Cottonwood Heights Journal | February 2023

With less daylight hours during winter months, student pedestrians face a hazardous commute getting to school. Both Cottonwood Heights Mayor Mike Weichers and Brighton High School Principal Tom Sherwood have voiced concerns over student safety related to the crosswalk outside of the newly constructed high school building (2220 Bengal Blvd., bordering Butler Hills Drive).

“There’s a vulnerability in that crosswalk right now,” Weichers said. “So many kids are crossing when it’s completely dark and there were some scary incidents.”

“That crosswalk has been there since 1969—when Brighton High School was built,” Councilmember Scott Bracken said.

Weichers asked the Cottonwood Heights City Council to consider some transportation alternatives in order to emphasize the crosswalk to vehicle commuters. Since November, councilmembers have been discussing potential traffic-calming solutions such as: constructing a bulb-out or curb extension near the crosswalk; implementing additional traffic-calming on the west end of the Boulevard; designing a secondary school zone (with flashing yellow lights) adjacent to the existing school zone along Bengal Boulevard; establishing protected bike lanes; improving visibility of the merge down to one lane heading east from the Bengal Boulevard and Highland Drive intersection; designating slower vehicle speeds; and installing additional streetlights.

Cottonwood Heights Public Works Director Matt Shipp suggested working with Salt Lake County and Canyons School District to install temporary lighting.

“The school has offered to park a light tower on their property. We will need to turn the switch on in the morn

“Dozens of doctors told me that there was nothing more that they could do to expect to be in a wheel chair. I went from the top 1% in the army Special Forces to being in so much pain that I could not tie my shoe or hold my new daughter. I did physical therapy and pain killers for years, but nothing worked. Finally, I went to Dr. Smith and I improved exactly as he told me I would. I couldn’t believe it! My wife cried, “I have my husband back.”

—Steve M., Army Special Forces

CSCS Chiropractic Physician

AlbionMiddle teacher librarian and media specialist Bridget Rees may be one of young adult fiction author Neal Shusterman’s biggest fans. She began reading his work in 2007, two years after the writer won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award.

When the writer, who now has written 50 novels, posted on Instagram that he would travel the country to talk to students and sign his newest book, “Gleanings,” Rees jumped through hoops to bring him to the Sandy school. She also shared the information with other area librarians so he also spoke at nearby Alta High, Midvale’s Hillcrest High, Draper’s Corner Canyon High, and at South Jordan Middle School.

While many Albion seventh- and eighth-graders were familiar with Shusterman’s writing, some Albion faculty and staff weren’t, including Assistant Principal Justin Matagi, who listened to one of his books on a family trip during fall break.

“This is a good opportunity for students to get a glimpse and learn what it takes to be the best of the craft,” he said. “I’ve had 50 students come up to me who are excited to read what he has written and were looking forward to his visit, so it’s hard not to fall in love with that enthusiasm.”

Instead of lecturing students, Shusterman engaged them to ask questions. He talked about the writing process to collaborating with other authors on “Gleanings” (which he said he may write a prequel to) to writing for film as his 2017 Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book, “Scythe,” which he said was in development as a feature film with Universal Studios.

Shusterman also has written for TV, including the Original Disney Channel movie, “Pixel Perfect,” which was filmed in the Salt Lake City area.

Jou r nals

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS TEAM

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

For information about distribution please email brad.c@thecityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner. © 2019 Loyal Perch Media, Inc.

Writing isn’t easy, author tells students

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

The Brooklyn, New York-born author, who once lived in Florida and answered that he does not have a pet alligator, now lives in Southern California. He said the inspiration for his books comes from various places, including basing his book, “Dry,” in the neighborhood where his kids grew up.

“It was fun writing a story in a familiar place. My kids grew up in this gated community, Dove Canyon, and it required less research because we knew the meaning of the streets and we knew the schools; it was really interesting writing a story that took place in the high school where my kids went to,” he said. “I’ve always tried to include places that I’ve been or places that I’ve lived in the stories that I write because I think writing from experience sometimes means writing about places that you’ve been.”

Shusterman said the inspiration for “Unwind” came from three different places.

“Sometimes an idea is a common one or several different things you sort of build together. First, there was a headline of an article that caught my attention. ‘Why is England afraid of their teenagers?’”

Shusterman said that it was during an economic downturn in the United Kingdom so when students graduated from school, there wasn’t work for them and they hung around, and many got in trouble. Eventually, the government passed a law which told them, “It’s OK to get rid of your unwanted teenage people,” he said.

The second part the inspiration for “Unwind” was from a team of researchers studying the psychology of the American voting system.

“Why is it that we choose our candidates? What is the core of each of our decisions? They interviewed hundreds of people, and they asked them why they chose their candidates,” he said and learned more

about their responses.

The third part of the book’s inspiration came from an article on transplants and interviewed a woman in France who had “a terrible thing happened to her face when she was mauled by a dog, and they couldn’t repair it.” She would go through life with a scar, or they could do “radical surgery for the world’s first face transplant from a target donor face,” Shusterman said, and read about the controversy about using another human being’s face.

“I started thinking about all of the medical issues, these issues of ethics, and how

do we decide what to make that decision?” he said. “Suddenly, I connected with these other stories, and rather than looking at this side versus this side, I’m tried to point out that when we try to look at it from a new perspective, that doesn’t divide us, it’s the only way we’re ever going to resolve these issues. My story is an anti-political spin, trying to break that deadlock that we have not just one issue, but on all the issues, and points out that when we find ways of looking at it from new points of view, we have hopes of solving these very complicated issues, instead of looking at them simplistically.”

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Bryan Scott | bryan.s@thecityjournals.com

EDITOR

Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

Ryan Casper | ryan.c@thecityjournals.com 801-254-5974

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Mieka Sawatzki | mieka.s@thecityjournals.com

Jason Corbridge | jason.c@thecityjournals.com

CIRCULATION COORDINATOR

Brad Casper | brad.c@thecityjournals.com 801-254-5974

Rack locations are also available on our website.

EDITORIAL & AD DESIGN

Ty Gorton

Amanda Luker

Stacy Bronson

Anna Pro

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS CITY JOURNAL 9500 South 500 West, Suite 205 Sandy, UT 84070 PHONE: 801-254-5974

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to inform and entertain our community while promoting a strong local economy via relevant content presented across a synergetic network of print and digital media.

PUBLISHER

Designed, Published, & Distributed by

Instead of lecturing students, Neal Shusterman engaged Albion Middle School students to ask questions, which ranged from writing and editing to specific details in his best-selling young adult books. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Although Shusterman outlined “Unwind,” “the plot always changes as I’m working on in terms of true events. I do a lot of research even when I’m writing something that is science fiction and fantastical subjects,” he said, adding that he goes through six drafts of his books before he submits it to his editor, starting with writing the first one by hand.

“When I write it into a notebook, it forces me to do a rewrite as I’m typing into the computer,” he said, adding that he still has those first drafts stored in his garage, but is considering giving them to the Ted Hipple Collection of Young Adult Literature at University of Southern Florida’s Tampa campus.

Shusterman will read his third draft out loud.

“I read it out loud to myself because the experience of hearing your words is different enough from the experience of reading silently on the page, that you get a whole new perspective altogether different based on how it sounds,” he said.

One of the last preliminary drafts is to share it with friends, teachers and students who act as a focus group and uses those comments to help him finalize it before submitting it with his editor, who often finds more for him to revise.

When asked about writer’s block, Shusterman simply answered, “I don’t believe in writer’s block.”

Then he explained, “The real part of writing is the hard part, those days where you can’t figure out what you’re doing, what’s not working, where you just feel like you have to bang your head against the wall to get ideas out. If you call that writer’s block, that’s an excuse for not working through the hard part of writing. If you just understand that that difficult part is just an ordinary expected part of the writing process, you’ll be able to take a breath and work your way through. It might take time. You might be stuck on the same chapter for a week, for a month. That’s expected. That’s normal. It’s not a block. It’s just a normal part of the process.”

Shusterman said that he hopes students learn “nothing is done the first time you write it and how important rewriting is; and how important reading is in general as it gives you perspective on the world.”

He also shared with students that he’s had fun naming his characters, which often come from his readers and fans who follow him on social media.

“I post a character and then I go away for about an hour. When I come back I have 1,000 different responses. I’ll go through every single name and I’ll choose a number of them. I may use somebody’s first name and somebody else’s last. What’s really fun is when I am at a book signing and someone comes up to me and says, you named that character after me. It’s nice to be able to sort of give that back,” Shusterman said.

While he likes introducing characters,

Shusterman said it was hard to eliminate some of those he has developed when it is necessary.

“There was a character in ‘Unwind’ that I was going to kill off and I didn’t have the heart to,” he added.

While Shusterman somewhat dodged the answer about having a favorite book, he said that “Challenger Deep,” which won the 2015 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, is a deep story about mental illness.

