Centerville/Farmington Journal | December 2022

Byline

It’s been the focus of petitions, protests and investigations but the animal exhibit at Lagoon, featured on the Wild Kingdom Train, continues to house doz ens of animals including Bengal tigers, bison, African lions and zebras.

Since 1967, Lagoon Amuse ment Park in Farmington has kept the wild animals on display and has received numerous cita tions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the animals’ care. Lagoon’s most recent violation of the Animal Welfare Act was in 2018 when a young elk crawled into a neigh boring pen where it was attacked by a bison. The elk was subse quently euthanized.

Lagoon spokesperson Adam Leishman said the veteri narians and animal caretakers on staff take pride in the work they do. He said many of the animals have indoor closures and heated

outdoor spaces to provide com fort during the cold months.

“I can’t stress enough how much care the animals get from the caretakers here, to make sure that they’re safe and healthy,” he said. “They get excellent nutri tion and veterinary-recommend ed diets. Just because we’re closed in the winter doesn’t mean the care stops. I couldn’t and I wouldn’t say what I’m say ing if it wasn’t true.”

Amy Meyer, director of the Utah Animal Rights Coalition, said the Lagoon animals have been on her radar for many years, with people often contacting her

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

While Lagoon’s spokesperson says the big cats in the wild animal display are well-cared for, animal rights groups and sanctuaries disagree and feel now’s the time to close that part of the park’s history. Photo courtesy of Amy Meyer

Gold medalists break the sound barrier aboard Thunderbirds

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

“It was so insane,” said Caldwell when she was back on firm ground. “I didn’t know if I’d keep my food down. I can’t believe these guys do this all the time. It was tense.”

“It was crazy,” said Schoenefeld. “It was like an elephant on your chest and your vision goes away for a minute. We were going 4G’s and I thought that was crazy then we went faster and I thought ‘oh gee.’”

It was a real treat, said Lt. Col. RyanYingling. “It was unique and fun for us and fun for you guys. It was a blast. We got through everything and went into super sonic airspace and broke the sound barrier.”

They started training on the F-16 early this morning, said Jake Impellizzeri, Thunderbird eight. “It was information by firehose. I putAshley through the wringer. We pulled 9G’s and 1.28 Mach. We did loops and rolls and she got some stick time. It was an honor.”What they do in the Olympics showcases a beacon of excellence, he said. “It’s doing something greater than ourselves.That’s what they represent. It's an inspiration to our team that’s what we try to achieve in theAir Force.” Caldwell said she’s trained her whole life to reach the Gold medal standard. “TheAir Force sets a high bar. I give a high performance in skiing and these guys give a high performance in a different way. It’s two different worlds.” An aerial doesn’t get any less scary, said Schoenefeld. “When I do a triple backflip I’m nervous every day. When we took off I thought ‘oh we’re about to go fast.’”

It was absolutely incredible, said Caldwell. “My Gold medal went through the speed of sound. This was the highlight of my post Olympic experience. It was a dream come true and now it’s off my bucket list.” It’s hard to describe the indescribable, she said. “It’s like if a dragon and a unicorn had a baby strapped to a rocket ship. I’m so excited to be a part of this and I’m grateful for their service.” l

Incumbents dominate in Davis GOP Primaries

U.S.

Wayment earns spot on U.S. National Team Courtney Wayment, the Davis High and recently graduated BYU distance runner, finished second in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships to win a spot on the U.S. world championship team. After her collegiate-record perfor mance in the NCAA championships two weeks ago, Wayment knocked another four seconds off her record performance in the NCAA meet –which was eight seconds faster than any collegian has ever run – finish ing with a time of 9:12.10. The world championships will be held on this same track at the Uni versity of Oregon in three weeks.

Judge issues temporary restraining order on Utah’s abortion trigger law

Physicians in Utah may continue to provide abortions for patients until at least July 11. On Monday, Third District Court Judge Andrew Stone granted a request from Utah’s Planned Parenthood Association for a 14 day TRO. He said he felt allow ing the law to take immediate effect could cause “irreparable harm. Doctors here are threatened with felonies. The affected women are deprived of safe, local medical treat ments to terminate pregnancies.”

Doctors can continue to provide abortions in the Beehive State for the next two weeks, a state judge decided Monday. Stone granted the order at the request from Planned Parenthood Association of Utah.

Prayer OK’d for school coach instateWashington

By Tom Haraldsen tom.h@davisjournal.com

This

U.S.

U.S. House District 2 Incumbent Chris Stewart moved into November’s general election with a win over challenger Erin Rider. Stewart finished with 13,781 votes to 6,329 for Rider.

State Senate District 6 Jerry Stevenson advanced into Novem

A former high school football coach in Washington who was disciplined for holding a postgame prayer at midfield with his team saw his action protected by a Supreme Court ruling on Monday. By a 6-3 decision, the Court said Bremer ton High School Joseph Kenne dy’s prayers are protected by the Constitution’s guarantees of free speech and religious exercise, and the school board’s discipline of the coach was unwarranted.

at HillAir Force Base.

year’s primary elections in Davis County were completely between candidates in the Republican Party, which has dominated the county’s political offices for years.As of earlyWednesday morning, here were the vote totals in Davis County for candidates in a number of races:

Senate As expected, incumbent Mike Lee fought off the challenges of two Davis County resi dents, Becky Edwards of Bountiful andAlly Isom of Kaysville. Lee garnered 24,859 votes to 16,045 for Edwards and 4,517 for Isom in Davis County. Lee took 60 percent of the votes statewide.

House District 1 Incumbent Blake Moore, seeking a sec ond term of office, defeatedAndrew Badger

andTina Cannon in this primary, getting 14,769 votes. Badger was second at 6,712 and Cannon third at 3,363.

Comcast celebrates the launch of SheMoney’s Spend program

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

When ComcastRISE was launched to support wom en-owned small businesses, Comcast committed $1 billion to programs that would affect 50 million people. ComcastRISE, which stands for Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment, helps business owners get access to tools and funding they need to thrive.

In early November, Comcast sponsored the opening of SheMoney’s Spend program, inviting conscious consumerism to support women+ business owners in their wealth creation journey.

SheMoney, a content platform dedicated to financial eq uity, is a sister brand to ShePlace, a network designed to help members build social capital through resource sharing and op portunities for worldwide collaboration.

Madison Limansky, COO of ShePlace, worked in the fash ion industry and production for 17 years. After receiving a de gree in gender studies from the University of Utah, it changed her perception of the fashion world and she revolutionized the way companies approach representation through media cam paigns.

Limansky joined forces with ShePlace founder Jacki Zeh ner to build a program that takes networking to a new level, with a focus on collaborative success.

