social media memes. What if we vowed to share only positive stories and heartwarming videos, and ban all holiday music featuring Alvin and the Chipmunks?

Let’s use this time to digest more than nine pounds of mashed potatoes and three types of pie. Let’s digest how we’ve treated each other during the last year, and try to do better. Even I, a freakin’ humor columnist, have received more angry emails and phone calls in 2021 than the previous 17 years combined.

Whether it’s Democrats, Republicans, Big Bird, mask mandates, cancel culture or fruitcake, our division is growing. Any day, I’m expecting leaflets to be flung out of helicopters explaining how the COVID vaccine is turning us into carnivorous, zombie dinosaurs. Aren’t you tired of it all?

Remember when Christmas meant acts of service and goodwill to all mankind? What can you do to return to love this holiday season? Maybe less judgement and more connection. Maybe less yelling and more listening. Maybe it’s taking a plate of homemade cookies to a neighbor. Maybe it’s building a bridge instead of a wall. Maybe it's apologizing and swallowing our inflated egos.

This holiday season, it’s your job to love your neighbor, even the one you don’t agree with. Even the ones yelling at the Walmart cashier. They might need the most love of all.

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December 2021 | Page 23

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BRING BACK THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS WITH ‘A CHRISTMAS STORY’

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com CENTERVILLE—Remember what it was like to be a child on Christmas, when the anticipation of waiting for Santa to arrive on Christmas Eve made sleep impossible? Then the next morning running down the stairs to see if Santa brought the thing you wanted most? CenterPoint Theatre makes those memories come alive as it brings to the stage “A Christmas Story,” a musical version of the movie that has become a holiday classic.

It’s almost Christmas and all Ralphie Parker wants is a Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model BB gun. If only he could convince his parents. Ralphie thinks his best chance is his mother so he mentions it one day but she dismisses the idea by saying, “You’ll shoot your eye out.”

When Ralphie’s school teacher Miss Shields gives the class an assignment to write what they’d like for Christmas he sees his chance. He writes all the reasons he should get the gun and day dreams of defending his teacher and town folk from nefarious robbers. Ralphie is confident he’ll get an A+ and Miss Shields will share the good news with his parents. But his hopes are dashed when he receives a C+.

As Christmas approaches, Ralphie gets more desperate to come up with another way to get the prized BB gun.

After waiting in a long line at Higbee’s Department store to see Santa he finally gets his turn but freezes and can’t get the words out. Santa and the elves are all pressuring him to

come up with something because the store is about to close.

When Santa suggests a football, Ralphie finds himself repeating it and then gets pushed down the slide on Santa’s hill. He can’t believe it – he said a football. He missed his chance. Now what? How will he ever get the gun?

Jean Shepherd (M/W/F) is amazing as Scott W. Butler who narrates throughout and Soren Ray (M/W/F) makes the perfect Ralphie, right down to the glasses and fur hat.

Jessica Love is sweet as his mother who patiently listens to her husband Frank Parker (played by Juston LeBaron) as he dreams of winning the top prize with his crossword puzzles.

The show is full of everything you’ve come to expect like the iconic leg lamp and the triple dog dare that makes Ralphie’s friend stick his tongue to the flag pole. Mix in some fun songs and lots of laughs and The Christmas Story is sure to bring holiday cheer.

The Christmas Story plays now through Dec. 23, Monday – Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 – $30. CenterPoint is located at 525 N. 400 West in Centerville. For more information visit CPTUtah.org or call 801-298-1302.

Ralphie Parker (Soren Ray) in front of Higbee’s Department store.

All Ralphie wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder BB gun.

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