“It was inspired by my son’s experiences with mental illness, so it’s very close to my heart,” he said.

Shusterman grew up reading Roald Dahl books and the Lord of the Rings series, but said when he first read “The Shining” by Stephen King, “it scared the heck out of me. I remember sleeping with the lights on for weeks.”

However, between being excited about stories and characters Roald Dahl came up with to learning how King’s book kept him turning pages, Shusterman knew writing was what he wanted to do.

His first story in ninth grade was inspired by Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster, “Jaws,” that had recently opened.

“I went to see the movie on opening day, and I remember saying to myself I want to be Steven Spielberg. I want to be able to come up with stories that can capture people’s imaginations and keep them on the edges of their seats. I wrote my first story and I remember thinking writing was fun. The story was like ‘Jaws’ where you’re swimming in the ocean and this giant jellyfish would attack you and paralyze you and drag it down to the bottom,” he said.

Shusterman shared it with his first-year teacher; she told him, “I love the story that you wrote. I’m going to send it to the principal.’ Then, I got a yellow slip from the principal’s office to see him immediately. Now, the yellow slips were the bad ones. So, I think ‘great, it’s only my first week of school and I’m going to get myself suspended because the principal wants to make an example out of me because it’s inappropriate to write this kind of gross, gory story in school.”

Instead of being reprimanded, the principal told him, his story will represent the school in a district story contest.

A few months later, when his English teacher announced the winners, he said, “I didn’t get first place; I didn’t get second place or third place. I didn’t get any one of the 30 honorable mentions. I got nothing and I was crushed. I felt humiliated. I said, ‘I am never going to do this again.’ Then, she came up to me and said, ‘Do you want to be a writer? Great. This is your first lesson as a writer; it’s called rejection. Deal with it.’”

Shusterman then took up the challenge she presented him to write one story per month for the rest of the school year.

“By the end of ninth grade, I felt like a writer, and I haven’t stopped writing ever

since,” he said, adding that he dedicated a novel to her and presented her a collection of his autographed books.

“As we go through school, you’re all going to find that you have teachers that have a powerful influence over your lives.

For me, my ninth-grade English teacher was one of those teachers. She challenged me to

believe in myself. And from that moment on, I just kept on writing and getting rejected, and writing and getting rejected, and writing and getting rejected,” he said. “It takes determination to succeed, and it helps when you have someone who believes in you like my English teacher believed in me.”l

Before leaving Albion Middle, winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Neal Shusterman answered a few questions and signed books for students in the school library. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)

Best-selling young adult author Neal Shusterman answered questions about his novels at Hillcrest High School. (Photo courtesy of Abigail Slama-Catron)

Utah Civil Rights leader France Davis talks about overcoming oppression and bringing about change

Latter-day Saint Church leader Brigham Young selected Green Flake, an African American and well-respected laborer, to drive Young’s covered wagon across the treacherous 1,000-mile journey to the Great Salt Lake Valley. With skill and confidence, Flake drove the wagon across the plains and navigated the team of oxen along the rough road through the Wasatch Mountains. Arriving at the head of Emigration Canyon, Brigham Young sent men including Flake ahead to forge a road into the valley. In a matter of days, the men had prepared the road. After completing the road, Flake began to cultivate the soil and to plant the first crops. The following year, Flake completed a well-built log cabin in the Holladay area for the arrival of James and Agnes Flake.

Black History Month, recognized during February, provides an opportunity to reflect on the achievements and contributions African Americans have made and the significant roles they have played in United States history. Each year, a theme is selected by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). The Black history theme for 2023, “Black Resistance,” explores how African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression.

Anti-literacy laws in Southern states were

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

enacted between 1740 and 1834, prohibiting anyone from teaching enslaved and free people of color to read or to write. This was one of the first ways African Americans resisted oppression. To gain literacy, African Americans who couldn’t read often sought out anyone who would teach them. Learning to read and to write provided opportunities to speak out against discrimination.

In 1896, the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation laws did not violate the U.S. Constitution as long as the facilities for each race were equal in quality. It was at this time that African Americans began to find ways to make things separate but equal.

Rev. France Davis, former pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church and renowned civil rights leader and activist, has strived for an entire lifetime to improve the well-being of African Americans. Few can compare to the accomplishments he has made toward equality and basic human rights. Davis holds several degrees: a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric from the University of California at Berkeley, a bachelor’s degree in religion from Westminster College, a master’s in mass communication from the University of Utah and a master’s in ministry from Northwest Nazarene University.

Under the leadership of Ralph Abernathy

and Martin Luther King, Jr., the Montgomery Improvement Association was a group formed to resist the separate but not equal treatment toward African Americans. Davis marched at the side of King from Selma to Montgomery to try to ensure that everyone had the right to register and to vote.

In 1972, Davis moved to Utah to begin a teaching fellowship at the University of Utah where he continued to teach for 40 years in the Department of Communications and Ethnic Studies.

“When I first came to Utah, I discovered that fair housing was not available in the state of Utah regardless of skin color,” said Davis, now a Cottonwood Heights resident. “I had rented a place sight unseen and had a phone installed. When I showed up and met the landlord, he said the place wasn’t available. This event precipitated my interest in fair housing, and finally with others I was able to get a fair housing bill passed through the legislature.”

In a recent conversation, Davis pointed out how through history many African Americans have resisted oppression. In the 1940s, African Americans began to resist physically beginning with Jackie Robinson being the first African American to play major league baseball. In 1954, Brown versus Board of Education ruled against racial segregation in public schools because it violated the 14th Amendment. In 1955, Rosa Parks boarded a bus and decided she would not give up her seat to another person simply because of a difference in skin color. More recently, with the George Floyd incident, African Americans have resisted by insisting police departments change the disparate treatment of cases and treat African Americans the same way they treat other people.

There are three main areas where Davis feels change is needed to further help African Americans rise above oppression. Politically, more African Americans need to register to vote, run for office and become elected. African Americans need to be appointed to board of directors, both those that are voluntary and those that are paid. Economically, African

Americans need to be included with the higher-level employees as well as the lower. In the educational system, African American contributions need to be acknowledged throughout the year, not just emphasized in February.

Davis’s advice to all young people is first to learn as much as you can about yourself and then to learn as much as you can about people that are different than you. Finally, appreciate the differences and celebrate the achievements that people of other colors than your own have made.

“The message that I have for young people is, all of us are in this boat together. If one end of the boat sinks for one particular group such as the African Americans, the boat will take on water and sink for the others because we are all in the boat together,” Davis said. “Thus, we have to work together in order to bring about positive change.” l

Rev. France Davis, former pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church and renowned civil rights leader and activist, has strived for an entire lifetime to improve the well-being of African Americans. (Photo credit France Davis)

Utah PTA sponsored statewide film contest promotes digital wellness with healthy use of technology

Last year, an Eastmont Middle School sixth-grader claimed the top prize in the first Utah PTA digital wellness film contest, which was held only in the Canyons School District.

This year, the film contest is extended statewide to sixth- through 12th-grade students with the submission deadline March 15.

“The purpose of the video contest is to promote digital wellness and awareness and to promote healthy use of devices with students,” said Melinda Rosevear, Utah PTA Digital Wellness Committee member who is directing the video contest. “Our theme is ‘being safe, kind and responsible online.’ We wanted to make it broad so students can take any of those aspects they want to focus.”

Currently, information is being shared with career and technology education teachers in schools throughout the state.

“Every student in Utah is required to take the digital literacy class in eighth grade, unless parents choose to opt their student out, so that seems like a good place to get the word out to students,” she said. “I would love for the teachers who are already doing things in their eighth-grade digital literacy classes to participate in this.”

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Last year, in its pilot year in Canyons School District, many Albion Middle students in classes taught by CTE teacher Bethany Hanson participated.

“I’d say about 60% of our entries were from Albion Middle School because the digital literacy teacher there jumped on it and it caught the kids’ interest,” she said.

Rosevear said that Eastmont winner, Jake Despain, “really knows his technology. He had all these cool special effects, he was very concise and very creative in his message.”

The contest allows students to have an engaging way to teach and to learn.

“It’s more impactful when kids are teaching kids and when they’re using their creativity to convey a message about digital safety and awareness. It’s such a powerful tool when they use their own videos to help teach concepts and while they’re making the videos that helps them think about these issues that help them process what is appropriate, say what’s responsible and express that in a way that’s creative and uses technology for good,” she said.

The film, which has a maximum time length of 90 seconds, can be worked on as a group, but only one student will be allowed to enter it. If that student wins local or state priz-

es, which may be up to $500, it can be shared with other participants, she said, adding she appreciated the support of generous donors.

Rosevear said the idea emerged from when she held White Ribbon Week film contests as a PTA leader at Quail Hollow Elementary and Albion Middle School.