“We believe that social capital is a crucial ingredient to financial success. What we want to do at ShePlace is provide digital and in-person space where people can connect in a way that goes beyond industry and socioeconomic status,” Liman sky said. “Research shows when looking at what makes a com munity vibrant for upward mobility, what’s most important is friendships that connects people across a socioeconomic spec trum.”

ShePlace is a network where individuals and groups can share opportunities and challenges and have the opportunity to coordinate efforts. Approximately 70% of ShePlace members are based in Utah, but the platform includes women+ from 28 states and 13 countries. It encompasses nonbinary or gender flu id individuals and is intentionally inclusive of people that don’t identify on the binary spectrum.

The SheMoney brand gives women the ability to learn about and control financial resources. While money can’t buy happiness, it can help provide resources like access to counsel ing services, fitness classes, networking opportunities and more.

Through its custom framework called the 7 Money Moves,

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SheMoney delves into the actions a person can take with mon ey. Whether it’s spending, saving, investing, protecting, giving, borrowing or earning, SheMoney offers women a chance to un derstand and control their financial security.

“If we can make a difference in a person’s financial well ness, that has the potential to impact every area of their well-be ing,” Limansky said. “If you can’t afford a therapist or live in a home with access to clean water or take time for a spiritual practice, money has the ability to impact all areas of your life.”

Spend is the first targeted focus of the SheMoney platform and brings together 70 small business owners across 10 catego ries, including business services, art, food, beauty and health. SheMoney hopes to inspire conscious spending and intentional support for women+ owned businesses and create social change.

“We started with Spend because it’s something everyone can participate in immediately,” she said. “If we spent every dollar in a more intentional way to support women and people

of color, that could make a huge impact in the financial land scape of Utah.”

Historically, Utah has been a difficult place for women economically but the Spend experiment could be the first step toward addressing change in a healthy, long-term way.

“We hope to be an aggregator of the resources readily available to business owners,” Limansky said. “It’s about eco nomic connectedness among the business owners and accessing resources like knowing which type of capital is most effective for your business, or understanding when is it time to grow and scale your business.

“Comcast not only provided a cash sponsorship for the launch event, they also provided a lot of photo and video cov erage for this event. That was such an extraordinary gift and an asset to us as a small company just getting started.”

Visit sheplace.com and comcastrise.com for more infor mation. l

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At a launch party in November, sponsored by Comcast, SheMoney launched its Spend program to support women+ business owners. Photo courtesy of The Ahfuas

Network of trails will connect Utahns throughout the state

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

WOODS CROSS—Utah is known for its outdoor recreation and trails but not all of them are easily accessible. Gov. Spencer J. Cox and Utah Department of Transpor tation (UDOT) Executive Director Carlos Braceras announced a vision last month to build a network of trails that would connect Utahns to their destinations and communi ties throughout the state.

“This will enhance the quality of life for every Utahn,” said Cox. “Utah is a vi brant place bursting with amenities. We know why people live here – it's beautiful. We have to sustain the growth system so that we can provide clean air and clean wa ter. We’re looking for state funding to con nect trails for people of all abilities.

A sense of community is important, he said. “We’ve heard from residents that they want more trails. This is who we are. This is our brand. We own the outdoor space. We want people to be able to recreate safely. In teracting makes us healthier and happier.”

Cox said he sat down with state depart ment heads and gave them a challenge to think big. “I asked them to come up with a proposal for how we can use our resources and talents to make the state a better place.”

The interstate system (I-15) was a bold move to connect the highways, said Cox. “This would be our interstate trail system so that you can go anywhere in Utah and not get on a roadway.”

“The governor gave us a challenge and we didn’t know how far to go with it,” said Braceras. “We hear people want to have community identity and perspective. We’re bringing people together. Wellbeing is an issue.”

Braceras said they’ve been working with communities and the legislature. “The legislature will make the decision about how it can be done and how to fund it. Money is always the biggest hurdle so we need to make it a priority for people in the legislature.”

“First we’ll connect lower income communities,” said Cox. “It’s very im

portant there is physical access. It will be built so that people of all abilities can get on them.”

The transportation committee address es all users, Braceras said. “They should be safe on all transportation systems. Trans portation is the most important for the fu ture as we double in growth. If people can walk or bike they’re more likely to use transportation.”

For far too long transportation has been put into a bucket, Cox said. “Biking, walking, roads, etc. They all go together. We have to start asking the question of ac cess for cars, bikes and walking. We have to look at it more holistically than in the past.”

“We’re planning what our priorities are,” said Braceras. “We’re working from the bottom up to see where the gaps are and where the pieces are for communities. We’ll start with ways to get more involved and then we bake the recipe.”

This is long term, he said. “It may not be done in our lifetime.”

Braceras said they are not proposing using eminent domain. “It’s straight line, eminent domain is not happening. Any ef fort like this requires acquisition of private property but we’ll pay fair market price for it. With an eminent domain you’re taking it from an unwilling seller and we’re not

going to do that. That’s an important part of this.”

“We want to see people get out on these paved trails,” said Cox. “We want bikers, older people, younger people and moms with strollers. We don’t have to sell this. People want this.”

Cox said this project is going to the top of his vision list. “We are very serious about this. We’re good at building roads. People have said ‘you can’t do this’ but we’ve done it anyway. It’s a huge undertaking and a heavy lift but we’re serious about moving forward. Our citizens want this – they de

mand this.”

Once funding is in place, Braceras said they would put a state transportation plan together. “We’ll start the first project as soon as possible with a 2023/24 timeline.”

“I’m so excited about this,” said Cox. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican you don’t know that when you’re out walking. There will be better health and mental health outcomes and less congestion on the roads. We want to have a sustainable quality of life for generations to come.” l

Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Executive Director Carlos Braceras (left) joins Gov. Spencer J. Cox at the south trailhead on Legacy Parkway to talk to reporters about their vision to build a new trail system that would reach across the state. Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

We’re working from the bottom up to see where the gaps are and where the pieces are for com munities. We’ll start with ways to get more involved and then we bake the recipe.

Carlos Braceras

Celebrating a culture surrounded in tradition and inclusion through Dia de los Muertos

By Alisha Copfer | alisha.c@davisjournal.com

KAYSVILLE—Although Dia de los Muertos was celebrated Nov. 1 and 2, Norma Carver wants to encourage every one to understand the importance of this celebration. Her culture celebrates this holiday every year and decorates graves and sets up ofrendas (altars) to help the living celebrate the lives of those who have passed.

From the dances and fantastic cloth ing to the amazing food, Carver enjoys sharing everything she can about her culture. Carver, originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, loves to share her heritage with everyone in the community. “We have a lot of beautiful clothing, dialects and wonderful food that is worth sharing,” said Carver.

Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday traditionally celebrated the first two days of November. However, other days, such as Oct. 31 or Nov. 6, are also included in the celebration.

As part of this celebration this year, Carver joined with Kaysville City to set up an ofrenda at the Kaysville Administra tion Building. This display was available for visitors to see during the first week of November as part of the Arts and Culture Exhibit for 2022.

Carver explained that the altar was part of her non-profit organization Oaxaca en Utah. The purpose of the organization is to, “show our beautiful state of Oaxaca through the food, tradition, customs, ed ucation, dance and love of our Oaxacan people,” says Carver.

Many of the traditions and culture is explained at oaxacaenutah.org, “Oaxaca in Utah began more than 10 years ago, and during that time it was decided in 2020 to carry out the first Guelaguetza; we were seven families that came together and en joyed our beautiful Oaxaca.”

Carver started Oaxaca in Utah in Jan uary 2022 with the idea of being able to continue celebrating and enjoying her cul ture with those around her. Carver has full support from her husband as she pursues this venture. Both of them want this expe rience to be bilingual so that everyone can understand the culture and celebrations.

While the Oaxaquenos have a large festival in July, they enjoy sharing their culture year-round. “We want to be a lead er in our community and are helping those in Davis County,” explained Carver. The festival held in 2021 only had about 550 people in attendance, their 2022 celebra tion had over 10,000 people show to enjoy the cultural experience. Carver hopes this

number will increase even more over time as people continue to learn about Oaxaca.

“We want the opportunity to present our culture to different communities, cit ies and counties in Utah,” stated Carver. Each time they hold a festival, they look for new sponsors. These festivals have crafts, dances, vendors who sell and show their wares and, of course, food.

As part of the recent Dia de los Muer tos celebration, Oaxaca de Utah was able to decorate a local gravesite. “It’s special, not only for the one who has passed, but also as a celebration for those who at tend,” said Carver. Each grave decorat ing includes food, music, candles and the sharing of stories about the person.

“It is very touching to everyone’s hearts in attendance,” explained Carver. “These celebrations help the person who has passed and those who have lost family and friends remember their importance.” Carver encourages everyone to come and know who these people are and what they accomplished.

In Oaxaca they always honor every person who has already departed from this life so that they will live on in their hearts forever. They are blessed to honor them and celebrate each person. l

A Dia de los Muertos ofrenda display at the Kaysville Administration Building. Photo by Alisha Copfer

Decorating a local gravesite during a Day of the Dead celebration. Photo courtesy of Norma Carver

The graves of Josephine and Eulogio Saldivar located at the Kaysville City Cemetery. Photo courtesy of Norma Carver

Public works director receives prestigious award

Linda Petersen | lpetersen@mycityjournals.com

CENTERVILLE—Mike Carlson, Cen terville City’s public works director, has re ceived the Charles W. Wilson Meritorious Service Award for his contribution to the wa ter works industry and the people it serves.

The award was presented to Carlson at the annual American Water Works Associa tion Intermountain Section Annual Confer ence on Oct. 7 in Vernal and again at a Nov. 1 Centerville City Council meeting by Public Works Deputy Director Dave Walker.

Carlson is a fitting recipient of the award which is given to those who make a significant contribution to the water works industry, Walker said. Recipients of this award must qualify in five areas: years of service, leadership, mentoring, contribution to the industry and vision.

The AWWA gives this award to an in dividual with over 20 years of service, “who supplies outstanding leadership, mentoring along with contributions and vision in the advancement of the water works industry,” Walker said.

“Twenty years ago, I was borderline ha rassed by this man to come and join our team here,” he joked, pointing to Carlson, “and, reluctantly even, I did so. I left private indus try and came to serve here and now it’s with no regrets. Over the past 20 years I’ve gained a clear understanding of his heart for the in dustry and all those he affects every single day. This award is well deserved by a true leader in our industry and a genuinely caring and compassionate man.”

As Walker presented Carlson with the award, he received a standing ovation from

the city council and those in attendance. Councilmember Robyn Mecham thanked Carlson for his service.

“You are an asset to our city, and we all know it,” she told him.

“This is a very well-deserved honor and award,” Councilmember Gina Hirst said. “I know I speak for everyone on the council and the mayor that we really appreciate the service and contributions that you’ve made

to our city. One of the neatest things is your mentorship of others and we really appre ciate all that you’ve done and given to our community.”

(Mayor Clark Wilkinson was absent from the meeting).

In March 2021 Carlson received the Ex tra Miler Award from the Rural Water Asso ciation of Utah/St. George for his contribu tions to the industry. l

Continued from front page

with concerns about the animals’ care.

Meyer doesn’t understand why the park’s owners won’t send animals to sanctu aries and close the display for good because she thinks the zoo has to be Lagoon’s biggest public relations nightmare.

“These majestic animals, especially the big cats, live in small concrete enclosures. These big cats are some of the hardest an imals to have in any sort of captivity, let alone something that has nothing that re sembles their natural environment,” Meyer said. “We’ve actually coordinated with some global partners who are committed to help ing us get those animals to accredited sanc tuaries. If Lagoon ever says the word, we would get them to beautiful sanctuaries.”

Leishman said the park’s owners have never been contacted by wild animal sanc tuaries and added the longevity of the wild animal park at Lagoon is a testament to the type of care the animals receive.

The big cats at Lagoon came from a va riety of places. The Bengal tiger came from

a municipal zoo in the Midwest that lost its funding. The mountain lions were being held illegally in a private home, confiscated by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and placed at Lagoon. The African lion was used for a photo op as a cub. As the lion got older, the owners wanted to get rid of it and Lagoon took it in.

Patrick Craig, executive director of The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colo., said they would be willing to take the big cats from Lagoon. Although he hasn’t contacted the park’s owners directly, the sanctuary has publicly offered to give the cats a home when animal right’s groups have tried to persuade Lagoon to discontinue the display.

“This establishment has had their wild life train going since the 1960s and it has a long-established history of never providing adequate enclosures for the animals. It is the number one complaint we receive on a yearly basis, which is saying a lot, given the number of other terrible exhibits that exist in the United States,” Craig said.

He agrees with Meyer that the cats’ en

closures are too small, without the benefit of a natural environment. Big cats often suffer from arthritis and other conditions affecting paws and joints when they are kept on con crete. Stress and boredom have an impact on the cats’ mental health, along with being subjected to the train going past their cages several times a day during the summer.

Meyer thinks the time has come to close the exhibit as people’s attitudes toward ani mals held in captivity has evolved over the years. She believes Lagoon could turn the closing of the wild animal park into a posi tive story, with a happy ending for all.

“If they finally said, ‘You know what, we’re going to shut this down. We started this zoo before we knew what these animals needed and there are good reputable sanctu aries we can send them to. We’re going to shut this down and turn it into something people enjoy’ then the UARC would defi nitely be going to Lagoon to celebrate and finally ride on the roller coasters.” l

Mike Carlson, at left, was presented the Charles W. Wilson Meritorious Service Award by his deputy direc tor Dave Walker at the Nov. 1 city council meeting. Photo courtesy of Gina Hirst

Creating mock disasters through the art of moulage

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

BOUNTIFUL—In case of an emergency people have to jump into action but knowing what to do isn’t that easy. Moulage artist Deby Marshall uses her talent to create mock disaster scenarios as a tool for teaching not only to help the victim, but for those who are giving aid.