“I thought it would be fun to do a video contest because I think kids love to make movies and they love to use technology to express their ideas and their creativity. So, I thought how cool it would be for the kids to create videos and then to show those videos in the school,” she said.

Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out as she planned.

“We had that video contest, and it was literally the week before COVID closed the schools. We still had winners, but we didn’t get to share the films in person. We may have

put the videos on Canvas or something for other students to see,” she recalled.

When Rosevear proposed a film contest to the Utah PTA committee, “they loved the idea” so it was tested last year in Canyons District.

“Now we’re ready to roll it out to the whole state,” she said.

The Utah PTA Digital Wellness Committee, coordinated by Utah PTA Digital Wellness Specialist Linda Zenger, has about 15 digital citizenship and industry experts who will judge the entries. By the end of April, the committee will send certificates and winning prizes to students’ schools so they can be recognized at the school in front of their peers.

Students wishing to learn more about the video link may get additional information on the website, www.utahpta.org/video-contest.l

Eastmont Middle School Principal Stacy Kurtzhals (left) congratulated then sixth-grader Jake Despain on his win in the Utah PTA video contest along with Utah PTA Digital Wellness Specialist Linda Zenger and Utah PTA Digital Wellness Video Contest Director Melinda Rosevear. (Photo courtesy of Ann Despain)

6556 S Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd Holladay, UT 84121

CottonCrest mountain biking ‘family’ completes successful season

Nineteenstudent-athletes competed at state for the composite CottonCrest mountain biking team, with top places going to Hillcrest’s Josie Paul, who finished second in senior open girls’ race, and Hillcrest’s Alex Fisher, who grabbed fourth place in the freshmen B boys’ contest.

“We had a great season,” coach Anthony Stowe said. “We had more podium finishes this year than we’ve had in a very long time.”

While not every biker who attends Cottonwood High, Hillcrest High, Academy of Math, Engineering and Science (AMES) and Intermountain Christian placed in the top 10 for CottonCrest, Stowe was pleased with his student-athletes’ successes, which came in different forms.

For Hillcrest senior Matt Sebahar, it was about competing.

“Matt has been a part of our team recreationally for years. He decided to race and competed in senior open boys’ race at state, so that’s a great success,” Stowe said.

He also was proud for Hillcrest’s Alice Stephens who he said had a “stellar” season and capped it off with a 65th-place finish at state for freshmen girls.

Hillcrest seniors Kolby Butler and Braxton Little and Intermountain Christian junior Micah Autry all competed at the varsity level.

Hillcrest senior Kenna Stowe, coach Stowe’s daughter, was the lone female rider for the team who raced varsity.

“I’m pretty bummed with how it went because at the very beginning, there’s a really big pile up and I was stuck in the very back underneath everybody. I was the last to get up and get out of the gate,” she said about her overall 78th finish. “One of the girls just slammed on her brakes and caused everybody to just pile up.”

It also was a day with wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour, which the coach said were “horrible” and “memorable.”

“The wind picked up right at the start of my race and just continued to get worse,” Kenna Stowe said. “During my second lap, the gusts at the top on the plateau were literally pushing me off of the trail. It was deadly.”

She had placed in the top 15 in every race prior to state.

“I thought my season went pretty well. I reached my goal of racing varsity. My fitness wasn’t exactly where I wanted it to be because I got sick three times over the summer, so I didn’t have that much time to train,” she said, adding that she wanted to meet the challenge of racing varsity, which competes an extra lap on the courses. “It was still really fun and still really difficult.”

Kenna Stowe began mountain biking after her older brother Kaden started into the sport. Their dad started as CottonCrest’s assistant coach and moved into the head role seven years ago as his children competed.

“My dad said, ‘We’re going to try something besides dancing to see if you like it. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to do it after this year,’” she remembered about her seventh-grade year. “But, at the end of the year, I really liked it, and we bought me a bike.”

The former Hillcrest Dance Company member now has switched gears.

“Biking just took over and takes up so much time, I’m not dancing anymore,” she said.

Throughout her years of biking, she has been coached by her dad.

“What’s been kind of cool to spend more time with him and he also talks with me a lot after my ride and helps me figure out how to get better. But it can be frustrating because he’s hard on me,” Kenna Stowe said. “Sometimes I’m focused and I’m pushing it really hard, and he will just make random

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

comments about the day. So, I’ll be riding up the canyon as hard as I can, and he’ll be like, ‘just look at the nature.’”

Her dad explained that he was “trying to divert her attention because she hyperfocuses on the workout.”

Kenna Stowe then said, “I was looking down at my bike, wishing for it to be over. I like what I get from (the hard workouts), but I just don’t like doing them. I like that I get a lot of power from them and that helps me in my races.”

Stowe said often workouts are designed to help riders in their races, but through it all, he’s appreciated coaching his kids.

“One of the most wonderful things about coaching my daughter is I’ve been able to watch her growth and be so close to it,” he said. “It’s become a family thing for us. We’ve been able to spend a great amount of time together and it’s just been super unifying experience. It’s also created a unique relationship with my daughter and I feel very fortunate that I’ve been able to spend this time with her in high school.”

Even though her senior high school season is over, her biking career isn’t.

She plans to continue competing. This May, her family plans to take part in the 12-hour ride, 217-mile loop as a relay team around Mesa Verde National Park. She also plans to ride in the six-hour endurance race in the Hurricane, Utah rim area.

Kenna Stowe isn’t the only one who is parting from the CottonCrest team. Her dad, who placed third in the state coaches race, has stepped aside to let others lead the team.

“We have great people that will be running the team,” he said, adding that there are nine seniors graduating or about one-quarter of the team. “It has been a great experience to watch these students go from freshman to seniors and be someone that can provide them with a safe place to learn valu-

able life lessons. My No. 1 rule is no cliques so it’s fun to watch these kids come together through one common sport. Coaching our team is one of the most impactful things I’ve ever done in my life. Watching a new high school kid become an athlete and their parents who have never mountain biked before, are supporting practices and then, they’re racing, and it creates a new communication line for a parent and a child. It’s been everything for me and my family, and it’s just been so impactful to watch.”

The support and camaraderie of the sport became apparent from his son’s first race in Vernal.

“I was so used to every other sport where parents from opposing teams are typically yelling about a foul or ‘your kid did this.’ When my son finished the course, and it was obvious he had crashed as he was covered in dirt, I was walking toward him and this other parent from another team starts talking to him. Initially, I’m thinking, ‘Oh, no, here we go again.’ But that person said, ‘Dude, you had such a cool race. Did you wipe out?’ He was just totally rooting him on, and my son’s face changed. You could see the sun in his eyes. He brightened up and told him the story of his race. From that time on, I wanted to try and infuse this family feeling into the team. I’ve wanted to make sure that it was inclusive for every kid because mountain biking is a great place for anyone to come and learn about themselves. I’ll miss the friendships and closeness of the sport.”

His daughter agrees.

“I’ve had a lot of support in my races, the girls, their parents, the boys; it’s been super awesome,” she said. “I’m friends with a bunch of kids from different schools. They’ll come up and talk to me after my race and ask, ‘How did it go?’ I’ve made a bunch of good friendships.” l

Nineteen CottonCrest mountain bikers competed at state in coach Anthony Stowe’s last season. (Photo courtesy of CottonCrest mountain biking team)

Many accomplishments were achieved during 2022 by each department within Cottonwood Heights including the Human Resources, Public Works, Police, Finance and Information Technology, and Community and Economic Development departments. These accomplishments were shared, alongside year-end data, with the city council on Jan. 3.

In total, 151 land use applications were processed, 787 building permits were issued, and 2,257 inspections were completed by Community and Economic Development staff members in 2022.

Two thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine manholes were recorded and surveyed to collect data for the city’s storm drain infrastructure. Public Works Department specialists also laid 90 tons of material for crack seal improvements on city roads, improved 924,000 square feet of asphalt with modified chip seal improvements, and poured 1.8 million square feet of slurry seal for surface maintenance improvements along city roads.

“Our staff members are givers of civilization. We really strive to better the community of Cottonwood Heights,” said City Manager Tim Tingey.

The Public Works Department helped to complete two capital projects for the city during 2022 as well: the Bengal Boulevard roundabout and Ferguson Park project. They also met their goals for year four within their five-year plan.

The Cottonwood Heights Police Department (CHPD) worked to improve community relations during 2022. Officers were asked to partake in additional trainings and interventions, including specialized training working with individuals with an autism spectrum disorder and other mental health issues.

“We worked closely with Utah Autism Foundation to develop curriculum,” Tingey said.

In addition, every CHPD officer attended security training at the schools within city boundaries to be personally familiar with the building layouts in case of an emergency situation. CHPD officers were recognized for their work with emergency management, quarterly trainings, and K-9 units in 2022 as well.