“A long time ago my husband said ‘we live down at the bottom of 400 North. If something happened we’d be cut off. We need to learn how to take care of ourselves,’” said Marshall. “So I took CERT classes and we did mock disas ters with a lot of victims’ moulage (the art of applying fake injuries) with burns and different stuff. So I went through the training and it evolved and I learned more to take care of these things.”

While using moulage to make people bloody, Marshall said she realized it wasn’t just for first responders. “It’s also for citizens to see what it looks like and how they feel or how they would act to take care of it.”

Marshall has developed her skill over time. “I’ve slowly put together a mock disaster with the types of injuries first responders might come upon and that citizens come upon so they don’t get grossed out but can react.”

She creates moulage by using everyday ingredients. “I use red food coloring with Dawn detergent for blood,” said Marshall. “You add baking powder to thicken it. For skins and cuts I use lady’s makeup with Vaseline and baking pow der to thicken the mixture. It’s easy to wash off and more Latex free.”

Burns are made from women’s peel off facial masks, she said. “When it’s dry you pull it up, stuff it with cotton

and add red food coloring so it looks like skin is coming out of a wound. Crushed up Oreo cookies make it look like there’s gravel or dirt in a wound. It’s all non toxic and tastes good on the side.”

Marshall does all of the CERT mock disasters. “I hope by training everyone it will help if something happens they’ll know what to do.”

At emergency preparedness fairs Marshall works her magic on kids and adults who come to her booth. “Kids like gory things,” she said. “When they come up I ask them if they have any allergies and what they’d like. I explain how I make it and why. Most like to have it on their arms but I do whatever they like.”

One man came up and asked her to create a cut across his nose and give him a black eye. “He wanted to show his grandkids after the fair,” said Marshall. “I also do some mou lage for Halloween.”

Marshall has made up a kit with moulage items she takes with her to mock disasters. “I have fake skin with makeup in different skin tones,” she said. “I have a color wheel I use for bruises and powder. There is a lot of blood. I use a Honey Bear squirt bottle for spreading blood.”

She also uses crushed Alka-Seltzer for burns. “You squirt water on it and it bubbles. I have rocks and sticks that I can mold in and pre-made cuts and things that I can quickly put on people.”

Sometimes Marshall uses her skill on her grandkids for fun. “But usually it’s my husband I practice on.” l

Moulage is the art of applying fake injuries. Deby Marshall has learned how to use this technique to create mock disaster scenarios for emergency preparedness. Photo courtesy of Deby Marshall

I-15 Farmington to Salt Lake City study process gets going

Linda Petersen | lpetersen@mycityjournals.com

Justin Smart, a consultant with Penna Power who is work ing on the UDOT I-15 Environmental Impact Statement Study from Farmington to Salt Lake, gave the Centerville City Council an update on the process at their Nov. 1 meeting.

These are early days in the study process, he told them. The project team had done some informal scoping with people from the area including businesses, neighborhoods and special interest groups and was preparing for a series of open houses that were to be held in November, he said.

“Through that whole process, the bottom line is we did a lot of listening,” Smart said of the scoping. “There were things that we already knew needed addressed, but we wanted to know from the community members, those who live here, those who travel here, what needed attention, what potential solutions were.”

It seems likely that I-15 will need to be widened, Smart said in answer to a question.

“We’re probably not going to be able to accommodate the mobility of everybody without adding some capacity to I-15 to accommodate travel into 2050,” he said.

At the open houses more specifics were presented. The open houses included a Nov. 14 virtual open house, a Nov. 15 open house at Rose Park Elementary and a Nov. 16 open house at South Davis Recreation Center. Although these open houses have passed, the public comment period is still open until Dec. 16, and local residents can view all the materials presented at i15eis@utah.gov.

Two alternatives were presented for the Centerville stretch of the freeway in the interchange areas from Pages Lane/1600 North to the Farmington boundary:

A – a Parrish Lane diamond interchange with a north

bound connection to the east frontage road with a 12-foot shared use path (for pedestrians and bicyclists) on both sides of Parrish Lane, along with a grade-separated 14-foot shareduse path crossing over I-15 and the railroads at 400 South/ Porter Lane.

AND

B – a Parrish Lane single point urban interchange with a northbound connection to the east frontage road with a 14foot shared-use path on the north side of Parrish Lane and a grade-separated 14-foot shared- use path crossing I-15 and the railroads at 200 North.

In the same area between the interchanges, there would be a new grade-separated 14-foot shared-use path crossing at Centerville Park over I-15, the railroad lines and Legacy Park way.

Options for other stretches of the freeway were also pre sented.

It’s not just about cars,” Smart said at the Nov. 1 meeting. “UDOT is not about moving cars; it’s about moving people, so we’ve paid attention to all modes and all users as we move forward.

“The purpose of where we are now is giving the public the opportunity of seeing these alternatives at a conceptual level,” he said. “We’re not designed out to the point where we know exactly where a line might be drawn. The focus in this phase is, ‘Did we get it right? Does it help your quality of life?’ The next stage will refine all alternatives through an engineering process.”

The draft of the environmental impact statement should be completed by fall 2023 with a final version ready to submit in the first half of 2024, Smart said.

“There have been funds programmed for construction but what form that will take is to be determined,” he said. “Likely 2026 would be the earliest construction would happen.”

More information is available at i15eis@utah.gov. Local residents can also email the study team or call them at 385220-5797. The project also has a Facebook page where up dates will be posted: www.facebook.com/groups/udoti15eis

“We’re hoping that we can get the word out far and wide that people have a chance to come and weigh in on the future of transportation and quality of life in the area,” Smart said. l

Getting to Know Dr. Heaton

Jared Heaton is an attentive and thorough dermatologist, serving his patients in Davis County. Dr. Heaton is Board-certified in dermatology, and he is currently a member of the American Society of MOHS Surgeons.

Dr. Heaton prides himself in serving all patient populations and treating all areas of dermatology from children through retirement age. He places a strong empahsis on catering to the retirement population in his community as skin cancer is more prevalent in this age group.

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

In his spare time, Dr. Heaton enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, parafoil kite flying, and spending time with his wife and three children.

Dr. Jared R. Heaton Board Certified Dermatologist

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City Council honors local student for his community spirit

By Alisha Copfer | alisha.c@davisjournal.com

FARMINGTON—During the city coun cil meeting on Nov. 15, Sam Williams, a Vista Education student, was recognized by the may or and received an award. This “Outstanding Student Award” is part of a movement by the council to be more positive.

“This is something we are trying to inject into our meetings as a little positivity and to showcase some of the talents and skill sets of our residents,” said Mayor Brett Anderson.

His mother and father escorted Sam to the podium, where he received this distinguished recognition from the council. The mayor stated that Sam is the second person to receive this honor, and they are excited to continue these efforts.

Starting in October, the city council has requested nominations from the Farmington schools for students worthy of this award. Sam received four of the five nominations.

Sam is a first-year student at the Vista Ed ucation Center in Farmington. “Vista is a very nice school, and they treat me well,” said Sam. “I also have really good friends there.”

Every Monday and Tuesday, he volun teers at Farmington Jr. High, where he enjoys helping in the front office. According to Sam, his favorite thing is to answer the phones and redirect calls.

“I like going to the job site and helping

out in the community,” said Sam. This is a re markable feat considering that Sam is blind. He likes to greet guests at the school and an swer phone calls. He also uses the intercom system to call students out of class.

“It has been such a great experience hav ing Sam in our office at Farmington Jr.,” said Aleece Bean, office secretary. “He is always excited to begin the day. His happy attitude is contagious. He has been willing to learn and adapt to any situation. I am proud of his hard work.”

Anderson said that Sam is so deserving of this award for two reasons. First, he is always so happy, and second, he is always willing to tackle mornings with energy and enthusiasm. “Your enthusiasm and happiness are conta gious,” said Anderson to Sam. “You’re like the happy version of COVID!”

“People are always happy to see him, and it amazes them that Sam always recognizes their voices,” said Curtis Williams, Sam’s fa ther.

Camilla Williams, Sam’s mother, con curs. “He is very happy and friendly and loves to introduce himself to new people,” she said. Sam’s two brothers and sister were also there when Sam received his award. All three agreed that Sam’s happiness is contagious.

“Sam is kind to others, very helpful and

likes chocolate!” said Rosanne (Rose) Uffens, secondary school secretary, in her nomination. “He likes learning new things and trying to do them by himself. His abilities are amazing. We have learned so much from him about being kind and persevering, and he’s taught us about braille. He has been a great addition to our of

fice.”

Anderson said that the city has their own copy of the award to display in city hall. “So, you’re famous now,” he said.

In his spare time, Sam enjoys listening to music, playing the piano and swinging, “but not in the snow,” said Sam jokingly.l

City reduces landscaping requirement in light of drought

Linda Petersen | lpetersen@mycityjournals.com

CENTERVILLE—In a continuing ac knowledgment of the prolonged drought in Utah, Centerville City has made some more changes to its landscape ordinance.

The city council has already added a waterwise element to the ordinance but “we still needed to go back to the fundamentals inside the landscaping ordinance and see if there were some changes we could make that we could be sensitive to the waterwise,” Community Development Director Cory Snyder told them at their Nov. 1 meeting.

The changes primarily impact commer cial and industrial development in the city. It would also cover multifamily developments (The city’s landscaping ordinance does not cover single-family homes where there are no landscaping requirements). In the past the city has required that 75 percent of those de velopments’ open space be landscaped. This has primarily meant that most developments have met that requirement by putting in turf, usually Kentucky bluegrass, which is not sustainable, Snyder told the city council.

At the city council’s request, the plan ning commission has been studying the is sue. As the staff and the planning commis sion has hashed this issue out, they have determined that 50 percent landscaping of those areas makes more sense, Snyder said.

The ordinance was also changed to discourage turf and instead encourage drought-tolerant planting or xeriscaping:

“For commercial and industrial devel opments, the expansive area use of water resource intensive lawn and turf shall be avoided,” the ordinance now says.“We are trying to tell the commercial and industrial that we don’t want you to just pick turf as your only option in your planting scheme,” Snyder said. Decorative gravel and deco ratively textured concrete are also now al lowed.

Modifications were also made to allow less landscaping in the area west of I-15 which has no secondary water and is forced to utilize culinary water on its projects. The ordinance previously called for 15 percent of a project there to be landscaped; that figure is now 10 percent. Xeriscaping is also en couraged.

“Xeriscaping is not just plants that take low water, it is a native system,” Sny der said. “With native plantings you irrigate for the first couple of years. After that you can basically cease using irrigation and the idea is the natural rainfall would take care of those plantings,” he said while acknowledg ing that with the change in weather patterns it is hard to predict just what “natural rain

fall” is going to be.

Developers would be encouraged to wherever possible utilize a licensed land scape architect with drought tolerant expe rience to ensure drought tolerant landscape

design would be implemented, since in the past they have usually met the requirement by installing just gravel and some trees, Sny der said. l

Sam Williams, a student at Vista Education Campus, received an outstanding student award from the Farmington City Council. Photo by Alisha Copfer

Landscaping changes primarily impact commercial and industrial development in the city. It would also cover multifamily developments. Photo by Becky Ginos

Nature’s Virus Killer

Copper can stop a virus before it starts

By Priscilla Schnarr www.copperzap.com

Scientists have discovered a natural way to kill germs fast.

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Colds and many other illnesses start when viruses get in your nose and multiply. If you don’t stop them early, they spread and cause misery.

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That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyptians used copper to purify water and heal wounds. They didn’t know about viruses and bacteria, but now we do.

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Bountiful nonprofit receives a grant to provide dental and vision services for refugees

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

undreds of refugees come to Utah each year, often leaving their home countries with few material possessions. Education for Generations in Bountiful (866 Devon Ln.) is a nonprofit providing refugee services including vision and den tal assistance.

The organization was named as one of 20 Utah nonprofits to receive a $3,000 grant from SelectHealth to further its mis sion and work.

In a video made by SelectHealth to promote the winning organizations, Ga brielle Ernest, co-founder of Education for Generations, talked about the nonprofit she co-founded at 19 with her mother Ron da Miller-Ernest.

“We found there was a huge gap of services for refugee families when they’re relocated to Utah. Insurances don’t often cover dental procedures as well as eye glasses,” Ernest said. “I was very fortunate in my life to have a lot of these needs cov ered. But watching people forced to leave their homes, to come here and learn a new culture and a new language and keep go ing, it’s amazing.”

Education for Generations President Miller-Ernest said it’s hard for anyone to work with dental pain or poor eyesight. It

can be difficult to concentrate and it might limit opportunities. Providing these ser vices can affect a person’s lifestyle and success. For children, Medicaid often pro vides one pair of glasses but if those break they need to buy a new pair out-of-pocket.

Not only does Education for Gener ations help local refugees, it also holds humanitarian trips to a school in Kenya where they’ve been providing resources for food and education for students at the Daisy School for 10 years.

The organization was chosen for the SelectHealth Award for its efforts to make Utah a healthier place to live.