“We have, in my opinion, the best K-9 unit in the whole state. We won an award this year on narcotics detection which was the No. 1 in the state based on the Utah Officers Peace Association competition,” Tingey said.

The Finance and Information Technology Department received numerous awards for their work in city budgeting and record keeping during 2022.

“The efforts they put forth related to budget and financial assessments is commendable,” Tingey said. “We continually

A look at city’s accomplishments in 2022

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

receive the highest ranks related to finance awards.”

City staff actively sought out and implemented additional cybersecurity training for the city’s technology. State auditors will be visiting Cottonwood Heights City Hall to assess how the city is doing from a cybersecurity perspective.

During 2022, the City Manager’s office implemented a monthly employee newsletter, assisted with budget preparation, delivered weekly reports to the city council, and evaluated every single city employee.

The Records, Culture, and Humans Resources Department hired 28 new employees this past year. Those employees helped to organize, promote, and host city events such as the “Willy Wonka” musical production,

Bunny Hop event, Bark in the Park and Butlerville Days.

The Cottonwood Heights City Council adopted many city plans prepared by staff members throughout the year, like the Mid-Valley Active Transportation Plan.

“These ordinances and grants take a lot of time and effort so when we get them completed and adopted it’s really great,” Tingey said.

Cottonwood Heights received numerous grants in 2022 because of the work completed by city staff across departments. For

example, city planners were able to obtain funding for city projects such as the Fort Union Bike Lanes project; Public Works specialists received grants for pavement management; and Records, Culture, and Human Resources staff were awarded grants from the Salt Lake County’s Zoo, Arts, & Parks (ZAP) Program and the Utah Division of Arts and Museums.

“I truly appreciate each and every one of them and their efforts,” Tingey said. “They are a great group and do so much good.”

The Cottonwood Heights Police Department’s K-9 units were ranked top in the state for narcotics detection in 2022. (Cassie Goff/City Journals)

In 2022, the Cottonwood Heights Police Department raised $5,600 for Camp Hope Utah by auctioning a guitar signed by Post Malone. Congratulations to the new guitar owner Jodi Avila. (Photo courtesy of the Cottonwood Heights Police Department)

The Public Works Department worked to repair over 924,000 square feet of city roads during 2022.

(Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)

Throughout 2022, the City of Cottonwood Heights was able to receive numerous grants for active transportation projects. (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)

Snowplows busy as winter brings abundant moisture

Residents of Cottonwood Heights have been navigating a heavier winter with more snowfall than what they have grown accustomed to over the past five years. Forty-three inches of snow dropped in December alone. Twenty-five inches of winter fluff accumulated within the first two weeks of January.

These weather events have created a busy season for the Public Works Department and their snowplows. They have traveled over 15,000 miles clearing city roads so far this year, with 2,799 miles traveled in November and 12,000 miles traveled in December. Over 825 tons of salt has been dispersed on the city’s roads.

“We do try to record all the data we can during these five to six months out of the year and compare year after year going back to when we started in 2016,” said Public Works Department Director Matt Shipp.

The Public Works Department even measures the snowfall in the Public Works yard themselves, so they know exactly how much snow has fallen within the city.

Cottonwood Heights is divided into eight main snowplowing areas with specific trucks and individual drivers assigned to each. Trucks are divvied based on the geography of those specific areas. Four-byfours tackle the steep hills on the east bench while bigger trucks clear the flat areas in the valley.

Four 10-wheelers are reserved for the main arterial roads. When running in tandem with wings attached, they can quickly clear Fort Union Boulevard, Creek Road, 3000 East, 2700 East, 2300 East and Highland Drive.

Each individual driver maintains a relationship with their snowplowing vehicle as they routinely clear their assigned area for each snow event.

“We do that so the driver gets to know the area,” Shipp said. “There are certain places where you can’t push snow.”

During a significant winter event, however, drivers will shift to prioritize keeping the main, still, and through streets clear. If there is an emergency situation within the city, the 911 dispatch will notify the snowplow drivers and they will clear the roads ahead of the emergency vehicles.

“If we are getting up to an inch of snow per hour, by the time we get from one end of Fort Union (Boulevard) to the other, we could have close to half an inch of snow on the areas we just plowed,” Shipp explained.

Cul-de-sacs are usually some of the last pieces of city road to be cleared. Shipp explained that turning into a cul-de-sac, even to run through it briefly, takes about 15 minutes. That would prevent the main roads from being open and cleared.

“The crews have done a phenomenal job in our community,” said Councilmem-

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

The Public Works Department will transition into shift work during a winter storm spanning more than 24 hours. During those shifts, at least six drivers will be in their snowplows clearing roads at any given time.

“They will run anywhere from 12- to 16-hour shifts where they have to cover their area, plus another area, plus I have to let them sleep. They’re not machines,” Shipp said.

Five new drivers were hired for this winter season. They are continuing to learn the best strategies for their assigned areas. Public Works Assistant Director Danny Martinez has been out plowing the roads too, as he has been filling in for a driver who is recovering from a broken foot as a result of having a snowplow dropped on it.

“We probably hit four mailboxes on this last storm and blocked in a few driveways,” Shipp said. “We do try to learn and fix our mistakes.”

“It’s hard to not push snow in front of the driveway. I know you get calls 24/7. There are a lot of people that expect the impossible. You do a very commendable job,” said Councilmember Doug Petersen.

The Public Works Department’s policy is to have every street within Cottonwood Heights opened within 24 hours after the end of a winter storm.

“It may not be pretty but there will be access. Four passes is generally what it takes to get snow back to the curb. (The drivers) will continue to go out and push snow afterwards,” Shipp said.

The Public Works Department continues to emphasize that the snow has to go somewhere. They don’t remove the snow—

they push it.

“I want to publicly acknowledge my staff and the work they do. They have put in a tremendous amount of time and effort. They have given up holidays. I get to go

home and go to bed at nights now because of them,” Shipp said. “Thank you to our staff for the heavy lifting that’s occurred.”

ber Shawn Newell.

The Cottonwood Heights Public Works team prioritize main streets to maintain safe travel for the largest volume of traffic. (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)

Residents can report cars that are parked on the street causing a hazard or restricting plowing operations by calling the nonemergency dispatch line. (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)

Branches were down after many wet and heavy storms this winter season. (Photo courtesy of Tyler Grant)

COTTONWOODNEWLOCATIONINHEIGHTS

ing,” Shipp said.

Bracken voiced his support. “RRFBs (Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon) work. They are probably one of the best things for letting me know when there is a pedestrian in the road.”

“I’m not comfortable with just lighting,” said Weichers, asking the council to continue considering permanent solutions.

Shipp mentioned one of the main visibility hazards for the school crosswalk. With the new parking lot layout of the high school, a bus turnout was constructed along Bengal Boulevard between the crosswalk and roundabout (2300 East).

“Two busses are often (during school hours) side by side. They will nose out trying to get back into traffic and will block views of students who are standing at the crosswalk. The student will push that button and start walking,” Shipp said.

Cottonwood Heights City staff have discussed this pedestrian hazard with Canyons School District in hopes of finding a better solution for the public school bus stop at Brighton High School.

In addition, Councilmember Doug Petersen would like to find traffic-calming solutions for eastbound traffic (traveling from the Bengal Boulevard and Highland Drive intersection).

“I do worry about traffic coming up that hill with the merge there. Sometimes people get in a little bit of a race to try to get out in front,” Petersen said.

Councilmember Shawn Newell agreed as he notices “people are flying down that road. I do like the idea of more visibility.”

Councilmember Ellen Birrell suggested evaluating the speed limits along Ben-

gal Boulevard, asking what the potential would be to bring the speed limit down to 30 mph traveling eastbound up the hill toward Brighton High School.

“Slower speeds make an accident usually survivable,” Birrell said. “We really need to send the signal to commuters that they need to slow down.”

On Dec. 6, the city council made the decision to move forward with an ordinance to amend city code to help facilitate traffic-calming conversations, with majority consensus.

“If we need to change the ordinance than it needs to be based on something that might not be potentially arbitrary,” was the only concern voiced by Bracken.

Shipp reaffirmed the Public Works Departments plans to analyze traffic-calming throughout the entire city. He also mentioned his own concerns for pedestrian safety around the athletics facilities (2399 Bengal Blvd.) and Richard L. Guthrie Skatepark (2495 Bengal Blvd.).

On Dec. 13, Ordinance 390: Amending Code (Section 11.16.010) Regarding Speed Designations on Certain Roadways was unanimously passed by the Cottonwood Heights City Council.

In the meantime, temporary lights will be installed for the crosswalk on Bengal Boulevard. Mayor Weichers has also requested police presence, when possible, as well to increase visibility.

“I would love a car there, with lights on, to make sure anyone coming up from the east will slow down,” he said.

Cottonwood Heights has asked Brighton High School to remind students to use crosswalks correctly and safely while crossing and to be cautious while driving around crosswalks as well. l

Richard Boyer - Eccles Theater

A.D. Shaw - The Raft

Josh Clare - Fresh Air

Richard Boyer -Rapids

Rob Adamson - Winter Bryce

Scott Brough - Bucket of Sunflowers

Continued from front page

Public Works Director Matt Shipp is concerned about vehicle speeds along the section of Bengal Boulevard near the sports facilities and skate park. (Cassie Goff/City Journals)

Cottonwood Heights resident is new CEO at EDCUtah

Heights resident takes leadership of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. Scott Cuthbertson will serve as CEO for the organization, succeeding Theresa Foxley, who has served as EDCUtah’s CEO since 2017.

“On behalf of EDCUtah’s Board of Trustees, I am thrilled to welcome Scott Cuthbertson to EDCUtah as its next president and CEO,” said Gary Hoogeveen, president of Rocky Mountain Power and chair of EDCUtah’s Board of Trustees. “Scott has had a distinguished career in management consulting, finance, and development.”

Cuthbertson brings a wealth of leadership experience, having been a director and practice lead with PwC and most recently serving as the chief operating officer and deputy executive director of the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority, one of the largest and most compelling economic development projects in the country.

In addition to Cuthbertson’s professional experience, he holds a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and master’s degrees from both Georgetown University and Oxford University.

“I am so excited to join the talented team at EDCUtah and to build upon the organization’s momentum,” said Cuthbertson. “The opportunity to lead such an important and reputable organization, and to help serve Utah, is incredibly compelling. I can’t wait to work with the team, investors, and community to help Utah’s economy soar.”

Foxley announced in December that she would be joining rPlus Energies as its chief of staff and would step down as EDCUtah’s CEO.

“I am enormously grateful for the opportunity to have

led EDCUtah for the last six years, and I am delighted Scott has accepted the Board of Trustees’ offer to serve in this role going forward,” Foxley said. “Having worked with Scott on matters related to The Point, I am supremely confident in Scott’s ability to lead EDCUtah to great new heights. He has the perfect trifecta of experience in consulting, finance, and state development, all of which he will draw upon to be successful.”

EDCUtah is a nonprofit organization and catalyst for job growth in the state. Since 1987, EDCUtah has specialized in corporate recruitment, economic research, site selector marketing, and community development. Working with the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, EDCUtah is supported by state government, local governments, and organizations from the private sector. For more information, visit EDCUtah.org.

“Scott’s background, combined with his keen intellect, grasp of EDCUtah’s potential, and his desire to work in the service of a compelling mission make him the ideal candidate to lead EDCUtah into its next great chapter,” Hoogeveen said. “We also thank our outgoing CEO, Theresa Foxley, for her work in building EDCUtah’s reputation as a smart, collaborative, best-in-class organization that plays a critical role in strengthening Utah’s economy.” l

For: less pain and enhanced mobility.

Scott Cuthbertson takes the helm as EDCUtah’s CEO. Cuthbertson is a Cottonwood Heights resident and serves as the COO and deputy executive director of the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority. (Photo courtesy of EDCUtah)

City staff present top 10 projects for sustainability

As the Cottonwood Heights City Council prepares to enter their annual budget retreat, city staff have been submitting their monetary allocation requests for various city projects. On Jan. 3, Senior Planner Samantha DeSeelhorst and Sustainability Analyst Ian Harris presented their top 10 potential projects and plans related to sustainability within the city.

DeSeelhorst and Harris would like to see the city do more to protect and enhance the tree canopy. They suggested projects such as facilitating a tree planting initiative, creating a tree inventory, and increasing community outreach related to tree maintenance.

“Tree canopies are a really valuable tool in arid and semi-arid climates. They provide shade, mitigate urban heat island effect, and add a lot of placemaking, beauty, and sense of place to our community,” DeSeelhorst said.

Cottonwood Heights could also consider a tree bag sponsorship where bags are placed around the trunks of trees to help target water to ensure trees are receiving the ample support they need.

“Growing up in Southern California, my city actually had a tree canopy program where they would provide a free tree to every resident each year,” said Councilmember Shawn Newell. “It allowed them to control what type of foliage was going into the tree strips. In Utah, I could see us having drought-tolerant trees.”

City staff would like the city council to consider enhancing sustainable landscaping as a priority. Waterwise and pollinator-friendly landscaping could be implemented in public-owned spaces, strips and parks. Education and outreach about different landscaping types could be pushed to city residents. City codes and ordinances could be drafted to encourage sustainable landscapes within residential communities and commercial projects.

“Alternative landscapes can be beautiful and easy to implement. Green lawns are great as active spaces, but they are inefficient and really not pollinator friendly,” DeSeelhorst said.

Many Utah legislators and city leaders have voiced concern over water conservation. Cottonwood Heights City staff believe they can do more to enhance progress on such initiatives by promoting responsible water use with city partners. Retrofitting city grounds with waterwise options to lead by example was also suggested.

“We are continuing to see precipitation declining and temperatures rising in Utah. Water conservation is a crucial response to that,” DeSeelhorst said.

Cottonwood Heights may sponsor the rain barrel program again this year. Residents can sign up to receive a rain barrel where they can collect rain from the spring storms to use in their gardens.

The fourth potential project suggested was to support electric vehicle (EV) adoption throughout the city. The council could consider exploring options for requiring EV chargers based on square footage for new developments. Development incentives could also be promoted as there are many opportunities for EV grants within the private sector.

“We continue to see auto markets diversifying beyond internal combustion engines so the city can help plan for the future by streamlining EV infrastructure and adoption,” DeSeelhorst said.

Active transportation continues to be strongly encouraged as it is a multifaceted tool to help establish sense of place within a community. It was suggested that walkability could be supplemented by codifying minimum pe-

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

destrian crossing intervals on city streets. Additional bike parking could be constructed within city-owned spaces as well.

“There is a clear desire from residents for more transportation options with active transportation playing a role with our outdoor-oriented community,” DeSeelhorst said.

The sixth potential project suggested was to boost sustainability outreach for residents. The city could host events to showcase various sustainability programs, provide detailed information on how to dispose of difficult to recycle materials, and create and distribute videos covering how to incorporate sustainability within everyday life.

“Folks within the city are supportive of sustainability but are unsure of how to get involved,” DeSeelhorst said.

Harris and DeSeelhorst suggested implementing sustainable food initiatives during 2023. They offered hosting a nonperishable food drive at city hall, sponsoring community gardens, exploring food pantry offerings, and hosting webinars on composting and food waste.

“We have a lot of food waste worldwide and a lot of food insecurity for people struggling to find food in their community at the same time,” DeSeelhorst said.

Cottonwood Heights plans to continue their efforts to reduce fuel waste from vehicles. Requiring anti-idling signage in new developments and implementing decal recognition for businesses already working to reduce idling is of consideration.

Lastly, city staff suggested strengthening sustainable waste management as a potential project for this upcoming budget year. Removing single-use plastics when possible is essential for this goal. The city could also sponsor a highway cleaning initiative to help tackle some of the litter along the busier streets.

“Sustainability efforts made at the local level can have a big impact and we are grateful to collaborate with the city council on this work,” DeSeelhorst said. Community and Economic Development staff will

continue to work on the sustainability projects from last year. They are most excited to continue partnering with the Parks, Trails, and Open Space Committee to create a donation program to fund amenities within city parks and add additional plants to the Pollinator Garden within Mountview Park. l

The Old Mill bike path encourages active transportation within the city. (Photo of Cottonwood Heights Bicycle and Trails Master Plan)

Example of a natural trail beginning within Cottonwood Heights. (Photo of Cottonwood Heights Bicycle and Trails Master Plan)

Filmgoers enjoy documentaries, a golden eagle visit and free popcorn at Cottonwood Heights film festival

Cottonwood Heights sponsored a free film festival in January that featured two documentary films that were from previous Sundance Film Festivals.

Christine Mikell, who was a past city councilmember, came up with the idea of a film festival eight years ago. “I have been blessed to be able to see these films at Sundance, so when I became a councilmember we scheduled the film festival but then Covid hit and it was postponed,” Mikell said.

The pandemic shutdown caused the festival to be rescheduled three times. Finally, in January, it happened with the showing of two documentaries: “The Eagle Huntress” followed by “Waste Land.”

The show was held in the auditorium of the Butlerville Middle School and started with a presentation from HawkWatch International. Debbie Peterson from HawkWatch International brought her golden eagle, Chrysaetos, also known as Chrys, and told the crowd interesting facts about golden eagles.

Peterson and Chrys first took the stage with Chrys wearing a hood. Peterson removed his hood and Chrys stayed perched on her arm. Peterson said, “This eagle is about 22 years old and could live to over 50 years in captivity.” Peterson said that males are much smaller than females.

Chrys came to HawkWatch International with an injured wing. His injury was too extreme and his wing never healed correctly so Chrys could not be released into the wild. He will live the rest of his life in captivity.

Chrys made small squeaking noises during the presentation. “The sound Chrys was making was just him vocalizing and that meant the eagle was happy and comfortable in this setting,” Peterson said.

Peterson added, “Golden eagles have very dog-like personalities and bald eagles have cat-like personalities because bald eagles are very difficult to train and golden eagles are more willing to be trained.”

Peterson explained that in the documentary, “The Eagle Huntress,” the hunting eagles were all females and much larger than the male eagle like Chrys.

“The Eagle Huntress” was shown after HawkWatch International finished their presentation. This documentary was at Sundance in 2016 and follows the story of a Mongolian girl that wants to continue in her family's tradition of becoming an eagle hunter. The only problem is that she is the first female in the sport and faces fierce objections from the male dominated eagle hunting community in Mongolia.

The second documentary “Waste Land” was featured at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and follows Brazilian artist Vik Muniz through an emotional journey in the world’s largest landfill located outside of Rio de Janeiro. Muniz photographed people over three years that inhabited this “trash city” and how they created art out of the trash.

The Frantz family from Cottonwood Heights attended the film festival. They had a special interest in the festival and the power of documentaries.

Elementary school student Kaysie Frantz was determined to share her excitement with the community. “I went to the city council of Cottonwood Heights, I wanted them to do a film festival. It would be a good thing for

By Jolene Croasmun | j.croasmun@mycityjournals.com

kids to go and watch educational stuff,” she said.

Kaysie’s mother Shannon Frantz said that Kaysie recently watched a documentary “Eye of the Pangolin” that taught her about pangolins and it was impactful for her daughter. “Kaysie was making the case to the city council that documentaries are profoundly important to the community to learn about things,” her mom said.

Kaysie enjoyed the “Eagle Huntress” and said, “Yes, I liked that the girl would not quit even after they tried to stop her from becoming an eagle hunter.” For the next film festival, she’d like to see them show “Eye of the Pangolin.”

Kaysie’s older brother Miles was also there to enjoy the film festival. “I’m excited about the documentary ‘Waste Land,’” Miles said.

Tables were set up in the lobby with information and snacks for those in attendance.

Leanne Hodges with the Salt Lake County ZAP and Salt Lake County Arts and Culture was at a table to help administer the Arts and Economic prosperity survey. “This survey collects data on arts and cultural events and the economic impact they have on the communities so that there can be more funding for future events,” Hodges said.

The festival was free and it included free popcorn, candy and bottled water during intermission. l

Miles, Kaysie and Shannon Frantz excited to watch two documentaries at the Cottonwood Heights film festival. (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

Debbie Peterson from HawkWatch International and her golden eagle, Chrysaetos “Chrys” educating the filmgoers about eagles before the documentary, “The Eagle Huntress.” (Jolene Croasmun/ City Journals)

Leanne Hodges working the Salt Lake County ZAP and Arts and Culture table in the lobby collecting data on a survey to help with future funding of community events. (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

The Arts Council presents ‘Guys and Dolls’ as the 2023 summer musical

By Jolene Croasmun | j.croasmun@mycityjournals.com

TheCottonwood Heights Arts Council has announced that the 2023 summer musical will be “Guys and Dolls.” This annual community musical is held at Butler Middle School’s theater, which has over 1,000 seats and state-of-the-art lighting and sound. Performances run from July 7-15.

“Guys and Dolls" was first performed in 1950. The musical was adapted from short stories by Damon Runyo written in the 1920s and 1930s that were about the seedy New York City underground of gangsters and gambling.

The music and lyrics are by Frank Loesser. Some of his memorable tunes include “Adelaide’s Lament,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” “Luck Be a Lady” and “A Bushel and a Peck.”

The play is set in Manhattan in the 1950s and centers around two love stories. The high-rolling gambler, Sky Masterson, has fallen in love with straight-laced Salvation Army mission worker Sarah Brown and his buddy, Nathan Detroit, who has been engaged to Miss Adelaide for 14 years.

Other comical characters include an ensemble of gamblers like Nicely-Nicely Johnson and Harry the Horse.

In 1955, a film adaptation came out starring Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons and Vivian Blaine.

The yearly musical in Cottonwood Height began in 2010 with “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and was followed by “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Cinderella" and "The Music Man" to name a few. The only year that did not have a musical was 2020 due to the pandemic.

Auditions and callbacks will be held in March and rehearsals will start in April and be conducted at Cottonwood Heights City Hall.

There are many ways for community members to be involved with the production beyond singing and acting. Some of the open positions include assistant music director, rehearsal pianist, backstage manager and costume designer. To see all open positions and find out how to apply visit www.cottonwoodheights.utah.gov/community/arts/community-musical. l

The Cottonwood Heights’ summer musical for 2023 is “Guys and Dolls.” (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

• ONLY $170 for City Journal readers with “feelgood” code

• Relaxed Atmosphere & friendly staff

• Lots of locations - St. George to Logan

• Thousands of happy patients

• Dozens of Friendly QMP Specialists

We are a team of professionals dedicated to helping patients in Utah get safe legal access to Medical Marijuana. Our team is here to guide you through every step of the process of getting your Medical Marijuana Card so you can feel safe using your preferred medications.

Our QMPs understand cannabis and Utah’s laws surrounding it. At Empathetix we are advocates for cannabis, for you, your safety and for your well being. You don’t know until you try. Start feeling good again!!

Local runner helps team to junior national championship

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

Cottonwood Heights’ Tyana Lake (on far right) helped her 13-14-year-old girls team to a national championship at the USATF Junior Olympics National Championships in College Station, Texas, Dec. 10. She placed 48th and finished in the fourth position on the seven-member Wolfpack Running Club Utah squad. Tyana’s sister, Mia, along with

Genevieve Turcotte, also of Cottonwood Heights, helped her 9-10-year-old team to a seventh-place finish—just 20 points out of first—among 21 teams. Mia crossed the finish line in 79th place out of 283 runners while Genevieve came in 137th for the fifth and sixth spots among the Wolfpack lineup. (Photo courtesy Teren Jameson) l

We are located in the heart of Murray and are excited to improve the lives of our residents and their families by offering Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care.

Brighton celebrates four student-athlete Academic All-State honorees

The Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) estimates that 85,000 Utah students are active in high school sports or arts. According to Brighton Principal Tom Sherwood "participation in UHSAA activities is over 60% of the student body population at Brighton."

Brighton has 1,350 students take advantage of these education-enhancing opportuni-

By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com

ties. For the last 35 years, UHSAA honors the top student-athletes who not only compete at a varsity level, but maintain the highest grades. Typically, only 10 student-athletes from each sport across the state are designated Academic All-State honorees.

Over the decades, Brighton has produced more than its fair share of Academic All-State winners. This reflects Brighton's commitment

855-224-0570

to academic rigor and well as athletic excellence. The fall 2022 sports season produced four more student-athlete scholars: Blair Waldbillig from the girls’ cross country team; Chloe Harmer from the girls’ volleyball team; Ellie Whitmore from the girls’ volleyball team; and Jonathan Hyde from the football team.

James Hodges, AP teacher and Sterling Scholar advisor, lauds Academic All-State

honorees "excelling at sports and in the classroom speaks to the student-athlete's dedication."

"These athletes represent the team so well on and off the field at Brighton,” added Brighton head football coach Casey Sutera. “They are great teammates and good examples to all the players in the program." l

Now you c a n fi na l ly have a l l of t he soot h ing benefit s of a rela x ing wa rmbat h, or enjoy a c onvenient ref re sh ing shower wh i le se ated or st a nd ing w it h Sa fe Step Wa l k-In Tub ’ s FR E E S howe r Pa c k a ge !

First wa l k-i n t ub ava i lable w it h a c u stom i z able shower

Fi xed ra i n fa l l shower he ad is adju st able for you r heig ht a nd pivot s to o er a seated shower position

Hig h- qu a l it y t ub c omplete w it h a c omprehen sive l i fet i me warranty on the entire tub

Top - of-t he-l i ne i n st a l lat ion a nd ser v ic e, a l l i ncluded at on

Now you ca n ha ve t he be st of bot h wor l d s – t he re i s n’t a bet te r, more a ord a bl e wa l k - in t u b !

Blair Waldbillig. (Photo Brighton High) Chloe Harmer. (Photo Brighton High)

Ellie Whitmore. (Photo Brighton High) Jonathan Hyde. (Photo Brighton High)

o mf o r t

6 5 W n d o w s ® at re gular p r ic e an d g e t 2 ad d t io na w n d o w s of e qual o r e s s er v a u e f re e w it h p ar t ic p at o n in t h e Ye s P ro gr am O er ap p l e s t o a l w n d o w s t y e s in w hit e e xc ept d o ub e hun g s t y e, s t an dard in s t allat o n in c lu d e d W n d o w di s c o unt w t ho u t p ar t ic p at o n n Ye s P ro gr am e qua s 4 0 % o M n mum p urc ha s e of 4 w n d o w s re quire d A l d s c o unt s ap p l y t o t h e M S RP c o s t N o a d u s t m ent s c an b e ma d e o n p r o r s al e s Y E S! P ro gr am v a id o nl y at t h e t m e of y o ur init a d em o n s t r at io n an d o n c e p er re s d en c e p er t er m O er s ubje c t t o c han g e * * S ubje c t t o c re dit app ro v a F i xe d int ere s t r at e of 7 9 9 % -19 9 9 % b a s e d o n c re d t wo r t hin e s s f o r 12 0 m o nth s P ay m ent e x amp e a s s um e s o n e t im e $10 00 0 p urc ha s e o n app ro v al

w it h

0 p ay m ent s of $121 27-$193 18 †T h e C hamp o n L im t e d L if e t im e War r ant y ap p l e s t o C o mf o r t 3 6 5

City considers funding fire services through property taxes

TheCottonwood Heights City Council is considering altering how they fund their fire services. Currently, Cottonwood Heights pulls their annual member fees for Unified Fire Authority (UFA) from the general fund. However, they do have the option to create a taxing district to fund fire services directly from tax collection.

UFA provides fire response and services for 16 different municipalities throughout the valley, including Cottonwood Heights. They are primarily funded through member fees which each municipality pays annually.

Cottonwood Heights has historically paid those member fees through their general fund budget. UFA has been listed as a single line item, ranging from $3.95 million to $4.3 million during the past four year. This requires Cottonwood Heights to account for any increases to the UFA member fees within their city budget.

“Our responsibility for our member fee, to belong to UFA, comes from the general fund. We have to account for increases in general fund dollars,” said Cottonwood Heights Mayor Mike Weichers.

UFA typically increases their member fees to cover personnel costs related to cost of living and merit. Their current projections show member fees are anticipated to increase by half a million dollars.

Holladay, Riverton, Herriman and Cottonwood Heights have been the only four UFA members to pay their annual fees directly from their budgets. In contrast, 10 of the UFA members pay their annual member fees through Unified Fire Service Authority (UFSA), a special service area funded by a taxing district. This allows their fire service

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

member fees to be paid directly from residential taxes.

“Cities that are a part of UFSA belong to a taxing district that can increase taxes to pay for fire services,” Weichers said. “If there is an increase to the member fee, they do not have to account for increases to their member fee within their general fund. Their fire district fees increase accordingly to account for member fee.”

Riverton and Herriman have recently switched their funding to be through a special service area taxing district. Cottonwood Heights and Holladay are considering if creating a taxing district would be beneficial for them as well.

“We are on different tax trajectories. Their growth is going add more taxable income to them to be able to accommodate for the increases to the cost. We don’t have that luxury,” said Councilmember Shawn Newell.

In addition, municipalities that go through UFSA to fund their fire services have to go through the Truth in Taxation process every time UFA increases their member fees.

There would be additional costs related to the Truth in Taxation. Cottonwood Heights would need to pay for noticing and education materials for residents. In addition, separate audits for the city budget and taxing district would be necessary.

“I am concerned about our staff taking on more hours to manage (the special service area taxing district) and the outward costs of noticing and auditing annually,” said Councilmember Ellen Birrell.

A handful of advantages for switching

to a taxing district were noted by the council including putting less stress on the city’s general fund and more transparency for the public.

“It would be a complete fund separation,” added City Manager Tim Tingey.

If the council chooses to fund fire services through a taxing district, they will need to go through a very specific process outlined by the State of Utah. They will have to pass a resolution with the intent of creating

a taxing district. Then, notice will need to be sent out to all property owners within the affected area with an appropriate timeline for any residents to voice their protests or concerns. The council would then have to adopt a resolution to create the special service area taxing district. That paperwork would need to be processed by city staff and sent to the governor’s office.

The council will continue their deliberation during their annual budget retreat. l

Heavy Rescue Team 110 from Cottonwood Heights responding to a Holladay City fire. (Photo courtesy of Unified Fire Authority)

Residents within special taxing districts fund fire services directly through their property taxes. (Photo courtesy of Unified Fire Authority)

Brighton alumnus Lander Barton named PAC-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year

Lander Barton gave Brighton Football

four highlight-filled years at Freestone Field. On both sides of the ball he set school records. Taking his talents to the PAC-12 at the University of Utah, he continues the highlight reel at Rice-Eccles Stadium. In December 2022, Barton not only played a key role against No. 4 USC to win the PAC12 championship, he was named PAC-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.

Graduating Brighton in 2022, he was already up at the U of U for spring ball during Brighton's third trimester. “When you consider that he should still be in high school right now, it's pretty amazing what he's doing, but it's no surprise. He has all the tools,” said Ute coach Kyle Whittingham after the first look at spring camp. He was a four-star recruit rated the No. 2 recruit in the state of Utah and the No. 17 linebacker nationally.

He is the son of Mikki and Paul Barton, who were both two-sport athletes at Utah. Paul played football and baseball at Utah. Mikki is a member of the Utah Crimson Club Hall of Fame and was a two-time All-American in basketball. His two brothers, Cody and Jackson (also named after towns in Wyoming), played for Brighton and Utah. Cody was an all-Pac-12 lineback-

By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com

er at Utah from 2015-19 and is currently playing for the Seattle Seahawks after being drafted in 2019. Jackson earned all-Pac-12 as an offensive lineman at Utah from 201418 and is playing for the Las Vegas Raiders. Lander’s sister, Dani, was a two-sport athlete in volleyball and basketball leading Brighton to its latest girls basketball state championship. Dani also played volleyball for the U of U and is the all-time leader in career kills, sets played, matches played and attempts for Utah Volleyball as a four-time All-American from 2017-21.

When he was a student-athlete, Lander took Brighton by storm. A few of his highlights:

• High School All-American, invited to the All-American Bowl as a senior.

• Two-time all-state first team selection.

• Two-time all-region first-team, also earning Region 6 MVP in 2020.

• Named MaxPreps Player of the Game 13 times at Brighton.

• Recorded 122 total tackles (8.0 sacks) with two interceptions his senior year.

• Had 139 tackles (12.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks) as a junior.

• Racked up 104 total tackles as a sophomore (11.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks).

• Recorded six interceptions at Brigh-

ton, three returned for touchdowns.

• Played wide receiver as well, recording 909 yards on 81 catches, scoring 16 receiving touchdowns in high school.

• Also played basketball, averaging 19.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game as a junior to earn second-team all-state.

Contrast that body of work over four years at Brighton to his freshman year at the University of Utah:

• Appeared in all 14 Ute games with three starts.

• College Football News Freshman All-America Second Team.

• PAC-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.

• Led freshmen on the team in tackles (46), TFL (8.0) and sacks (4.5).

• Also forced a fumble, made one recovery, broke up a pass and logged three QB hurries.

• Eight games with four or more tackles, including a career-best six in the PAC12 Championship versus No. 4 USC.

• Contributed a career-best 3.0 TFL and a sack during the Rose Bowl Game versus No. 11 Penn State.

• Made a 10-yard sack at Colorado, highlighting a four-tackle outing.

GEETA NAGPAL, MD Granger Pain & Spine

Whittingham said, "When we recruited him, we felt like we knew exactly what we were getting. He's 6-4 and 230 pounds and runs really well." l

Dr. Geeta Nagpal joins Granger Medical after relocating with her family from Chicago, IL. She is a boardcertified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist. She started her higher education at MIT and went to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco. She then studied anesthesiology and pain medicine at two Harvard hospitals, Brigham, and Women’s as well as MGH. After jumping from coast to coast during her education she landed in the Midwest where she started her career. She was at Northwestern University for nearly 11 years where she practiced interventional pain medicine and was an Associate Professor of anesthesiology and medical education.

• Lumbar epidural steroid injections

• Cervical, thoracic, lumbar facet blocks

• Cervical, thoracic, lumbar radiofrequency ablations

• Greater occipital nerve blocks

• Sacroiliac joint injections

• Sympathetic nerve blocks (stellate, lumbar sympathetic, superior hypogastric, ganglion impar)

• Intercostal nerve blocks for post-thoracotomy pain, post-herpetic neuralgia, CA-related pain

• Small and large joint injections

• Bursa injections

• Spinal cord stimulator trials

• Genicular nerve blocks and ablation for knee pain

Her interest in the field of pain medicine began with a genuine desire to maintain continuity with her patients and a passion for improving her patient’s function. Dr. Nagpal sees pain medicine as a rapidly evolving field with multiple opportunities to impact and improve a patient’s quality of life. 801.569.5520

SERVICES OFFERED: GRANGERMEDICAL.COM

• Vertebral augmentation (kyphoplasty)

Lander Barton at Brighton High. (Photo Brighton High)

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.

“What my wife especially loves is it gives her back feelings of safety and independence which has given a real boost to her confidence and happiness! Thank You!”

–Kent C., California

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.

Why take our word for it? Call now, and find out how you can get a Zinger of your very own.

Call now and receive a utility basket absolutely FREE with your order.

The Zinger folds

future

Available in Green, Black and Blue (shown)

What’s your legacy?

Serving Local Families Since

1885

COMPASSIONATE FUNERAL PLANNERS

During one of life’s most difficult moments, you deserve the utmost respect, kindness, care, and guidance. Six generations of Larkins have been devoted to serving Utah families in their time of need, and that unique experience enables us to guide you in preparing services for your loved one with consideration and respect. www.

Larkin

Utah Must be Nimble to Adapt to an Evolving Landscape

Irecently toured Lone Peak Hospital in southern Salt Lake County. This facility, in the heart of one of the fastest growing areas of Utah, must adapt to the constantly changing economic and demographic landscape. Although the hospital opened its doors only 10 years ago, it just completed a major expansion, including nearly doubling its bed count and expanding its women’s services, surgical services, and interventional radiology services. It is also expanding into other communities, including Herriman, Riverton, and South Jordan.

To survive and thrive in our changing environment, all businesses must remain nimble and responsive to the needs of a growing population.

Our state continues to grow. Utah’s population topped 3.4 million last year, and grew by more than 61,000 people, according to the recently released 2023 Economic Report to the Governor. This is like adding a new city the size of Herriman every year. And Utah remains one of the fastest growing states in the nation.

Our birth rate is slowing. One of the traditional unique characteristics of Utah’s population growth is that because of our high fertility rate, most of the population growth has come from “natural increase” — the number of births minus deaths in the year. However, in recent years Utah’s fertility rate dropped and is now lower than South Dakota, Nebraska,

By Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Senior Economist

and North Dakota. But Utah recently saw a resurgence in births. For the first time since 2008, Utah births increased, topping 46,000 in 2022.

Migration is driving our growth. On the other hand, Utah has seen a migration surge in recent years. The Utah Population Committee estimates that net migration (in-migration minus out-migration) brought more than 38,000 new residents to our state in 2022. This represents 62% of the total population growth in Utah and it is the highest number of people moving into the Beehive State in a single year.

Growth is a struggle and a blessing. There is no doubt that our state has struggled under the weight of high population growth and high migration. Population growth puts greater strains on roads, schools, housing, public utilities, natural resources, and social services. It is vital for civic leaders across the state to appropriately plan for population growth and build the infrastructure necessary to support these new residents. And we must all adjust to higher demand for our limited resources as the population grows.

However, while population growth produces challenges, it is much better than the alternative. Many states in our country are currently experiencing the struggles of population loss. In these states, governments struggle to fix roads, bridges, and infrastructure; businesses struggle with decreasing demand as customers move away; and housing price growth slows or drops as people leave. On the other side of the world, China just announced that for the first time since 1961 the country’s population shrank. A shrinking population will cause the supply of workers to shrink, which may cause productivity and overall economic growth to languish.

Supporting the needs of China’s aging population will place a greater strain on workers and taxpayers as the dependency ratio increases.

Utah is blessed to have unmatched natural beauty, a high quality of life, and a strong and vibrant economy. Businesses are attracted to our state because of our strong and growing workforce, which is driven by strong population growth. And nimble companies and communities will be able to thrive in our growing state. l

Salt Lake County invests $5 million in open space

Whenthe Salt Lake County Council certified its 2023 budget, it included an unprecedented $5 million investment in open space funding. The funds will be set aside to create additional trail systems, park space and improvements in the canyons.

It’s a larger amount than is historically allocated for open space because there were lots of one-time dollars available from the American Rescue Plan Act that must be used before 2024. While no specific open space projects are targeted with this funding, the council will have the funds they need to purchase properties, green-light proposals or approve expenses as projects come forward.

“As property continues to appreciate and our county eventually expands out with people coming and moving here and bringing development, we want to make sure we are ahead of the game in keeping open space for our residents,” said Salt Lake County Councilmember Aimee Newton. “We know it’s a priority for our residents to have plenty of open space to recreate outside and spend time with their families.”

An additional $85 million in ARPA funds will be used for deferred maintenance, the largest investment in deferred capital maintenance in the history of the county. Some of these projects have been put off for more than a decade

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

and the upgrades will improve the efficiency and sustainability of county facilities.

“This year was an interesting budget because while our ongoing funds were tight with inflation and salary increases, we had a ton of one-time dollars,” Newton said. “We had a bunch of ARPA funds we had to use, and we put a lot of funds toward deferred maintenance which we know will save taxpayer dollars down the road.”

By approving the budget, the council agreed to a tax increase for the Salt Lake County Library service area. The increase will be approximately $30 per household annually, for the average home valued at $560,000. The funding will help modernize the county’s library system and address inflationary pressures. County residents have not seen an increase to the County Library tax in 10 years.

Other initiatives in the budget include funding for active transportation projects including safer sidewalks and bike lanes, waterwise upgrades to the irrigation infrastructure in county parks and facilities, and a matched grant to Centro Cívico Mexicano to support planning for a new center that will replace the aging facility.

An additional $2 million investment in the Other Side Academy Tiny Home Village will help provide solutions for the unsheltered

in the county and a $2 million grant given to the Utah AIDS Foundation will support the capital costs of the foundation’s new community health center.

For more information about the Salt Lake County budget, visit SLCO.org.

“The 2023 comprehensive budget provides historic support to health, quality of life

initiatives, homeless system assistance and environmental sustainability investments,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson. “Additionally, all of the county’s priority deferred maintenance was funded including much needed improvements at parks, recreation centers and buildings throughout the county system.” l

The Salt Lake County Council’s 2023 budget invests a record $5 million to create and improve open space projects in the county. (File photo City Journals)

If you’d told me 20 years ago that I’d be a yoga instructor, I’d have laughed hard enough to tear a hamstring because I was very inflexible.

I took my first yoga class as a dare. My tennis instructor laughed at how tight I was and challenged me to try yoga. I hated every minute of that stupid class. I hated the words and I hated the poses and I hated the teacher and I loathed downward facing dog with a fiery passion.

But I realized my tennis instructor was right. My muscles were as tight as two-byfours, but less bendy. So I kept going back to yoga. Hated it every single time.

After about two months of practicing yoga, I noticed, little by little, my flexibility was improving. I could almost touch my toes without the usual amount of grunting and tears. My hips didn’t scream out loud while doing pigeon pose. My shoulders dropped away from my ears, where I’d held them at strict attention for decades. Even my back stopped hurting each time I rolled out of bed.

I grudgingly had to admit yoga wasn’t the hippy-dippy dumpster fire I thought it was. But learning the poses was just the beginning. As I explored yoga’s history, philosophy and favorite recipes, I came to realize yoga was a lifestyle that encouraged, nay demanded, self-love and com-

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

passion.

Yikes. As a lifelong subscriber to self-loathing, I wasn’t sure how to handle that type of ideology. Just like when I started the physical practice, I took lots of tiny, baby steps toward accepting myself as a worthy human.

Fast forward 20 years and not only do I teach yoga but I LOVE yoga with a fiery passion. Yoga has changed me in so many ways. I used to be sarcastic, cynical and snarky but after studying yoga for so many years, I’m a sarcastic, cynical and snarky yoga instructor.

See. People change.

I’m also much less judgmental. I’m not so hard on myself and I give most people the benefit of the doubt. Most people. Maybe someone can propose a bill that would require our legislators to take a yoga class each morning before discussing the divisive and harmful bills proposed

this year. OK, when it comes to our lawmakers, I’m still pretty judgmental.

Being a yoga instructor is super silly. As an instructor, I get to say things in class that don’t make a whole lot of sense, and my students listen to me!

I’ll say, “Breathe in through your collarbones, breathe out through your kneecaps. Inhale to fill up your armpits, exhale to release tension in the ear lobes.”

Or I’ll instruct students to “Melt into the mat, send energy out of your fingertips, ground through your sitz bones, wring out your body and lengthen the crown of your head.” And I’m totally serious. (Laugh emoji)

My yoga practice has evolved from trying to do the most difficult poses and making my students sweat and swear, to focusing on deep stretches and stress-reducing breathing exercises.

It isn’t about who can be the bendy-est or the one who can hold crow pose for five minutes. It’s about appreciating what my body can do today. Not what I think it should do or what I want it to do tomorrow, but what it can accomplish right now.

I appreciate all the yoga teachers who took this rigid block of a body and mind and transformed it into a pliable, warm and accepting human being. My hamstrings thank you. l