“The SelectHealth Awards is designed to highlight the notable work and contribu tions of organizations that are making an incredible impact in our community,” said Marti Lolli, SelectHealth president and CEO. “These awards allow SelectHealth to continue to show support for key part ners and organizations who have a shared mission and wake up every day thinking about how to make a difference in the communities we serve.”

Education for Generations offers many ways for donors to support its pro grams. People can sponsor a student in Kenya, make a one-time donation for gen

eral services or link a Smith’s account to the nonprofit to contribute at no extra cost.

For more information, visit Educa tionForGenerations.org.

“We support the Daisy School and lo

cally we help with vision and dental care for refugees,” Miller-Ernest said. “And we want to provide that support for genera tions.” l

Gabrielle Ernest (left) and Ronda Miller-Ernest (right) work with local refugees to provide vision and dental services through their nonprofit Education for Generations. Courtesy photo

New state flag design announced, moves to legislature

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

SALT LAKE CITY—There’s been a lot of wrangling and heated debate over changing the state’s flag but after four years one design has landed at the top. The Utah State Flag Task Force voted on the final design Nov. 10. Now it will go to lawmakers during the 2023 Leg islative Session to decide whether to adopt it or reject it.

“This has been a major process,” said Rep. Steve Handy, R-Layton who ran the bill originally. “I hope it will move forward and we adopt it as a state.”

In the More Than a Flag initiative, Utahns were invited to submit their ideas for possible designs. Last month they announced the top 20 and now it has been whittled down to one.

The current flag is not going away, he said. “It’s the Governor’s civic flag and it will fly over state buildings. If you have a flag, fly it.”

People ask “why change the flag?” said Handy. “They say ‘I like the current flag.’ I asked ‘do you fly it?’ They say ‘no I don’t.’’’

Handy said a few years ago he was ap proached about changing the flag. “They were young guys who thought it was just there, it’s bad. I started to do some research to talk about

it. I had no idea it would take four years.”

Most of the push back is from older people, he said. “Utah is one of the youngest states. The rising generation does not relate to the current flag. They have no respect or pride. We wanted to use an updated symbol to create synergy and pride in the state.”

There’s no harm in it, Handy said. “When I go to Disneyland there’s a Utah Jazz flag, U of U and BYU flags. Our current state flags are not conducive to representing our state. What are we so afraid of? The Jazz went through a rebranding. Why can’t a state rebrand?”

Other states have updated their flags, he said. “Utah is one of the first states making a change that has not been forced to (offensive, etc.)”

The other important thing is it’s absolute ly the first time people have had input, said Handy. “Before the legislature and Governor would do it. The people never had a say. Forty thousand people responded to the 20 flags. I would have liked 200,000 but the public has had amazing input.”

A lot of effort has gone into it, he said. “We considered the values that represent Utah and how that can be translated into a symbol.”

Local holiday offerings in Centerville

Linda Petersen | lpetersen@mycityjournals.com

CENTERVILLE— With the holi day season in full swing, there’s still plen ty of time to enjoy several fun activities the city and CenterPoint Theatre are pro viding for local residents.

First off, anxious kiddos who want to make sure Santa Claus knows exactly what they want for Christmas can drop off their letters to him at the Centerville City Of fice, 525 North 400 West, or email them to info@centervilleutah.gov by Dec 16. While it may not be the jolly fat man in red himself, they can be sure they will at least get a letter back from one of his elves by Christmas. Free.

The Whitaker at 168 N. Main is again presenting a Pioneer Christmas including a visit with Santa Claus himself on Tuesday, Dec. 6 and Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Reservations are required; sign up at https://bit.ly/3Mn5mSE. (Each 10-min ute time slot is for six people). Only a lim ited number of walk-ins are available. Free

At the CenterPoint Theatre, 525 North 400 West, in a nod to the role made fa mous by Will Ferrell, they are playing Elf the Musical with many dates through Dec. 17. Centerville families can share the

tale of Buddy the Elf who sets out on an adventure to find his dad and ultimately save Christmas. There are two alternating casts for this production. Buddy the Elf is played by Addison Welch and Craig Wil liams with Scott Butler and Dan Frederick son as the “Bah, humbug” Walter Hobbs. Jennifer and Camille Williams share the role of Emily Hobbs while John Nelson Wakley and Mckay Clemens play the part of Michael Hobbs. Emily Woods Spark and Jessica Oberg also take turns as Jovie, Buddy’s love interest. Tickets range from $21.75 to $34.50 depending on the night and seat location. For more information, visit centerpointtheatre.org.

Families can also help veterans in need by participating in the Youth City Council sock, gloves and hat drive. Drop off new items at City Hall through Dec 9.

After the holidays, Centerville City will pick up Christmas trees on Saturday, Jan. 7 for recycling. No tinsel, artificial trees or ornaments. Trees should be placed out at the curb by Friday night. Residents are asked to uncover the trees if it has snowed so drivers can easily see them. Free l

There were 70 different iterations of the beehive, Handy said. “The current flag has a beehive and a star with crossed arrows recog nizing the Native American tribes. The new flag has a star under the beehive with eight points for the tribes. Utah is named after a Na tive American tribe.”

People said using the beehive is just try ing to placate the LDS church, he said. “The beehive is to celebrate our heritage and respect the Native Americans whose land this was.”

The warm red on the flag represents the Southern Utah red rock, said Handy. “The white is for snow in the mountains and the blue

is the same color as in the current flag for the sky.”

It’s exciting, said Handy, who did not re election and won’t be returning to the legisla ture in 2023. “I feel bad I don’t get to vote on it or debate it or carry the bill. But I’ll participate as much as I can and be watching of course.”

Handy said there were people who were very, very angry at him. “I explain they can still fly their flag. Some said ‘doesn’t the legisla ture have better things to do?’ Over time I think people will embrace the new flag and they’ll be happy with it when it’s done.” l

The flag design was selected from the top 20 after input from Utahns. Lawmakers will vote to accept or reject the design during the 2023 Legislative Session. Graphic courtesy of More Than a Flag

OF UTAH

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A: Farmington Ascent K-9, 22 S 650 W, Farmington, UT 84025, (385) 220-2200, www.ascentutah.org FB: www.facebook.com/AAUFarmington/ West Valley Ascent K-6, 5685 W Cilma Dr, West Valley City, UT 84128, (801) 685-0228, www.ascentutah.org, FB: www.facebook.com/AscentWestValley

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* Bu y 2 C o mf o r t 3 6 5 W in d o w s ® at re gular p r c e an d g e t 1 ad d t io na w n d o w re e Fre e w n d o w mu s t b e of e qual o r e s s er v alu e D o ub l e Ta x C re dit s $ 6 0 0 w hic h s e qua t o t h e ma x mum annual t a x c re d t f o r w n d o w s p er t h e Infla o n Re du c t o n A c t f o r 2 0 2 2 M n mum p urc ha s e of 3 C o mf o r 3 6 5 W in d o w s ® re qu re d A l di s c o unt s ap p l y t o t h e M S RP c o s t N o a dju s t m ent s c an b e ma d e o n p r io r s al e s O er s ubje c t t o c han g e * * S ubje c t t o c re d t app ro v a Int ere s s bi e d dur n g t h e p ro m ot o na p er io d b u t al int ere s t s w ai v e d f t h e p urc ha s e am o un s p a d b e f o re t h e e x p ir at io n of t h e p ro m o o na p er o d T h ere s n o m n mum m o nt hl y p ay m ent re quire d dur n g t h e p ro m ot io na p er io d F inan c n g f o r G re en S k y ® c o n s um er l o an p ro gr am s i s p ro v d e d b y e d er a l y n s ure d e qual o p p o r t un t y en d er b ank s † T h e C hamp io n L im t e d L i e t m e War r ant y ap p l e s t o C o m o r t 3 6 5 W in d o w s ® an d qual f y in g C hamp o n p ro du c t s a s lo n g a s t h e o r g nal p urc ha s er o w n s t h e h o

When Steve Hendricks retired in 2018 from music education, after teaching in Davis County high schools for 30 years, com poser Benjamin Taylor was commissioned to create a piece to play at Hendricks’ retirement party. Nearly 100 of Hendricks’ former students showed up to perform the composition.

Scott Newman was one of those students who joined the reunion band for Hendricks. “It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made because I had such a good time. It was a reunion for a lot of us and getting to sit with Mr. Hendricks again was so much fun. I started ask ing around about starting a community band.”

He kept hoping someone would get the band organized but nothing happened. So, Newman decided to do it himself. The Har monic Winds met for the first time in the Kays ville Library in February 2022 and it’s only grown from there.

Newman said he’s learned to run a non profit, raise money, find rehearsal space, gather people together and write grants. He spent the last year working to get people to believe in the vision of a community band, and he asked Hen dricks to be the music director.

“Hopefully we can grow it and develop a community presence,” Hendricks said. “It’s something that all those people who played in high school or college, who don’t have an av

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

enue for their instrument, now have a place to go. And I think we’ve discovered a lot of people who want to play.

“It provides an outlet. I’ve had people come up after rehearsal and thank me, almost every week. One of them said, ‘This is so won derful, I get to go to rehearsal and my husband gets to watch the kids.’ They’re just having a great time.”

Harmonic Winds meets for rehearsals ev ery Wednesday from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Bridge Community Church in Centerville (1284 W. 75 North). Interested musicians over the age of 18 are invited to attend to get a feel for the group.

Currently, the ensemble has lots of flute players but is looking for other instruments in cluding tuba, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone and bassoon. Musicians are asked to commit to attending several rehearsals to see if the group is a good fit.

“We want everybody to know about us and we want everyone to feel they can come and play,” Newman said. “If anything, if you’re not sure, just come hang out with us at rehears al. It doesn’t hurt to spend one night and recon nect to something that could bring you joy.”

Hendricks, who was awarded the “Superi or Accomplishment” award and the “Outstand ing High School Music Educator” award from the Utah Music Educators Association, and

who was inducted into the Utah Music Educa tors Association in 2021, wants to expand the focus of Harmonic Winds to include musicians from across Davis County.

The ensemble’s first performance, a Pres ident’s Day concert, will be held Friday, Feb. 17 at Davis High School (325 S. Main St.) in

Kaysville. Visit HarmonicWindsofUtah.org for information on the concert and rehearsals.

“That moment when we had our first re hearsal it finally felt real, after a year’s work of work,” Newman said. “It’s like the saying, if you build it, it will come. Everything fell into place. It’s been exciting for us.” l

The Harmonic Winds community ensemble features musicians from around Davis County. It’s led by Steve Hendricks, a music education teacher of more than 30 years. Photo courtesy of Harmonic Winds

When Samira Harnish was 10 years old, living in Iraq, she drew a pic ture of a woman trapped in a spider’s web, calling for help. Even at a young age, Harnish knew the world was a difficult place for women.

Education opportunities weren’t easy for women in Iraq. Harnish’s sister re ceived a scholarship to study in England but community members tried to convince her father to keep her home.

“My dad was strong and said my daughter got this scholarship and I’m going to send her,” Harnish said. “I re member the family didn’t want to be with him anymore. So in that way, society was harsh for the women.”

As a young woman, Harnish came to the United States for an arranged mar riage. It was a difficult time and Harnish said she could feel the sticky web keeping her trapped.

“I felt like I couldn’t take it off my shoulders because I was thinking everyone was going to hate me or not want me be cause I was divorcing my first husband,” she said. “But I was taking care of my life and not wanting to feel miserable.”

In 2009, Harnish gave up her job as a senior microchip engineer and found ed Women of the World, a nonprofit that helps displaced women gain self-reliance by giving them tools to navigate an unfa miliar society.

WoW works with refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants, helping them

Building community for displaced women

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

learn English, apply for jobs, go to college or even start a business. But the organiza tion fills an even more important role, it helps women find a community.

Harnish understands the loneliness displaced women experience when first coming to Utah. Assimilating into a com munity is difficult and it is a challenge to find people who will welcome and support them.

“Because of these things I went through, it made me want to become an ad vocate for them,” she said. “We let women know everything’s going to be okay. They just need a guide into a new life. They’ve had a lot of hurtful moments: war, oppres sion, poverty, rape and mutilation.”

Located in South Salt Lake (415 E. 3900 South), WoW is giving a voice to women who have lost jobs, families and homes. By building confidence through English skills and mentoring, WoW par ticipants learn how to improve their lives and connect with others. These women often have college degrees and valuable professions, but can’t get hired due to the language barrier.

WoW holds a celebration each De cember, recognizing women who have reached their goals and becoming inde pendent. The event is supported by local business and government leaders who help the women find jobs in their commu nities.

The WoW model offers advocacy for immigration, housing, law issues and

health matters. It customizes its programs for each individual, matching her needs with what she needs to succeed. Volun teers are always needed at WoW to be mentors, drivers, interpreters, workshop teachers, yoga instructors, child caregiv ers and event facilitators. Monetary dona tions are also accepted.

Gift cards are an important donation for the women who can use them to buy things for themselves or their children. While the women appreciate the used

clothes or shoes donated to help them, they like to purchase items that fit their personality and their bodies.

“They have lost everything but their dignity and pride,” Harnish said. “They had good jobs in their home country and they are looking for jobs in their profes sion. They bring a great diversity to our state.”

To donate, volunteer or to learn more about WoW, visit womenofworld.org. l

Reports conclude that suicide is higher in women in Utah than men due to

By Alisha Copfer | alisha.c@davisjournal.com

New research indicates that more women than men attempt suicide in Utah. And, due to experience only women can have, such as hormonal fluctuations, women are more at risk to have suicid al tendencies and be more susceptible to mental illness.

In 2020, suicide was the 12th leading cause of death in the US. In Utah, it was the eighth highest cause of death. Recent ly published in a research snapshot by the Utah Women and Leadership Project, it is stated that suicide is a significant public health problem that is considered prevent able.

“Mental health has always been in my mind,” said Cindy Jenkins, an Extension Assistant Professor at Utah State Univer sity who works with the Utah Women and Leadership project. “Several years ago, I

started to recognize this big thing in our community, I saw some statistics and rec ognized that I wasn’t alone.”

The Utah Women and Leadership Project recently hosted a podcast featur ing Jenkins along with Dr. Kristy Hodson, a faculty member at Western Governors University in the College of Health Pro fession, and Chloe Bhowmick, a licensed clinical psychologist who works at The Partridge Group. This podcast was hosted by Dr. Susan Madsen, Founding Director of the Utah Women and Leadership Proj ect.

The podcast, titled “Suicide Among Utah Girls and Women,” covered the sta tistics reported in the research snapshot as well as the conversation surrounding the subject of suicide. “The number one thing we can do is to not glamorize it,” said Jen

kins. “Don’t make it normal; don’t make it something where you idealize these peo ple.”

The snapshot explains, “Reduce stig ma around suicidality and mental health issues and normalize seeking help.” The research shows that, “when individuals feel they are a part of a community, it can create a sense of belonging and connected ness which can serve as a protective factor against suicide.”

When asked why the topic of suicide was an interest, Bhowmick said, “I've been passionate about psychological research and it is important for the lay person to un derstand this in a way that makes sense to them and that they can relate this back to them.” She also said that society needs to understand that social and cultural factors are just as significant to mental health.

several factors

As a whole, suicide can take a toll on individuals, families and communities. Utah has several programs and resources to reduce suicide rates and support those who are at risk. The Utah Women and Leader ship states that these programs include the Live On Campaign, the Utah Suicide Pre vention Coalition and the Huntsman Men tal Health Institute.

Some of the suicide risk factors in clude social isolation, financial problems, job problems or loss, impulsive or aggres sive tendencies, mental illness and rela tionship problems. More information can be found by reading the research snapshot at usu.edu/uwlp/files/snapshot/43.pdf as well as connecting with the Utah Women and Leadership project at utwomen.org. l

A Women of the World fundraising event celebrates the success of displaced women from across the globe who work hard to reach their goals. Photo courtesy of Jake Campos

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Throughout the ages, there have been many important advances in mobility. Canes, walkers, rollators, and scooters were created to help people with mobility issues get around and retain their independence. Lately, however, there haven’t been any new improvements to these existing products or developments in this field Until now. Recently, an innovative design engineer who’s developed one of the world’s most popular products created a completely new breakthrough . . . a personal electric vehicle. It’s called the Zinger, and there is nothing out there quite like it.

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The first thing you’ll notice about the Zinger is its unique look. It doesn’t look like a scooter. Its sleek, lightweight yet durable frame is made with aircraft grade aluminum so it weighs only 47.2 lbs. It features onetouch folding and unfolding – when folded it can be wheeled around like a suitcase and fits easily into a

backseat or trunk. Then, there are the steering levers. They enable the Zinger to move forward, backward, turn on a dime and even pull right up to a table or desk. With its compact yet powerful motor it can go up to 6 miles an hour and its rechargeable battery can go up to 8 miles on a single charge. With its low center of gravity and inflatable tires it can handle rugged terrain and is virtually tip-proof. Think about it, you can take your Zinger almost anywhere, so you don’t have to let mobility issues rule your life.

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Even though 2022 seemed to last as long

as a 5-year-old reading “Green Eggs and Ham,” the holidays rushed in like a wicked case of intestinal flu. But high grocery prices? Rising inflation? Those things have never stopped Americans from over-celebrating the holidays.

If you’re finding it hard to capture the spirit of Christmas this year, just remem ber the real meaning of the holidays: get ting presents. All those brightly-wrapped packages will bring you hours of tempo rary joy and fulfillment.

I wonder if we have lost our senses, in a very literal way. Maybe if we come back to our senses for the holidays, we’ll stop eating when we’re not hungry, partying when we’re tired and buying a doghouse full of gifts for the family puppy when we’re already overbudget.

Let’s start with the sights of the sea son, like the piles of enticing Amazon box es shoved into hiding places and spilling out of closets. The twinkling lights of po lice cars at the neighbor’s house. The deadeyed stare of a Target cashier and colored globes hanging on the Christmas tree that drops needles when someone walks by.

How about the sounds of the season, like your favorite holiday tunes played by an accordion, or the infinite Mariah Carey

song remix/mash-ups/covers. You’ll hear “Carol of the Bells” so often it becomes part of that nightmare where you’re run ning to get the last LEGO set but you’re wearing furry slippers and keep tripping over elves. And there’s so much jingling!

What does Christmas feel like? A tod dler’s fingers, sticky from a candy cane, leaving pink fingerprints down the hall. Paper cuts from wrapping gifts. Cold, wet toes as you trudge through snowy parking lots and discover a hole in the sole of your boot. Frozen fingertips, runny noses and being bustled by bustling crowds.

The tastes of Christmas include nasti ness like eggnog and fruitcake, but also the sugary sweetness of gumdrops that suction to your molars and must be surgically re moved. Then there’s scalding hot choco late with toasted marshmallows. (Hint: don’t toast marshmallows in the actual toaster. I know that now.)

December smells like cinnamon, cloves, Seussian roast beast and smoke from your overused credit card. I’ve never smelled roasted chestnuts, but I imagine they have an aroma like a wet dog lying by the fire. Real evergreen trees emit the scent of fresh forests while making it hard to breathe for people with pine allergies.

Obviously, it’s easy to get caught up in what’s going wrong with the holidays, without paying attention to the feeling

behind the scenes. When I sit with that emotion, it’s one of peace, generosity, kindness, forgiveness and love. Things Hallmark Christmas movies are always going on about.

What if Hallmark is right? And I’ve never said that before.

Maybe the miracle of Christmas is noticing the small pleasures like when your friend sends you a funny card or your husband brings you a soft, fluffy blanket as you binge holiday movies. Maybe it’s reading stories to your grandkids or listen ing to grandparents share favorite Christ mas morning memories.

More than the senses, Christmas is about time. A time to pause. A time to be still. A time to remember. A time to breathe. A time to be grateful. A time to be with family. A time to reflect with wonder and awe at the beauty of this world.

Coming back to our senses, in a real way, slows time. It reminds us we’re not alone as we move together through these dark nights with bright stars, just doing the best we can.

Peri Kinder is an award-winning hu mor writer, hosts the Life & Laughter pod cast and was voted Best of State for 2022. She’s also a yoga/meditation instructor and life coach.

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter