October 2026 | Vol. 6 Iss. 10
FREE
ournal J
See Inside...
T H E
C I T Y
Davis County
Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R
Benard Mansion
Developer wants to build around historic home Page 6
Gravedigger banished to Fremont Island
Jean Baptiste robbed almost 300 graves Page 19
Nurse helped deliver baby who becomes her son’s future wife 22 years later By Becky Ginos | becky.g@thecityjournals.com A former patient at Lakeview Hospital shares her story about a nurse at Lakeview who helped deliver her baby then years later the nurse’s son and her daughter meet and marry.
B
OUNTIFUL—When Lakeview Hospital opened 50 years ago, Sept. 18, 1976, gas was about 63 cents a gallon and a new home was around $44,000. Times have changed and so has the hospital. Doctors, nurses and county officials came together last Friday to cut the ribbon to celebrate the milestone. “Some things don’t change,” said Lakeview CEO Troy Wood. “The number one song that very day 50 years ago was ‘Play That Funky Music White Boy’ by Wild Cherry and you still hear that at every wedding.” In 1976, there were about 45 physicians who came together and they had a vision for Lakeview Hospital, he said. “It was nestled up into the hills, which is a special place. At the time, there wasn’t a hospital close to home.
You had to go all the way to Salt Lake. Even Davis Hospital had not been created yet. So it was a miraculous, I think, vision of what would come.” They wouldn’t have imagined that imaging had changed as much as it did, said Wood. “Can you imagine doing everything with an X-ray not an MRI or CT scan? They lived in that world. They lived in a world where they still counted medications one by one.” Robotic surgery was not happening, he said. “When we think about what will happen in 25 years to 100 years, I think we would probably not recognize a lot of healthcare. We’re here for the care and improvement of your life. That will not change in 25, 50, 75 or 100 years.” Former patient, Stacy Poll, had an amazing experience when she gave birth over 20 years ago at the hospital that came full circle years later. “I live in Roy and I’m packing up my 3-year-old son and my 19-month-old
A display at Lakeview Hospital’s 50th anniversary shows the nurse holding the baby girl she
Continued page 6 delivered 22 years ago who would later become her son’s wife. (Becky Ginos/Davis Journal)
®
A thoughtfully designed home is where it starts. But the best communities are shaped by everything around it. Explore Cole West’s collection of townhome and single-family communities throughout Davis County and discover more ways to find your place.
ColeWest.com | 385.252.4663
you’re invited
theCAROLINE New Model Home Grand Opening Page 2 | October 2026
Saturday, October 24 | 12 – 2 PM Roy, Utah Come explore the new model home and get to know theCAROLINE. T he City Journal
patient’s
Davisjournal .com
October 2026 | Page 3
COMMON GROUND
A Vote of Confidence
Common Ground will be a column of rotating viewpoints that highlight specific feelings across the political spectrum, and it will always end with possible ways to come together. For two years, I’ve worried that the president will interfere with, postpone or even cancel the midterm elections, although that’s never happened in the history of our country. But before we go all Y2K on this election and panic-buy underground bunkers, let’s talk about how Utah is handling this situation. Contrary to what cable news would have you believe, the president does not oversee America’s elections. State officials handle that, and Utah has done a phenomenal job. Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson serves as the state’s chief election officer, earning a badge of courage as she stands against an administration demanding our voting rolls. It’s been refreshing to see someone in Utah’s leadership tell the president “No.” While the president continues to bang the “Stolen Election” drum (which is ironic since his administration was in charge during 2020), he says election integrity is a thing of the past. So what is election integrity?
THE CITY JOURNAL TEAM
The City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS and our Boutiful office. 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. © 2026 Loyal Perch Media, Inc.
Peri Kinder
Common Ground
Has it gone the way of the pterodactyl? Here’s the Election Integrity Checklist. • Eligible voters cast a vote. • Ineligible votes are disregarded. • Ballots are secured. • Votes are accurately counted in a transparent process. This leads to an outcome we have to abide by, even if the results don’t turn out the way we’d like. Election integrity is NOT about making the voting process so cumbersome that it limits how many people can cast a ballot. There are some people who love going to their local polling place, casting a vote and getting their “I Voted” sticker. There are also people who can’t make it to a polling location. Maybe because of work schedules, maybe they’re caring for family members, maybe they’ve lived in an underground bunker since the Y2K scare.
PUBLISHER
Bryan Scott | bryan.s@thecityjournals.com
The point is, Utah’s vote-bymail process has gone swimmingly well. Mail-in voting doesn’t favor any one party; in fact, it gives more people a voice. Isn’t that what we want? I’d rather have an election with massive participation, even if my candidate loses. Isn’t that better than one side that wins because people couldn’t vote? But the federal government is acting like we’re handing out voting ballots willy-nilly, like Oprah giving away pajama sets at Costco. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act would require voters to show proof of citizenship when voting, which you can’t do with a mail-in ballot. A federal judge blocked the president’s executive order that created a plan to regulate mail-in ballots. Now the administration, the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Supreme Court are in a race against time to change the mail-in ballot system. What could possibly go wrong? All of the president’s policies have gone off without a hitch. Right? Republican leaders make it
CLIENT SERVICES
Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com
EDITOR
Lydia Rice | lydia.r@thecityjournals.com 385-557-1022 To subscribe to the weekly Davis Journal: subscribe.davisjournal.net
ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES
EDITORIAL & AD DESIGN
CIRCULATION COORDINATOR
9500 S Sandy Parkway, Suite 205 Sandy, UT 84070
Marc Davis | marc.d@thecityjournals.com Steve Hession | steve.h@mycityjournals.com Mieka Sawatzki | mieka.s@thecityjournals.com Lindsay Andreasen | lindsay.a@thecityjournals.com Rack locations are also available on our website.
Stacey LaMont Lynne Burns
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. Designed, Published, & Distributed by
THE CITY JOURNAL
PHONE: 801-254-5974
EDUCATING, ENTERTAINING, INFORMING: 35 YEARS SUPPORTING COMMUNITY
Page 4 | October 2026
sound like elections are being bombarded by illegal votes, but a Utah audit found nearly 100% of voters were U.S. citizens. Out of 2,069,640 voter records reviewed, 27 alleged noncitizen voters were found. That’s 0.0013%, for all you math nerds. Common Ground: Elections don’t belong to the president. They don’t belong to Republicans or Democrats. They don’t belong to cable news, TikTok influencers or the guy on Facebook who shares questionable memes. Elections belong to us: We the People. Election integrity boils down to this: protect the right to vote and ensure ballot security. We don’t want ineligible people to vote, but we also don’t want to make the process impossible for eligible voters. The system has worked for 250 years. Throughout this country’s history, no U.S. election has been postponed or cancelled nationwide. But the president’s interference implies you don’t have to cancel an election if you get to choose the voters.
FREE | COMMUNITY | PAPERS
T he City Journal
Sinus Problems? Allergies? Headaches? Asthma? Excessive Dust? High Energy Bills? Bad Odors?
WE CAN HELP!
Cleaner Ducts. Cleaner Air. Reduce dust, improve airflow, and help your heating and cooling system perform at its best.
BACTERIA
DUST MITES
POLLEN
PET DANDER
• VENT CLEANING SPECIAL •
49
$
10 SUPPLY VENTS + 1 RETURN VENT + 1 MAIN LINE
INCLUDES FREE SYSTEM ANALYSIS/INSPECTION Additional vents priced separately. With coupon. Call by 11/15/26.
$ FREE 49 DRYER VENT CLEANING
with complete duct cleaning
Not valid with any other offer. Call by 11/15/26.
The best pricing with superior quality
100% GUARANTEED AIR DUCT CLEANING DRYER VENT CLEANING ASTHMA & ALLERGY TREATMENT
Davisjournal .com
FURNACE SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Not valid with any other offer. Call by 11/15/26.
APEX CLEAN AIR
Heating & Air Conditioning www.apexcleanair.com
801-618-4649 October 2026 | Page 5
Historic Benard Mansion won’t be torn down for proposed subdivision The proposed area for a 10-unit PUD subdivision is at 92 West Center Street in Bountiful. By Becky Ginos becky.g@thecityjournals.com
B
OUNTIFUL—The Bountiful City Planning Commission is considering a proposal for eight new residential townhomes to be built on the property located at 92 West Center Street. The historical home on the property, referred to as the Benard Mansion, will stay. “The home has actually been two residences,” said City Councilmember Richard Higginson who also owns the home. “The main level and the upstairs is the primary residence. It has a basement, I guess you would call it an apartment.” It’s only accessed by a separate entrance and has been used as a separate residence since at least 1960, he said. “The people whose family was involved with the home a long time ago the basement was initially a mortuary.” The way it’s laid out kind of makes sense that there was a room for viewing and then there was a back area with a floor drain, said Higginson. “I don’t know if they actually embalmed people there or what. Anyway, it was a business use of the lower level of the home back when it was first built.” In the entrance the stairs down to it are long and wide and straight right from the front porch area, he said. “It was really set up as being kind of a main entrance that you’d need large enough to be able to get that sort of thing down to the basement.” Higginson said there have been people who have approached him as a council member with sketches as to how they would want to take the house down and put townhomes or apartments there on that block. “We thought the home was definitely worth keeping despite the fact that it had plumbing issues and some other things that needed to be taken
The basement of the Benard Mansion was once a mortuary. The area is now used as an apartment. (Photo by Becky Ginos)
care of in order to make it perfectly livable.” Dave Higginson, Richard’s son, lives in the home and Richard’s son and daughter-inlaw live in the basement apartment. Dave is the applicant requesting approval of a preliminary 10-unit PUD subdivision for the property which includes the Benard Mansion, that is considered a duplex, making eight attached townhome units for a total of 10 residential units within the development, according to the planning commission report. Richard believes the development will benefit downtown Bountiful. “The feel of downtown has been, I think, enhanced by bringing more people downtown with housing options,” he said. “It’s providing a population basis, an activity basis that’s supporting some new and pretty exciting businesses on Main Street.” It gives more options down there, especially options that’ll be for sale to folks so that it’s not just a rental, said Richard. “That
Bountiful’s Best. Utah’s Best. It’s Official. What does it take to win Best of Davis County, Best of State, and Best of SLC? It takes real recipes, real ingredients, and a whole lot of love for Thai food. Come taste what Utah keeps voting for! 353 S Main St, Bountiful, Utah 84010 | eatmakmak.com | (801) 383-2600
Page 6 | October 2026
would be a great addition to downtown while still preserving, of course, the most important things about the property which is the home and the view of the home from the south and from the west and from the northwest. It’s kind of a fixture on 1st West there.” Richard said he’s a minor partner in the project. “I think that’s the beautiful thing about Bountiful’s downtown is that it’s a great mix of historical homes and new residences. Frankly, it’s a great mix of old people, as I’m quickly becoming, and young families, especially with the more affordable options that have come downtown. We’ve brought a lot of great young people to our neighborhood.” At the Sept.1 meeting, City staff recommended the Planning Commission review the proposed Preliminary Plat, hold a public hearing and approve the Preliminary PUD Subdivision Plat subject to Conditions of Approval. To see the proposal and information about the development visit bountifulutah.gov. l
Continued from front page daughter,” said Poll. “I’m in labor and as I go something is troubling my mind. It was ‘how was I going to have a third baby? I have two babies in this car. How am I going to be a working mom?’” Poll said she got to the hospital and there was a nurse. “She helped me throughout that birth. I told her what I was struggling with and she said ‘Stacy, you’ve got this. I had my third baby a year ago and I’m doing it. I’m at work. Everything will be OK, you’ve got this. That’s what I needed to hear.” So when that baby was born and this nurse took her to put her in the bed, Poll said she grabbed her camera and took a picture of her and the baby, said Poll. “I wanted to remember this nurse and the advice that she gave me.” Fast forward 22 years after that, she said. “That baby is sitting on the couch with her fiancé going through her baby book. That picture was right at the front of her baby book. As they were looking through it, they got to that page. My future son-in-law says ‘that looks like my mom.’ Lo and behold if I hadn’t taken that picture we would have never known the connection that was made between our families that night.” But there was another miracle part of the story, she said. “Mary Ann (the nurse) remembers that birth that night. She has helped deliver over 2,000 plus babies since that point.” Poll said when Kelsey was born they found out she had a condition and that condition could be fatal to both mom and baby. “Mary Ann knew this condition but had never seen it before. It was a rare condition. She made a memory note with the miracle that was seen with this baby.” She had that memory and filed it away, said Poll. “So when we told Mary Ann ‘you delivered Kelsey. You touched her before you even handed her to me.’ She said ‘I remember Kelsey’s birth.’” So here were both of Kelsey’s moms, said Poll. “We never knew the connection of what happened those many years ago. Then we were both present with Kelsey when she gave birth to our grandson.” l
Refresh Your Ride P R O F E S S I O N A L C A R D E TA I L I N G S E R V I C E S • Exterior Maintenance Wash • Basic Interior Refresh • Full Service Basic Package (Interior + Exterior) • Standard Interior Detail • Pet Hair Removal • Hand Wax/Sealant • Floor Mat Deep Cleaning
15% OFF
Valid through
YOUR FIRST DETAIL October 31.
385-522-5418 T he City Journal
Bountiful garden center carries on three generations of tradition A third-generation Bountiful garden center owner and his daughter bring new color and character to 200 West with a locally operated nursery, unique pumpkin patch and upcoming Christmas tree farm. By Gail Newbold andersennewbold@gmail.com
C
olors are popping these days on the normally nondescript north end of 200 West in Bountiful. A brilliant dragon mural looms over a parking lot teeming with pumpkins, massive animatronics, hay bales, corn stalks and more. The facelift is thanks to the hard work of Eric Engh and his daughter Tracy, third generation garden center owners currently operating Eric Engh Gardens in the parking lot adjoining Vintage Cove, another colorful addition to the street. Eric Engh is proud of his heritage in the garden center business. “My grandfather was Hank the Petunia King,” he said. The moniker was bestowed on him by an early KSL newscaster when Hank owned 20-acre Engh Gardens on 3900 S. 200 East in Salt Lake City, one of the largest retail plant growers in the west. “My dad Paul was Hank’s oldest son and we lived right behind the property,” remembers Eric. “I grew up walking around with my grandpa all day long. He was like my babysitter and taught me everything I know about plants.” Eventually, Eric’s dad went off on his own and opened Alpine Nursery and Garden on 4500 S. 700 East. Eric worked alongside his dad until his father closed his doors and constructed office buildings on the property. With dirt and flowers running in his blood, Eric then followed in his ancestral footsteps, opening Garden Spot Nursery in front of Cottonwood Mall on 4800 South on Highland Drive. “At that time there were no commercial pumpkin patches in Utah,” said Eric. “I saw some in my travels back east and started the first one here. I sold over 250 tons of pumpkins and lots of hay bales and cornstalks.” After about 20 years of hard labor seven days a week, 14 hours a day running his highly successful
business, he experienced major burnout. “I decided to sell it all and take it easy,” said Eric. “That was the biggest mistake of my life. I regret not sticking it out.” Eric and Tracy moved to Bountiful and began landscaping and planting for high-end homes on Bountiful’s east bench. Meanwhile, there was still an Engh Floral remaining, owned by Eric’s sister Cheryl Engh Card. Cheryl Engh Gardens was located on 500 South in Bountiful before she moved her location to the Smith Milling Building where Eric is currently located. Tragically, Cheryl was hit and killed by a truck in 2016 while crossing the street in front of her garden center. Eric and Tracy sadly liquidated her business. “Years later I was driving by the property,” said Eric, “and there were weeds six feet tall. I thought, ‘I’m going to find out who owns it now. Maybe I should start a little garden center.’” He reached out to owner Kenny Knighton who was planning to level the old building and construct storage units and apartments. He agreed to rent the space to Eric and Tracy instead, as well as to Leslie Archer, owner of Vintage Cove. Knighton’s decision to build up instead of tear down has added character and color to a lackluster street. It also gives Bountiful residents a nearby pumpkin patch to visit with their kids and a locally operated nursery instead of one run by a big-box chain. “Mine’s not the biggest pumpkin path around, but we try to keep it fancy and unique,” said Eric. “We sell over 30 custom grown varieties of pumpkins, plus fall wreaths, bulbs, mums, windsocks and more. The animatronics are fun. They draw a lot of attention.” Eric and Tracy recently added a boutique to their space with creative seasonal decor handmade by Amber Williams. October hours for the garden center and pumpkin patch are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until after Halloween, at which point the pumpkin patch becomes a Christmas tree farm with trees and fresh wreathes. “I enjoy what I’m doing,” said Eric. “I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t, not at my age. It’s hard work.” l
Step Step Up Up Your Your Summer Summer $10 $10 Off Off Premium Premium Clean Clean
“Revive your sneakers. Refresh your style” “Revive your sneakers. Refresh your style”
Coupon valid only for August 2026 Coupon 2026 Coupon valid validonly onlyfor forAugust October 2026
Follow us on Instagram! @cleankixlab Follow us on Instagram! @cleankixlab 290 S Main St, Bountiful UT, 84010 | (866) 234-4474 | shop.cleankixlab.com 290 S Main St, Bountiful UT, 84010 | (866) 234-4474 | shop.cleankixlab.com
Davisjournal .com
Twins Vizion and Vinczent Ernest explore the pumpkin patch at Eric Engh Gardens and pick out a few. (Gail Newbold/Davis Journal)
EARLY DINE
Monday - Thursday 3 PM - 5 PM
FREE CACTUS BLOSSOM With Purchase Of Adult Entrée 365 N. 500 W. - Bountiful Mon - Thu 3:30 - 10:00 p.m. Fri - Sun 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Not valid with any other offers. Expires 12/15/2025.
October 2026 | Page 7
The county court complex in Farmington. Part of the tax will go to fund public safety. (Becky Ginos/Davis Journal)
Commission approves 0.2% County Option Sales and Use Tax increase
The tax cannot be approved and implemented by voters, it has to be by the Board of Commission. By Becky Ginos becky.g@thecityjournals.com
F
seminar dates & Locations: Oct 6th & Oct 7th both at 12 PM
Le Jardin (Sandy) (1910 E. 10600 S.) Oct. 6th at 12 PM Chubby’s Cafe Riverton (1276 W. 12600 S. Riverton, UT 84065)
Oct. 14th at 12 PM OR 6 PM Larkin Mortuary (2350 E. 1300 S. SLC, UT 84108) •
No adjustments will be made on pre-existing contracts.
• •
Cannot be combined with any other offer. Discounted funeral/cremation plans must be from a selected package & excludes immediate burial or direct cremation.
(801) 363-5781 www.larkinmortuary.com
Page 8 | October 2026
ARMINGTON—With some pushback from the public, the Davis County Commission approved the County Option Sales and Use tax or sometimes referred to as the “fifth tax” during the Sept. 15 commission meeting. The 0.2% tax increase, authorized by Utah Code (annotated 59-12-2220), will provide Davis County and the cities and towns within the county the ability to fund public highways, to maintain and improve transportation infrastructure and to use for public safety purposes. People pay this tax on their general purchases, not through their property taxes. “There are five counties that are eligible for this,” said Commission Chair Bob Stevenson. “They are Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Washington County. At this time, Utah, Salt Lake and Weber have all passed this.” This was put in place nine years ago by the legislature, he said. “There have been a number of changes or amendments to it which have allowed some flexibility. Davis and Weber Counties and myself worked hard with the legislature last year trying to get some adjustments to this due to some of the needs of the counties.” Probably the most needed was the aspect that there would be dollars that could be used toward public safety, said Stevenson. “What’s important about that, for Davis County specifically, is that to be able to put this in place it should protect us for a number of years from having to do any type of property tax increase.” Stevenson said they’ve had 14 to 15 cities who have sent letters of support for this. “This also benefits the cities. It should help them as far as further property tax increases. So this is one of these types of taxes where we should receive benefits from those who are coming into our county and spending
their dollars so it helps support all of us.” Tax is always a very difficult thing, he said. “But sometimes there are things that we can do to help the future a whole bunch. I do believe this is one that will benefit not only counties but the cities in the future as far as trying to stay away from any more tax increases.” “Some of these things we’ve said before in the last year or so, we’ve tried to support and educate all of our constituents and work together as local governments in the services that are required by law to provide to our people as effectively as needed and as they expect,” said Commissioner Lorene Kamalu. “There is nothing in Utah’s property tax law that adjusts for inflation. So local governments and even these special services districts have struggled mightily with historic inflation between 2016 and 2025.” Kamalu said she thinks they’ve gone more back to normal. “But it’s been a very challenging time with escalating costs. My vote is based on a tremendous need in public service and criminal justice.” There is benefit to diversify revenue, to provide some relief to property taxpayers for sure, she said. “I hope that we will see some property tax changes at the state level.” This cannot be approved and implemented by voters, Kamalu said. “This particular tax can’t be, it has to be the Board of Commission.” “This was a very hard vote for me to make,” said Commissioner John Crofts. “I want to apologize to the voters of Davis County that elected me on not raising taxes. It’s the better of all the tax options.” This tax is a sales tax, said Crofts. “It doesn’t apply to food. I think that it was nice that the legislature allowed the food to be exempt from it.” Crofts talked about having a new granddaughter. “Holding my granddaughter and thinking about her future, I want to make sure that Davis County remains a safe, secure, good place to raise our children and grandchildren.” The tax will be collected starting Jan. 1, 2027. l
T he City Journal
Dear Reader,
The City Journals, a conglomerate of community newspapers, has been bringing your hyperlocal news directly to your mailbox (for free!). That means we are sitting through city council meetings, following school boards and local elections, and covering high school sports, neighborhood issues, new businesses and the people doing interesting things down the street. Hi, I’m Cassie. You’ve likely seen my byline before, or at least flipped through something I’ve reported on. I’m an individual part of the bigger team of writers here who has been bringing you the local news you love. I started at the City Journals in 2015 and, even though an 11-year career may seem like a good chunk of time, it’s nothing in comparison to the rest of our editorial team. Our Salt Lake County Editor, Travis Barton, has been with us for just as long; our Davis editor to the north, Becky Ginos, has been monitoring the pulse of Davis County since the pandemic; and our humorist extraordinaire, Peri Kinder, has been bringing the laughter for decades. For more than 35 years, the City Journals have delivered community newspapers free to readers. Today, our 38 reporters produce roughly 190 to 220 original local stories each month across 15 communities in Salt Lake and Davis counties, each are embedded within the communities we serve. Oh! My colleagues would be upset with me if I didn’t mention the majority of us are award-winning journalists. “It’s amazing how you can turn some handwritten notes into a full, beautiful story,” said our account executive Marc Davis. It’s not unusual for a City Journals reporter to be the only journalist in the room at a local government meeting. That kind of reporting isn’t glamorous, but we think it matters. We want to keep doing that—and do more of it. Like local news organizations everywhere, we’re figuring out how to sustain and expand our reporting as the way people get their news changes. We want to publish more frequently online, spend more time on stories that deserve deeper reporting and continue putting reporters in the rooms where decisions about your community are being made. That takes time and resources. We’re asking readers who find value in the City Journals to consider supporting our work. If one reader in each household contributed even $2 to $5 per month ($24 to $60 per year), it would give us more resources to put directly into local journalism. There’s no paywall attached to this request. We’ll keep delivering the City Journals and reporting the news of our communities. We’re simply asking those who are able—and who believe local reporting is worth having—to help us do more of it. Your support won’t go unnoticed. Because we’re reporters, we think you should know what happens next. As this effort grows, we’ll report back to you about what reader support has allowed us to accomplish. To support your City Journal, visit donate.thecityjournals.com or scan the QR Code on this page. We welcome your direct communication. Please keep talking to us. Tell us what we’re missing. Ask us questions. The relationship between our reporters and the communities they cover is what makes this kind of journalism possible. From the entire City Journals team – With dedication to informing and, most certainly, celebrating our communities, Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
Brinkley Harris 2026 National Gold Medalist SkillsUSA Web and Graphic Design Graduate
Experts in Technical Education Since 1978
START TODAY! UPCOMING DAVIS TECH FALL EVENTS
CAREER FAIR NOV 4 OPEN HOUSE
OCT 14 3:30-6:30 PM
3:30-6:00 PM
550 East 300 South, Kaysville, UT 84037 | davistech.edu
Davisjournal .com
October 2026 | Page 9
Millcreek Junior High celebrates 60 years, receives national PTA honor
The designation is a year-long effort to focus on increasing family involvement, strengthening communication and including parent, family and student voices. By Becky Ginos becky.g@thecityjournals.com
B
OUNTIFUL—Millcreek Junior High brings 60 years worth of memories for current and former students who proudly call themselves Mustangs. In addition to the 60th anniversary, the school was named a National PTA School of Excellence, one of only 10 in the state. To celebrate the distinction, students, faculty and Davis School District administrators gathered to accept the award at the school, Sept. 22. “This is a wonderful recognition for the school,” said Principal James Hansen. “But more importantly, it’s a recognition of the partnership that exists between our school, our students, our families, our teachers, our PTSA and the greater Bountiful community.” The designation is a year-long effort to focus on increasing family involvement, strengthening communication and including parent, family and student voices, school officials said.
URGENT & PRIMARY CARE:
Band Director Spencer Frohm leads the Millcreek Junior High Band to kick off the celebration of being named a National PTA School of Excellence. (Becky Ginos/Davis Journal)
Hansen recognized last year’s PTSA president, Heather Soffiantini, for her dedication to making a stronger connection between the community and students. “We would not be here today if it wasn’t for Heather,” said Hansen. “She put in countless hours into the School of Excellence process. But honestly, truly, what I appreciate most is that she understood what the work was about.” It really wasn’t about earning some reward or recognition, he said. “It was about engagement and making our school better.” One of the things she proposed was getting the students involved, Hansen said. “It
JUST $10 PER VISIT with MEMBERSHIP
MEMBERSHIP STARTING AT
$60 A MONTH! Corporate memberships available
Simplify your healthcare with Medallus Medical and SAVE on every visit!
801.810.7058
arlissf@medallus.com Medallus.com
Page 10 | October 2026
T
was her idea to have some of the students join us and then they’d have a voice in the process. So she helped bring students into her meetings and conversations.” “I was student body president last year,” said Lindsey Blazard, one of the PTSA student board members. “I got invited to be part of the PTSA, which I was super excited about. I thought it was a super good idea. I enjoyed helping get some interaction from the students in the PTA.” Blazard said one of the highlights for her was being able to see how the students actually felt about some of the activities that were going on. What students would
like throughout the weeks like Red Ribbon week, dances and how to get students more involved. “We weren’t just talking about students, we were listening to them,” said Hansen. “These kids really do have very valuable insight and great ideas. They thought about stuff we never thought of.” “I’m excited to just be a small part of this program,” said Superintendent Dr. Dan Linford. “This is what I want to focus my energy on, our partners and the community. It’s so critical for a successful school system to have partners, folks that feel like they’re connected.” It’s easy when everyone is all about the business of school to forget how critical that is, he said. “You find out fast if you don’t have great community partners.” It’s beautiful for a school like Millcreek to receive such a worthy compliment and award, Linford said. “We love PTA in Davis School District because PTA represents what’s best in our community, people that make connections with teachers and want to be involved in the right way.” Linford said everyone came to celebrate something that’s probably not the certificate – but it’s the idea of what the certificate represents. “This is special. This is extraordinary. Many of us might feel like this is an ordinary thing and maybe for teenagers it feels like a long school day. But this is the most powerful thing we do as a society. School is the place where we all come together and we’re all in because we all care about and love children.” l
DUP Pioneer Cabin part of Centerville history
he newly refurbished DUP (Daughters of Utah Pioneers) cabin, built in 1934, is tucked away at 160 S. 300 East in Centerville, and holds artifacts such as chairs, pictures and Eliza R. Snow’s gown, all from the pioneer era. For those who would like to tour the cabin and view the many artifacts, the DUP is hosting an open house on Saturday, Oct. 24 where visitors can take a 10-15 minute tour and learn more about the cabin and how it’s connected to Centerville’s history. l
Davis Centerville DUP Company President Pam White talks about Eliza R. Snow’s gown. One of the many artifacts at the pioneer cabin. (Becky Ginos/Davis Journal)
T he City Journal
NOW OPEN in Ogden!
Amazing
Scan to learn more about our services, and to schedule your appointment today!
Acne, Eczema, Melanoma, Psoriasis, Allergy Patch Testing, General Dermatology, Mohs Surgery, Biopsies, Treatment of Skin Cancer, Autoimmune Skin Conditions, Laser & Cosmetic Services
SKIN
starts with Us!
Dr. Jared Heaton Board Certified Dermatologist Mohs Surgeon
Dr. Marc Mitton Board Certified Dermatologist
Rachel Pollard DNP
Bountiful
Kaysville
Morgan
Ogden
320 W 500 S STE 210 Bountiful, UT
307 N 300 W Suite 303 Kaysville, UT 84037
157 Commercial St Morgan, UT 84050
Plaza 29 2909 Washington BLVD Suite 250 Ogden, UT 84401
(801) 797-9121 • www.legacy-dermatology.com Davisjournal .com
October 2026 | Page 11
Fruit Heights weighs options for city cemetery For residents, the issue goes beyond where people will eventually be buried. By Cindi Mansell c.mansell@mycityjournals.com
L
Fruit Heights City studies the idea of developing their own City Cemetery. (Courtesy/Fruit Heights City)
ocal cemeteries are important community spaces that provide a sense of belonging. Fruit Heights residents may one day have a cemetery of their own, but city officials are still weighing how – and whether – to make that happen without placing an additional burden on taxpayers. The city’s Cemetery Committee recently presented a status report to the Fruit Heights City Council. The committee’s mission is to develop a proposal for providing cemetery services to Fruit Heights residents by the end of 2026. The goal is for the cemetery to be financially self-sustaining without requiring a tax increase. Committee Chair Todd Stevenson said he is passionate about the project and believes the committee is determined to complete work that has been discussed in the community for years. “We really don’t have much in the way of current options,” Stevenson said. The committee has researched cemeteries throughout Utah and identified several possibilities, including building and
operating a city cemetery, forming a cemetery district, partnering with a private cemetery provider, reaching an agreement with another city or working with Lindquist Cemetery in Layton. A city-owned cemetery would give Fruit Heights control over operations and could provide a source of revenue, but the city would also assume the financial risk and ongoing maintenance responsibilities. The committee is continuing to develop a financial pro forma to determine whether that option is feasible. A public-private partnership is another possibility. Stevenson said the committee had positive discussions, and a private provider could supply capital, planning and operational expertise. The downside being the city would not directly manage the cemetery. The city has also explored working with Lindquist Cemetery in Layton. Lindquist has indicated it could set aside space for Fruit Heights, but the arrangement would require the city to purchase cemetery plots and would not include discounted individual plots unless an entire block were purchased. The committee also conducted a “dig test” at the potential cemetery site on the city’s bench property. Stevenson said the results were encouraging because the area contained less rock than initially expected, potentially reducing construction costs.
Other issues remain, including the impact on nearby recreational trails and whether they would need to be rerouted. The property was transferred to Fruit Heights by the U.S. Forest Service for public purposes, which limits how the city can use or transfer the land. A 2024 city survey received 602 responses and showed residents are divided about developing a cemetery. While there is interest, taxpayers expressed concerns about construction costs, long-term maintenance, future property taxes and financial sustainability. Mayor Jeanne Groberg said the city is considering hiring an outside consultant to independently evaluate the financial projections. The council tabled approval of a Request for Information at its August 18 meeting while questions about the concept (ownership or management), site (amount of acreage and various phases), trails and previous grant requirements are resolved. The city’s goal remains unchanged: determine whether Fruit Heights can provide cemetery services for its residents in a way that is sustainable, responsible and financially sound. Whether that means building a cemetery, partnering with a private provider, working with another community – or deciding that a city cemetery is not feasible – remains to be determined. l
TREE & STUM L P A
Specialists In The Preservation of Trees
MOVAL RE
PROFESSI ON
TREE DOCTOR • Long-Term Tree Health Care • Tree Consultation & Assessment • Drought Condition Evalutation • Vertical Mulching / Deep Root Feeding • Corrective Pruning • ISA Certified Arborists
Over 30 Years Experience
Tree and stump removal • Emergency services 801-755-7438 Bush and shrub trimming • Fruit trees Tree maintenance • DUMPSTER RENTALS VOLUME stillwork427@gmail.com Mark T. Broadway Cell (801) 755-7438
Ask about our
We Work Year-Round !
OVER 45 YEARS IN THE TREE INDUSTRY Licensed & insured
DISCOUNTS for more than one property in your neighborhood!
JEFF IVERSON • 801-298-1069 • 801-540-2419 Page 12 | October 2026
15% OFF Your Next Service!
One offer per household. Expires 11/15/26.
T he City Journal
Kaysville’s values are what makes it home
Survey participants noted that people are generally friendly and respectful towards one another, making it easy to form social connections. By Cindi Mansell c.mansell@mycityjournals.com
F
or many residents, the community’s character is just as important as its amenities. For Kaysville residents, some of the things they value most about their community are also the things they most want to protect. Safety, family life, friendly neighbors, parks and trails, and Kaysville’s small-town atmosphere continue to rank among the city’s greatest strengths, according to the 2026 Utah Wellbeing Survey. Kaysville was one of 57 Utah communities taking part in the annual survey, conducted by Utah State University to help communities better understand residents’ wellbeing, priorities and perspectives while providing information to guide city planning and decision-making. The results paint a largely positive picture of life in Kaysville. Residents continue to rate the city highly as a place to live and emphasize the importance of strong core services, including safe neighborhoods, well-maintained parks and trails, recreation opportunities and responsive public works. Of the 316 Kaysville residents who participated, 232 responded to open-ended questions about what they value and what they would like to see improved. Common themes included appreciation for Kaysville’s people and sense of community, its small-town feel, and a desire for future growth and amenities to remain consistent with the city’s identity. Natural landscapes ranked as the most important setting
Davisjournal .com
Kaysville residents highlight strengths and concerns in the 2026 Utah Wellbeing Survey. (Courtesy/Kaysville City)
for residents to spend time in, while walking or biking and gardening at home were among the activities respondents most commonly participated in during the past year. The survey also found a positive relationship between community connection and mental health, as well as some relationship between community connection and overall personal wellbeing. Although Kaysville has a reputation as a close-knit community, its community connection score was somewhat lower than might be expected. City officials continue to seek ways to create opportunities for residents to connect, building on participation in community events and other activities. The
new Kaysville Field House, currently under construction through a partnership between Kaysville and Davis School District, is one such opportunity. Growth emerged as one of the clearest areas of concern. Many respondents said population growth was happening too quickly, while most felt the pace of economic development was about right. Over the next five years, residents would like to see more diverse dining and shopping options, particularly sitdown restaurants and unique, locally oriented stores rather than more fast-food establishments or businesses such as car washes. They also expressed a desire for more family-friendly activities and events. Underlying those responses was a common concern: Kaysville should continue to grow, but growth should not come at the expense of the qualities that make the city distinctive. Pedestrian safety, traffic and infrastructure were among the concerns identified, along with water supply, the Great Salt Lake, affordable housing and air quality. Childcare, housing and healthcare were identified as the expenses residents find most difficult to afford. The survey suggests residents are not necessarily opposed to growth or development but want it to fit the community they already know. Residents praised Kaysville’s friendly and respectful atmosphere, noting that it is generally easy to form social connections, while good schools, parks and trails were also often identified as community strengths. For many respondents, Kaysville offers a difficult-to-maintain balance: the familiarity and community feel of a small town while remaining close to larger cities and their opportunities. That balance appears central to what residents want for Kaysville’s future. l
October 2026 | Page 13
North Salt Lake City Council addresses residents’ concerns over LPR camera use
North Salt Lake’s Chief of Police gave a presentation to the city council on the police department’s use of LPR technology. By Megan Fisher m.fisher@davisjournal.com
T
he nationwide debate over License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology has come to North Salt Lake. “This is far beyond a single snapshot,” said one resident. “They are capturing the intimate details of everyone’s life at the scale of almost a billion pictures every day... When combined with other stolen or commercially available information the possibilities for harm are endless.” At a recent meeting of the North Salt Lake City Council, Chief of Police Craig Black, gave a presentation on the Police Department’s use of LPR technology, offering first-hand accounts of the way that LPR is used by law enforcement, and answering the city council member’s questions. Black defined LPR as “an instant and early alert system for a variety of public safety and community protection duties…. It is a witness, if it sees something it says something… It is not taking any action other than that.” The city has used LPR technology since around 2012, only, Black said, to find stolen vehicles, uninsured vehicles with revoked
Traffic stops at an intersection in North Salt Lake. Chief of Police Craig Black says they use the cameras to find stolen vehicles, uninsured vehicles with revoked registrations and wanted persons. (Megan Fisher/Davis Journal)
registrations, and wanted persons. There are nine LPR cameras throughout the city, not near any residences, according to Black. He said that the Police Department follows all of the state’s laws concerning the technology. Black told the city council that the LPR does not track individuals, turn into a live
video camera, report personal or business data about the vehicle it detects, or use facial recognition. According to Black, LPR technology does not store data after 30 days, and all data that is not recovered as evidence of a crime is automatically deleted and unrecoverable. ‘Whenever another police department
searches our data, we can see what that search was about,” he said. The Police Department shares data with most of the law enforcement agencies in the state of Utah, including local police departments and the State Department of Corrections. Federal government agencies need a warrant in order to access the data and ICE, he said. No insurance company or private data company would ever get the collected information. After Black said that Flock cameras would only be used for legitimate law enforcement, City Councilmember Alisa Van Langeveld said that what is considered legitimate law enforcement can change rather capriciously, depending on the politics of those in charge. Many other city council members voiced similar concerns and asked questions of Black throughout the presentation. “I think we all share the same concerns,” said North Salt Lake City Mayor Brian Horrocks. “What was the 20th century known for? Murder. Over 100 million people were murdered and most of them were murdered by their own government. We go, ‘well that could never happen in America,’ but are we safer now than we were 30 years ago? I don’t think any of us think we are. So there is this legitimate concern about surveillance. It’s very real. There are two sides to this equation. ‘Don’t surveil me, oh wait a minute my car got stolen. I want it back.’” Horrocks pointed out that there are over 30 pieces of legislation concerning LPR technology before the Utah Legislature in next year’s session, and suggested that it might be prudent to observe the state’s decisions before taking any further steps. In the meantime, the council will continue to debate and discuss the issue. “If we were to continue to use these cameras we have to have a very clear, defensible, and important answer to the question of, ‘Is it worth it to move against an established American principle – protect innocence – for these reasons and these are our safeguards?’” said City Councilmember Ted Knowlton. l
Have a
12oz. Coffee on Us!
limit 1 per customer with coupon
4879 South Redwood Rd Taylorsville, UT 84123
801-288-9898
hiddenpeakscoffee.com
Page 14 | October 2026
T he City Journal
Davis School District takes on McDonald’s in meals served
In addition to school lunch, Distribution and Nutrition Services has school supplies. They ship 15,572 cases of copy paper a year alone. By Becky Ginos becky.g@thecityjournals.com
F
ARMINGTON—McDonald’s averages about 1,600 meals served a day – Davis School District nutrition services serves about 28,000. With 174 school days, that amounts to 4,872,000 meals per school year. “We looked up just kind of trying to compare it to a fast food chain and things like that,” said Brock Robins, director of Distribution and Nutrition Services in a presentation to the school board. “So I think it said it would take 17.5 McDonald’s to feed our students based on those statistics.” The average cost is $2.25 a meal when looking at an overall total of how much is spent each year on food, he said. “It’s a slight problem because we’re only charging kids $2.10 a meal currently. Now that’s also because we’ve had a fund balance and we’ve been using that fund balance to help bring that down.” There was too much during COVID, said Robins. “Everyone was eating for free. We actually got a higher reimbursement rate than we do currently. So we have a little bit of surplus and the state only allows us to carry so much and so we’ve been kind of taking that now a little bit.” Robins said they’ll probably have to come back to the board at some point to talk about some meal prices that need to be raised. “It’s so we don’t have a big jump later on, but we can do small incremental increases to get us where we need to
The district ships out through the warehouse about 975 truckloads of food per year to schools in the district. AI generated image
be. As you’re probably aware you can’t buy the same things you used to a couple years ago. It’s very expensive.” They ship out through the warehouse about 975 truckloads of food per year to schools in the district, he said. “That’s a lot. And due to the logistics and the setup of our facilities, we don’t get to use pallets and things like that.” A lot of it is manually hand trucking, said Robins. “People come out and say ‘what’s it like to work in a warehouse
MEET THE
and do this kind of stuff?’ I say, imagine you moving your house every day. You box it up, you put it in a truck, you take that truck to your new place and you unbox it and you move back in. That’s what our guys do day in and day out.” Robins said they are currently doing outreach to get applications for free and reduced lunches. “Every application completed benefits not only Nutrition Services but also impacts educational funding streams throughout the district.” Currently they’re sitting around 10,000 applications, he said. “At the end of last year, we had 13,687 applications. So our efforts are working. These are probably the highest numbers we’ve had in a long time. Oct. 1 becomes our cutoff day where those who haven’t applied for this new year lose benefits.” The big push is to make sure everyone has an opportunity to be made aware of the benefits they’re going to lose, said Robins. “We want to help our students receive that nourishment.” Material Distribution and Nutrition Services does more than just feed kids. The warehouse also has school supplies. Robins said they ship 15,572 cases of copy paper a year. “If you single stacked each case on top of each other it would reach the altitude of a commercial airliner around 4.67 miles high.” Robins said staffing is hard. “It’s really difficult for us to find people who want to work in our kitchens. The northern end seems to be a little easier to find staffing.” Robins said they have parents and grandparents who say they’d love to do that if they could be in the school with their child or grandkid. “That’s really where our strength is – having those family members that really care to come in and work with us.” l
TREE SERVICES
% 30 OFF
EXPERTS
EXPIRES 11/15/26
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE WORK
RUSSEL
FOREMAN. ARBORIST. TREE CARE SPECIALIST. Russel brings a trained arborist’s eye and a commitment to quality to every residential property. Specializing in professional tree pruning, he understands how proper pruning improves tree health, structure, safety, and appearance. From mature shade trees to detailed ornamental pruning, Russel leads his crew with precision and care—making thoughtful cuts that protect your trees and enhance your property for years to come.
TREE REMOVAL
STUMP GRINDING
EXPERT CARE. STRONGER COMMUNITIES. Davisjournal .com
PRUNING PROUDLY SERVING SALT LAKE CITY, UT AND SURROUNDING AREAS
PLANT HEALTH CARE 801-797-2347
DIAMONDTREEEXPERTS.COM
October 2026 | Page 15
Wilson named 2026 Davis Chamber Legacy Award recipient The award is the Chamber’s highest honor given to individuals whose service, leadership and commitment have made a significant impact on the county and state.
By Becky Ginos becky.g@thecityjournals.com
D
Brad Wilson talks to kids at a recent engagement with the Champion Schools 34 project, which was launched at Backman Elementary in Salt Lake City a few weeks ago. Champion Schools 34 is developed as a tool to utilize sports as a catalyst to teach values to youth and to bring positive impact to communities. (Photo by Stephanie Dunn)
AVIS COUNTY—From business owner to CEO and Vice Chair of Utah 2034, the Organizing Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Brad Wilson has been a leader in Davis County, the state and now on a worldwide stage. Wilson has been chosen as the 2026 Davis Chamber Legacy Award recipient. The award is the Chamber’s highest honor given to individuals whose service, leadership and commitment have made a significant impact on the county and state. “I’m flattered and honored,” said Wilson. “It’s very, very nice. It’s not about me, it’s about the people (I work with).” Wilson graduated from Weber State University in business, started in finance and built a career in real estate development and home building. He served as Chairman of the Board of the Davis Chamber of Commerce in 2010. In 2011, he became a Representative in the Utah House
Expert Therapy in Farmington, Utah
of Representatives and in 2019 became Speaker of the House. “I actually always saw myself as someone in business,” he said. “Being a political leader, being involved in the Olympics was not something on my bucket list.” Wilson said this award is pretty poignant for him. “I still remember in around 2007 or 2008 when I got asked to serve (in the Chamber), when I was running our business, which at the time was called Destination Homes, that was the first time I’d ever been asked to sort of give back to the community.” He started serving and really enjoyed feeling like he was part of a bigger conversation about how to impact the community. “I’m not exaggerating when I say that I would not have been Speaker of the House,” said Wilson. “Nor would I probably be in the role that I’m in if I hadn’t been asked to help serve the Davis Chamber back in the late 2000s.” That moment of being asked to serve and to give back, Wilson said, put a little bit of fire in him. “It made me see the importance of community, the importance of service and the impact we can have if we take just a little bit of our time and energy and give it to something we care about. So this is meaningful – kind of a full circle moment for me.” Wilson said he hadn’t intended on
Submit legal notices, announcements, and obituaries to ClientServices@ TheCityJournals.com
running for the legislature. “I had just concluded my term as the Chair of the Davis Chamber of Commerce Board in January of 2010. I was sitting in my office reading the paper and my phone rang. A series of calls came in that day from people asking me to consider running for the legislature because the person in the seat before me wasn’t running for reelection.” It had really never been a serious consideration to run for public office, he said. “I actually only had 24 hours to make a decision because it was the last day to file. So I consulted my wife, my business partner, a couple of friends and my parents and made the decision in less than 24 hours to run.” In 2019, he was elected as Speaker of the House. “You don’t run for Speaker, at least I didn’t try for Speaker, unless I thought I had the support to win. I ran unopposed the three times I ran.” In 2023, Wilson left the legislature to pursue a seat in Congress. “With a lot of encouragement from others I ended up running for a different elected office that didn’t turn out the way that I thought it might. In hindsight, I actually think I won by losing.” Wilson said he was totally at peace with that. “I just thought there’s something else out there that I should do or can do. I didn’t know what it would be. Within a month or two I was being asked if I would consider helping with the Olympic and Paralympic Games.” Wilson said the award doesn’t belong to him. “It belongs to the team, the teams I worked with. They’re the ones that go do all the work while I get the credit.” “Brad Wilson is an exceptional example of the kind of leadership the Legacy Award was created to recognize,” said Davis Chamber President and CEO Angie Osguthorpe. “His influence began right here in Davis County – as a business leader, Chamber chairman, and community advocate – and grew to impact our entire state. We are incredibly proud to honor one of our own with the 2026 Legacy Award.” l
Individual Therapy Couples Therapy ADHD-Informed Therapy and Testing Child Therapy ...And More
lifematterspsych.com 1433 N. 1075 W., Ste. 120 | Farmington, UT
Page 16 | October 2026
801-266-2600
4861 S State Street, Murray, UT | DesertStarPlayhouse.com T he City Journal
The current fleet of gas-powered Yamaha golf carts at Eaglewood Golf Course. The old carts will be replaced by new lithium powered carts. (Megan Fisher/Davis Journal)
Eaglewood Golf Course to buy new golf carts, raise fees
Eaglewood Golf Course has made plans to purchase a fleet of lithium battery-powered golf carts at the beginning of 2027. By Megan Fisher m.fisher@davisjournal.com
I
t is out with the old and in with the new at North Salt Lake’s Eaglewood Golf Course. At the beginning of 2027, to replace the aging gas-powered carts, the course will be purchasing lithium battery-powered golf carts. In order to pay for these carts Eaglewood will be using funds from the city in their yearly budget and raising fees on the golf course. Despite that, they are hopeful that the lithium battery-powered carts will save money and improve the quality of Eaglewood Golf Course in the long run. During a recent City Council meeting, Tyler Abegglen, Golf Course General Manager at Eaglewood Golf Course, presented the plan for the lithium-powered golf carts, and explained how the money will be used during the venture. The current fleet of gas-powered Yamaha golf carts owned by Eaglewood will be four and a half years old at the end of 2026, and the carts have driven an estimated 413,202 9-hole rounds between July 2022 and December 2026. As a point of comparison, the previous fleet had driven over 293,850 9-hole rounds in five and a half years between January 2017 and June 2022. A typical life for a gas golf cart is five years, according to Abegglen. With the current carts they are seeing an increase in mechanical problems, due to age and usage. Eaglewood has received many complaints from customers and golf committee members. In sum, the carts that are currently being used show heavy wear and with the increased use on the golf course the problems could get
Davisjournal .com
worse, he said. “The manufacturer and distributor will handle all repairs,” said Abegglen. “And with that, lithium is almost zero maintenance. There is nothing we would have to do internally or externally on these lithium batteries. General maintenance goes away.” The cost of repairs and replacement parts would see a significant decrease and the maintenance workers could focus on other areas of the golf course, Abegglen said. The GPS units that are going to be included on the golf carts will help the Eaglewood’s employees to track the carts use, and better maintain its electrical power. The GPS unit also comes with a feature which will allow golf course staff to designate the speed of the golf carts in specific areas. Abegglen foresees the speed control feature helping to prevent bodily injuries to golfers and damage to the carts. They conservatively estimate that the lithium battery-powered carts would save them between $160,000 and $173,000 over the course of four years. The savings will come from lower maintenance costs, lower fuel costs, more stable pricing with electricity as opposed to the swings in gas prices, and would eliminate gas cart-specific part replacements and the need for changes to the gas cart path. Eaglewood Golf Course plans to purchase 90 golf carts. For the 90 carts, the GPS units and install charging units it would cost a total of $618,870. The funds will come from the yearly budget and a raising of fees at the golf course. Beginning in January 2027 there will be a $2 increase in golf cart fees and $1 increase in green fees. The new fleet of carts will be purchased in January or February of next year, according to Abegglen. Information will continue to be released to the public as decisions are made. l
October 2026 | Page 17
Kaysville voters to decide on $16.5 million fire station bond
Kaysville officials will place a $16.5 million General Obligation Bond on the November ballot to fund construction of a west-side fire station aimed at improving emergency response times.
A map of the proposed site for a new westside fire station. Kaysville plans to submit a proposition to voters. (Courtesy/Kaysville Fire Department)
By Cindi Mansell c.mansell@mycityjournals.com
K
aysville residents will face a significant decision on their November ballot as the city moves forward with plans for a proposed second fire station. The city already owns the property where the proposed station would be built. The site is located at 1251 S. Deseret Drive, near Burton Lane, on the west side of Kaysville. The Kaysville City Council unanimously voted to place a General Obligation Bond proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot, giving voters the final say on whether the city should borrow up to $16.5 million to help fund construction and equipping of a new fire station and related improvements. The proposed station comes as Kaysville continues to experience population growth and increasing demand for emergency services. According to the city, rising call volumes are placing additional demands on the Kaysville Fire Department’s crews
and resources. City officials say a second station would be particularly beneficial as development continues on the west side of the community. When an emergency occurs, response time can be critical. Locating a fire station on the west side would put emergency resources closer to residents in that area and could help improve response times while allowing the
department to better serve the city. The proposition voters will consider authorizes the issuance of not more than $16.5 million in General Obligation Bonds to finance all or part of the costs associated with constructing and equipping the proposed fire station, along with related improvements. Before voters cast their ballots, the city will hold a public hearing Oct. 1, 2026,
to receive public comment regarding the proposed bond issuance and the potential economic impact of the improvements, facilities or property to be financed with bond proceeds. Additional information about the proposed station, the bond and its potential impact on the community is expected to be released by Kaysville City and the Kaysville Fire Department in the coming months. If voters approve the bond, the project will move into the design phase. Construction could potentially begin in late summer 2027 and is expected to take approximately 10 to 13 months, based on timelines for comparable projects. For Kaysville voters, the November election will ultimately determine whether the city moves ahead with the proposed second fire station and the financing needed to build it. l
LOVE TRAVEL? JOIN US AT THE
40+ TRAVEL VENDORS
FREE SEMINARS
EXCLUSIVE PRIZE TRAVEL DEALS GIVEAWAYS!
DAVIS CONFERENCE CENTER SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2026 10 AM - 3 PM
SCAN FOR EVENT INFO UTAHTRAVELEXPO.COM
FREE ADMISSION FOLLOW @MORRISCOLUMBUSTRAVEL FOR EVENT UPDATES AND TRAVEL CONTENT!
Page 18 | October 2026
T he City Journal
The Gravedigger who vanished After robbing hundreds of Salt Lake City graves, Jean Baptiste received a uniquely Utah punishment: exile on an island in Great Salt Lake. Then he disappeared. By Jeremy Pugh jeremy.p@thecityjournals.com
I
n the late 1850s, a man named Jean Baptiste drifted into Salt Lake City. The immigrant found a job as the city’s gravedigger. In 1862, a flap over the body of a local troublemaker named Moroni Clawson led investigators to the gravedigger. They discovered Baptiste had been stealing clothes and jewelry from the bodies he was charged with burying. In all, Baptiste was thought to have desecrated more than 300 graves. Grave-robbing is a loathsome crime, made even more so by the Mormon belief that buried loved ones will be resurrected on judgment day in the clothes they are buried in. Stealing the clothes and treasures of the dearly departed was an unthinkable act and Baptiste’s crime fed the
flames of public outrage. Few in Salt Lake City were untouched by the crime. Brigham Young was reported to have been aghast at the magnitude of the affair and expressed concern for the status of his own loved ones. “I have three sisters in the graveyard in this city, and two wives and several children,” he said. A kind of mania reportedly gripped the city. Utahns’ trust had been shaken. The gravedigger was the one who unlocked the door to the netherworld, and residents placed a great deal of faith in the notion that the dirty but necessary business would be taken care of with a degree of decorum. For those afraid that the corpses might again be robbed (either by Baptiste or someone else), Young recommended they take on the role of gravedigger for their loved ones. “Put them in your gardens, where you can watch them by day and night until you are pretty sure that the clothing is rotted, and then lay them away in the burial ground,” he said. But why had Baptiste stripped the dead of their burial clothes? Generally, it is believed that he was a hoarder – some
Wait. Three hundred graves?
curious psychological tick compelled him to collect the raiment of the recently deceased. And one apocryphal story suggests that he may have sold them to shops for extra cash after a young mother was rumored to have found her deceased daughter’s burial dress in a pile of used clothes. Although his offense was grave (pun intended), authorities couldn’t figure out what to do with Baptiste. He couldn’t be released on bail and, for his own good, had to be secured far from an angry mob demanding frontier justice. He spent several months in the territorial prison as the legal system wrung its hands. But his crime was considered so heinous and ghastly that even in the company of criminals in the prison, Baptiste was a pariah. They eventually landed on a highly unconventional sentence: Exile. Baptiste was rowed out to Fremont Island, a small cay used intermittently for sheep ranching, and deposited on the shore, essentially left to die on the harsh, exposed island. Weeks later, authorities checked the island to find Baptiste had escaped. A small shack on the island had been torn down, leading to theories that he’d built himself a raft to flee. Years later, in the 1890s, hunters found a skeleton with leg irons and some say these are Baptiste’s (although it’s not known if he was shackled when he was left alone on Fremont Island). l
STATE SENATE
After Jean Baptiste’s arrest, clothing recovered from his home was spread across a 50-foot-long table at the county courthouse. Hundreds of Salt Lakers filed past, searching for the burial clothes of dead husbands, wives and children. Investigators found some 60 pairs of children’s shoes in Baptiste’s house alone. Authorities estimated he may have robbed as many as 300 graves.
Brigham Young (Courtesy of J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah)
UTAH DISTRICT 7
IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE
Jean Baptiste was rowed out to Fremont Island, a small cay used intermittently for sheep ranching, and deposited on the shore, essentially left to die on the harsh, exposed island. Weeks later, authorities checked the island to find Baptiste had escaped. Illustration by Chelsea Rushton.
Dont wait for a fall
to get a device. Save $50 on a new device! Use Code LAT50 at checkout
Transparency & public input Protecting local control and our values Fresh voice pushing for ethical conduct Addressing data center concerns Accountability for independent government entities Protecting our resources Housing solutions that work for us Helping Hill Air Force Base
Stephanie Hollist is an attorney, a mom and community member, and a Republican. She has worked at the highest levels of state government, helping shape public policy. She stepped up to run against a strong incumbent because she is unafraid of pushing back on special interests. She will work for our families and our community.
Stephanie can stand up to strong leaders. Because she is a strong leader.
Learn more: votestephaniehollist.com Republican ballots will be mailed the week of June 2.
www.golatitude.com | (866) 205-4872 *Coupon code only applies for lifetime service
Davisjournal .com
CALL OR TEXT STEPHANIE: 801-390-2829 GO TO THE POLLS ON JUNE 23. VOTE!! Ballots not received on or before June 23 will not be counted, regardless of postmark date.
PAID FOR BY STEPHANIE HOLLIST CAMPAIGN
October 2026 | Page 19
True paranormal story curated by local author John Olsen’s newest edition to his Stranger: True paranormal book stories dropped on Aug. 21. By Cassie Goff c.goff@mycityjournals.com
A
Many local authors of scary stories appeared at Salt City Paracon in July. (Cassie Goff/ City Journals)
Weber Basin Water Conservancy District Learning Garden Fall Spooktacular Event By Cindi Mansell c.mansell@mycityjournals.com
M
ark your calendars and bring family and friends to attend the free fun Learning Garden Spooktacular Event. It will be held at the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District Office, 2837 E. Highway 193 in Layton, Oct. 23, 2026, from 4 to 6 p.m. This is a free family-friendly fun event happening one night (no registration is needed). The gardens are open Oct. 23 – 31. Costumes are encouraged. You can tour the decorated garden, enjoy entertainment and treats, balloon artist, and a skeleton hunt in the “Spooktacular” garden. Entertainment show times: 4:30 p.m, 5:15 p.m, 6 p.m., 6:45 p.m. Vote on the best skeleton scene from the garden. l
Page 20 | October 2026
fter moving from California to Alaska, Tom’s and William’s dad took them to stay at a family friends’ cabin for a fiveday fishing trip. They sat at the dinner table playing games as it got dark the first night after unpacking. Their dad had gone out onto the front porch to have a smoke. “Can you hear that?” Tom asked William, pausing their game. Listening carefully, they could hear a woman’s voice from out in the woods, asking for help. They rushed outside. Before Tom could step foot off the porch, his dad grabbed him by this scruff and pulled him back. “That’s not a woman,” he said. “Listen.” He pulled the boys back into the house and locked the door behind them. They all listened as the woman’s voice inched closer and closer. “Is there someone in there? I’m lost,” she said. “Be quiet. Don’t say anything,” Tom’s dad said. The next thing they heard was no longer a woman’s voice – but a child’s. “I know you’re in there. Why won’t you help me?” The porch creaked and groaned as the being outside walked across it to jump back into the forest. The boys quickly pleaded with their dad to head home. With no way to contact their plane, scheduled out for three more days, their dad had no choice but to tell his boys they were staying. By the last night of their trip, they had all but forgotten about the occurrence. The family sat at the dinner table, eating, laughing. Out of nowhere, three knocks rapped across the front door. “Aren’t you going to let me in?” asked a little boy’s voice. A loud, unnatural, knock followed, almost pulling the door off the hinges.
A gruff voice came through. “You can let me in or I can come in.” Looking to their dad for guidance, Tom and William were instructed to stay silent. “It can’t come in,” he mouthed to them. They listened to the thing outside jump off the porch and scrape its way to the back. It paced: back and forth. A little girl’s voice started singing. They heard that song fade as the thing retreated back into the woods. As soon as the sun came up the next morning, all of Tom’s and William’s things were packed up by the door, ready to go. “If you hear someone in the forest asking for help, you have to listen. Something will tell you it’s not human,” their dad told them afterwards. He never did tell them the story of how he knew that. Tom’s and William’s story was shared by local paranormal author John Olsen during his Guest Speaker Presentation at the first Salt City ParaCon on July 25. Olsen has lived throughout Utah his entire life and has collected scary stories across Utah and Idaho for his ongoing “Stranger Bridgerland” book series. “I’ve interviewed and talked to a lot of people dealing with this uncanny valley,” said Olsen. “When it’s just so close to human, but not quite human, it’s that gut feeling inside of us that drives us a little crazy.” This and other stories can be found in Olsen’s newest Stranger Bridgerland book “Stranger Alaska: True paranormal stories from Alaska” which was released on Aug. 21. “Mimic stories have gone up a bit,” Olsen said. “The paranormal is much more than just scary stories.” l
“Stranger Alaska: True paranormal stories from Alaska” is the newest book from paranormal author John Olsen, published on Aug. 21. (Photo courtesy John Olsen)
T he City Journal
Kaysville honors Linda Francis as ‘2026 Unsung Hero’
For nearly a decade, one Kaysville volunteer worked behind the scenes to give young residents a closer look at how government works – and why their voices matter. By Cindi Mansell c.mansell@mycityjournals.com
A
fter nine years of helping young people learn about government, civic engagement and community service, Linda Francis has been recognized by the Kaysville City Council as its 2026 “Unsung Hero.” Francis served as the Kaysville Youth City Council advisor from 2016 through the 2025-26 school year. The City Council recently presented her with a plaque, recognizing her years of volunteer service, expertise and dedication to providing local students with opportunities for leadership and civic involvement. When Francis accepted the advisor position in 2016, there was little in place to guide her. The program had no established curriculum, formal structure or budget. It was a learn-as-you-go position. Over the years, she helped build the Youth City Council into a program that gives Kaysville students hands-on experience in local government while encouraging them to become active members of their community. “It has been such a pleasure to work with Francis,” said Councilmember John Adams, who served as the City Council liaison to the Youth City Council. “The entire program of getting the children interested in government hinges upon a good counselor, and Francis was the absolute best.” The Youth City Council brings together young leaders who learn about government and participate in service
The Youth City Council and advisor Linda Francis meet with the governor during the 2026 Legislative Session. Francis has been the advisor since 2016. (Photo by Cindi Mansell)
projects throughout Kaysville and the surrounding community. Among the students’ activities is Local Officials Day at the Utah State Capitol, where they meet legislators and local officials, participate in mock committee sessions and hear from the governor. The experience gives students an opportunity to see how Utah’s political process works and how they can become involved in their communities. The Youth City Council also lends a hand at a variety of Kaysville events and community initiatives, including the Fourth of July parade, the USU Botanical Center Scarecrow Walk, the
Join the Davis Chamber Today The Davis Chamber of Commerce was formed in January 2001, when all existing chambers in Davis County united into one strong organization. Our logo features 15 spikes, representing each of the 15 cities we proudly serve. Since that merger, the Davis Chamber has continued to be the leading voice for business in Davis County. THE MISSION of the Davis Chamber of Commerce is to advance business prosperity by uniting the business community, providing strong advocacy, and promoting a vibrant and sustainable economy. We welcome all who share in this vision. By joining the Chamber and engaging in its programs, events, and initiatives, you become part of a collective effort to strengthen businesses, build connections, and enrich our entire community.
To learn more or to get involved, please visit: davischamberofcommerce.com or call 801-593-2200. MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER ENJOY MANY BENEFITS, INCLUDING: NETWORKING & RELATIONSHIP BUILDING RIBBON CUTTING & GRAND OPENING COORDINATION LEGISLATIVE & MILITARY ENGAGEMENT & ADVOCACY
Easter Egg Hunt, Kaysville GIVES and Fill the Fire Truck. For Francis, the role has been about more than organizing events. It has provided an opportunity to help young people develop leadership skills, understand their community and discover the importance of public service. The 2025-26 school year marked Francis’ final year as advisor. She will be succeeded by Marni Clark. While Francis may have worked behind the scenes, city leaders say her influence on generations of young residents has been anything but unnoticed. l
Delivering the Highest Level of Care in all Areas of Urology for 40+ Years • Prostate Issues • Kidney Stones • Bladder Problems • Interstitial Cystitis • Erectile Dysfunction • Testosterone Treatment • Vasectomy w/Sedation • Cancer: Prostate, Kidney & Bladder
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT VISIBILITY & STRATEGIC MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES BUSINESS & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ONLINE BUSINESS LISTING MEMBER DISCOUNTS, SAVINGS & EXCLUSIVE PERKS
SCAN HERE
Sign up for Chamber Membership!
Davisjournal .com
440 Medical Dr., Ste. 3 Bountiful, UT 84010
ting Accep s! atient New P
Call to Schedule: (385) 722-9566 October 2026 | Page 21
Local boys with significant birth defects thrive with help from Shriners Tae and Sam, who couldn’t walk before, are now running and jumping. The specialty care facility changed their lives. By Becky Ginos becky.g@thecityjournals.com
B
OUNTIFUL—Shriners Children’s Salt Lake City’s care of two Davis County boys changed their lives – giving them the ability to pursue the things they enjoy and look to a bright future. Bountiful Junior High 13-year-old, Tae and American Heritage senior and Kaysville resident, Sam both received treatment from the specialty care facility for significant birth defects. Tae had hypochondroplasia that made it difficult to walk and his knees did not bend correctly. “He was born in San Diego,” said his grandmother Cindy. “When they moved back here is when we noticed how severely his knees were turned in and he could barely walk, his hips were starting to turn.” He couldn’t walk up stairs because his knees turned the wrong direction, she said. “My sister was an OR nurse at Shriners and she’s the one that said ‘you need to get him in and get that looked at or he’s going to be crippled.’” His first surgery was when he was
Girls with a Shriners patient join in the Walk for Love last year. The annual event that took place on Sept. 19 raises funds for Shriners to provide orthopedic care regardless of a family’s ability to pay. (Courtesy/Shriners)
three, Cindy said. “It was there at Shriners. When we took him in, the doctor said if he hadn’t had that surgery he would have been in a wheelchair and weigh over 300 pounds because he could barely move. The surgery completely changed his life.” “Every other year I would have a
surgery,” said Tae. “The first time I was in a lot of pain like trying to walk hurt but I got used to it. I had to relearn everything like how to jump and stuff because I never was able to jump really high.” Since the surgeries, Tae has been able to do things he couldn’t have done before. “I love to swim and I play basketball and soccer. I had difficulty walking any distance before now.” Tae said he just loves Shriners. “The experience is awesome.”
Sam was born with severe bilateral club feet and spent much of his childhood in toeto-hip casts, on and off until age 9. “When I was born the on-call nurse at the hospital that night said to my mom ‘take Sam to Shriners.’ My mom was like ‘what’s Shriners?’ and they said ‘just take him it’ll be OK. Don’t worry, just show up.’” So she went to Shriners, he said. “Within three months of my birth was when I had my first surgery to start correcting my feet but I got my first cast on three weeks after my birth.” Sam said he’s been at Shriners ever since. “Now, 17 years later I’m able to walk and run and do all the things that kids my age do so it’s pretty awesome.” His last surgery was about three years ago. “That was actually for my knees,” Sam said. “Because of the way my feet were, it affected my knees and I started getting knock knees. They said ‘you know what? Let’s fix that as well.’” Sam’s mother, Noni, was also born with club feet and had more invasive treatment that left her with lasting limitations. “Having lived through it in a different way and seeing where I am at now and comparing that to Sam’s care, he is going to be able to do whatever he wants,” Noni said. “They have taken such good care of him.” “I’m so grateful for Shriners and what they’ve been able to do for me and people like me and my family,” said Sam. “They can take something that is so broken, put it back together and make it whole again. I can’t imagine what my life would be without them.” l
Tae is a 13-year-old at Bountiful Junior High. When he was three he had his first surSam was born with severe bilateral club feet and gery to correct hypochondroplasia that made spent much of his childhood in toe-to-hip casts, it difficult to walk and his knees did not bend on and off until age 9. (Courtesy/Shriners) correctly. (Courtesy/Shriners)
Page 22 | October 2026
T he City Journal
Bountiful Peak back road offers fall colors and mountain views The scenic back way up to Bountiful Peak offers lovely fall colors and sweeping vistas of Davis and Morgan County. By Kerry Angelbuer k.angelbuer@mycityjournals.com
A
The flora of the scenic back way of high elevation scrubs and flowers as well as aspens and pines are lovely in the fall. (Kerry Angelbuer/Davis Journal)
good way to experience fall colors close to home is to drive the scenic back way from Farmington to Bountiful and stop and take the short, steep hike up to Bountiful Peak. The Peak is over 9,000 feet above sea level and offers sweeping views of both the many islands of the Great Salt Lake looking toward the west and the small town of Morgan on the other side of the mountain to the East. Though the 10 miles from Farmington to the peak can be navigated with a sturdy passenger car, high-clearance and even four-wheel drive could be useful. Though the gravel, dirt road is maintained by the Forest Service, washboard surface and ruts have developed. The peak can also be accessed from the Bountiful side by driving past the large B on the mountain up Ward Canyon Road, but it is 14 miles to the peak with starker scenery. The Farmington side is accessed by going north on 100 East to Farmington Canyon. This side features more fall interest such as spruce trees contrasted with aspens and
The view of the Great Salt Lake from Bountiful Peak. (Kerry Angelbuer/Davis Journal)
maples as it meanders around the back of the and e-bikes are rampant on weekends on the numerous canyon roads and paths. The road, mountain past creeks and ponds. however, can be near to deserted on a week Bountiful Peak Campground is nine day. The whole loop, about three quarters of miles up the Farmington side and offers day a circle from Bountiful to Farmington, is 24 and overnight use for a small fee. Campers miles and can be experienced in either direccan enjoy hiking, scenic drives, fishing and tion. Flowers and a variety of wildlife can be in-season hunting. Dogs are allowed and pic- observed. The Common Kestrel, about 15 nic tables, fire pits, and vault toilets are onsite. inches across, can be seen hovering in place Water must be brought in. Off-road vehicles over the mountain scrub hunting. Wild eldersuch as ATVs, dirt bikes and even bicycles berries can also be found along the route. l
fall into the arts with
Have you protected YOUR loved ones?
Fre e v e n tes
8/13
10/17 Storytelling Fe stival
GET YOUR AFFAIRS IN ORDER!
• Trusts • Wills • Living Wills
• Probate • Power of Attorney • Special Needs Trusts
• Estate Disputes • Guardianships
Call to set up your FREE Consultation TODAY
performance 10/16 6 series &11/0
“Personal Care…Professional Results”
ROWE & WALTON PC rowewalton.com
Robyn Rowe Walton Attorney at Law
Davisjournal .com
801-298-0640 • 915 So. Main Street • Bountiful rw@rowewalton.com
Britten J. Hepworth Attorney at Law
DAVISARTS.ORG
Art StudenOtpens 11/10 Exhibit
October 2026 | Page 23
Lawmakers look ahead to session Local legislators speak at Davis Chamber luncheon and talk about how they can best represent Davis County. By Becky Ginos becky.g@thcityjournals.com
K
Left to right) Davis Chamber President/CEO Angie Osguthorpe, Senate candidate Kaysville Mayor Tami Tran, Rep. Karianne Lisonbee and Rep. Ariel Defay at the Davis Chamber Women in Business luncheon Sept. 10. The three lawmakers shared what they hope to do in the upcoming legislative session. (Photo by Becky Ginos)
AYSVILLE—The 2027 Legislative Session doesn’t start until January but that doesn’t mean lawmakers haven’t been busy. Interim committees and bill preparation are heating up. Leading up to the session, the Davis Chamber gave three female legislators at a Women in Business luncheon recently the opportunity to talk about what’s coming up and their efforts to meet the needs of Davis County residents and Utahns as a whole. The three participants were State Senate candidate Kaysville Mayor Tami Tran, Rep. Karianne Lisonbee and Rep. Ariel Defay. Davis Chamber President/CEO Angie Osguthorpe asked questions of the panel. “There was a bill that passed a couple of sessions ago that affected what was happening in our city,” said Tran. “It was a big deal for our residents and it was a big deal to us as a council. So I called a legislator and said ‘Hey can you help me with this?’” It wasn’t just “oh sure” it was absolutely “this is what I’m going to do,” Tran said. “She told me the process and hand held me through the whole thing. So I think that’s probably the biggest misconception is that elected people don’t care and once they get there, they’re just too good for you.” That’s not the case at all, she said. “They care, we want to know what’s going on, we want to know your issues. People can say ‘Hey I’ve got this issue and this is how it affects me.’ Your legislators care because we represent you and that’s our job.” “What happens if you go to the city council or legislature, your party, that in your heart, you feel differently from the party or maybe your city council but you feel pressured to go along?” asked Osguthorpe. “How do you deal with it?” “I really think you have to look at yourself in the mirror,” said Tran. “If you
3285 W. 12600 S. Riverton, UT 84065
801-446-9766
Guaranteed Auto Body Repairs For ANY Insurance Company Page 24 | October 2026
can’t do that confidently, then don’t make a bad decision.” “There’s a lot of internal mechanistic pressures that happen within the legislative process,” said Lisonbee. “Early on I got some of the best advice that I’ve used in my legislative career and that’s ‘vote your conscience and have the conversation.’” Lisonbee said if she’s going to vote against something that she knows is a big deal to leadership or to the party or to a lobbyist, she goes and tells them “I am going to vote against this bill or I’m going to vote for it. I’m not going to change my mind even though you might ask me 50,000 times.” “The hardest thing is when you have party pressure and it’s different than what your constituents want you to do,” said Defay. “Often in those situations both answers are right. You could vote either way and it would probably be OK either way. I think the most difficult part of my job is trying to, one, understand how my constituents truly feel about a very important issue and, two, going against leadership or some group that is important to me and close to me but I know that it’s not what’s right for our district and it’s not right for me. It’s definitely a balancing act and you have to pick your battles.” “How would you tell our federal delegation and maybe the ones you don’t know, how they could be better and more effective and just get things done and help our country more,” said Osguthorpe. “I really do think there’s such dysfunction in D.C.,” said Lisonbee. “I don’t necessarily fault our delegation for not getting things done because I don’t know how to fix D.C.” “We do have a good federal delegation who are doing their best and I would say that most states would probably say that about their own delegations,” Defay said. “But collectively I think Congress is broken and like Rep. Lisonbee, I don’t know how we fix it without some dangerous sweeping change and Congress would have to go along with that.” “Every city is different,” Tran said. “We want to be different. That’s why we live in our city. That’s why we choose to do what we do. That’s something I would love to have support for.” “As a legislature, if we can step out of the way and let local communities and let business drive markets, I think that’s the very best thing that we can do,” said Defay. “We want to keep Utah the economic powerhouse that it is, that we really have a culture of hard work and industry that we are founded on and we continue to appreciate and believe in that culture.” There is so much to be grateful for, she said. “Teach the people coming to Utah that they are blessed to live here and then tell our children they are blessed to live here and help instill that gratitude and also that hard work ethic. I think that will help us to continue a strong economy in our legacy for the future.” l
T he City Journal
Local author turns Davis County landmarks into fantasy lore
Joe Evans’ debut fantasy novel grew from a Davis County internship, inspiring him to transform local landmarks, personal experiences, and mythological influences into a richly imagined world. By Amber Rothamer a.rothamer@davisjournal.com
W
hen Joe Evans arrived in Davis County years ago for a college internship, he wasn’t expecting the experience to change the trajectory of his creative life. He was simply a Montana kid studying at Montana Technological University, focused on engineering and the next step in his career. Writing might not have been a part of the bigger plan, but Davis County – its landscapes, its quiet pocket of nature, and the rhythm of working here – planted a seed he didn’t realize he’d return to. “I wanted to do something. I needed a project,” Evans recalled. “And the cool thing about writing is you can do it anytime, any place, anywhere.” Perfect for someone working full time in electrical testing and commissioning. That impulse eventually became “Trials of De Vuur,” the first novel in his myth-infused fantasy series set in the world of
Joe Evans (Courtesy) Agya. Though Joe now lives outside Davis County, he still happily works here – and the county’s geography, culture, and sense of place are woven directly into the book’s world building. One of the most striking examples is the Nierda River Basin, a central location in the novel. It’s modeled after the Farmington Bay Wildlife Preserve, one of
Evans’ favorite places to run and reconnect with nature in Davis County. Another landmark in Agya – a mountain city perched on jagged peaks – draws inspiration from the distinctive formations on Antelope Island. “Those places shaped me,” said Evans. “Without living in Davis County, I don’t know that I ever would have seen a need for a creative outlet.” Evans describes himself as a world traveller with a long bucket list, but it was Davis County, Utah that pushed him to finally build a world of his own. He wanted to fill a niche – something rooted in mythology but grounded in emotional realism. A lifelong fan of Percy Jackson and Greek mythology, he loved the endless “avenues and roadmaps” classical stories offer. But he wanted to twist them into something uniquely his own. The heart of “Trials of De Vuur” is Evaro, a young man marked by destiny and betrayal. Evans shaped Evaro after himself – temper, decisiveness, flaws, and all. “As the story continues, Evaro will hopefully, like me, learn self-control and decency,” said Evans. Betrayal became a central theme because it is universal. “Everyone knows what it’s like to be betrayed. I wanted to evoke strong emotion.” Another emotional anchor came from his father, whom Joe calls his greatest storytelling influence. “He was the biggest storyteller
of my life growing up,” Evans said. Their relationship shaped the book’s emotional core. “I know what my connection was with my father. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be betrayed.” But he did put himself in the shoes of others figuratively speaking and create a story around a betrayal unlike something he had experienced. Evans began the novel the “old-fashioned” way: pen and paper. He mapped out key events first, then built characters to fit the framework. His favorite part of writing was crafting the battle scenes and sequences – the strategy, the movement, and the intensity. But the hardest part came later. He admitted that, “the editing process was the biggest struggle,” and so “leaning on the support of others was key.” His girlfriend became a major partner, helping with online promotion and artwork. For young readers, Evans hopes the story offers something real. “Life is often preached to the younger generation with rose-colored glasses,” he said. “I think it’s important they realize there are going to be struggles. Keep pushing until you get through.” From Montana roots to a Utah imagination, Evans’ journey shows how unexpected places – like a Davis County internship – can spark entire worlds. And in Agya, those worlds look a lot like the ones right here at home.l
FFrr eeee
dessert dessert
Present thiscoupon coupon for free Present this forone one free dessert yourchoice choice with purchase. dessert of of your withany any purchase.
515 Ring Road Layton, UT thegreatgreekgrill.com Davisjournal .com
Excludes Dessert Sampler. Expires 10/31/26. Valid for dine-in or take-out only. Not valid for delivery. Must present coupon at time of order. One coupon valid per visit. Each location is independently owned and operated.
October 2026 | Page 25
Considering a move? Have questions? Reach out today 801-389-9319
April Sweigart
Global Real Estate Advisor
FOR ALL YOUR CEMETERY NEEDS
BOUNTIFUL MONUMENT Serving davis County For Over 60 Years Five generations in the monument business with unmatched craftsmanship, quality and service.
Buy direct from us and avoid paying sales commission to a mortuary or salesman 2010 SOUTH MAIN • BOUNTIFUL
801.295.2751
bountifulmemorialart.com Like us on Facebook
Page 26 | October 2026
T he City Journal
2026 Proposed Constitutional Amendments H.J.R. 10 Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution Publication Amendments 2025 General Session LONG TITLE General Description: This joint resolution of the Legislature proposes to amend the Utah Constitution regarding the publication of a proposed constitutional amendment. Highlighted Provisions: This resolution proposes to amend the Utah Constitution to: • require a proposed constitutional amendment to be published, in a manner provided by statute, for 60 calendar days immediately preceding the general election. Other Special Clauses: This resolution directs the lieutenant governor to submit this proposal to voters. This resolution provides a contingent effective date of January 1, 2027 for this proposal. Utah Constitution Sections Affected: AMENDS: Article XXIII, Section 1, Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, twothirds of all members elected to each of the two houses voting in favor thereof: Section 1. It is proposed to amend Utah Constitution, Article XXIII, Section 1 to read Article XXIII, Section 1. [Amendments: proposal, election.] Any amendment or amendments to this Constitution may be proposed in either house of the Legislature, and if two-thirds of all the members elected to each of the two houses, shall vote in favor thereof, such proposed amendment or amendments shall be entered on their respective journals with the yeas and nays taken thereon; and the Legislature shall cause the same to be published in at least one newspaper in every county of the state, where a newspaper is published, for two months, in a manner provided by statute, for 60 calendar days immediately preceding the next general election, at which time the said amendment or amendments shall be submitted to the electors of the state for their approval or rejection, and if a majority of the electors voting thereon shall approve the same, such amendment or amendments shall become part of this Constitution. The revision or amendment of an entire article or the addition of a new article to this Constitution may be proposed as a single amendment and may be submitted to the electors as a single question or proposition. Such amendment may relate to one subject, or any number of subjects, and may modify, or repeal provisions contained in other articles of the Constitution, if such provisions are germane to the subject matter of the article being revised, amended or being proposed as a new article.
Davisjournal .com
Section 2. Submittal to voters. The lieutenant governor is directed to submit this proposed amendment to the voters of the state at the next regular general election in the manner provided by law. Section 3. Contingent effective date. If the amendment proposed by this joint resolution is approved by a majority of those voting on it at the next regular general election, the amendment shall take effect on January 1, 2027. H.J.R. 10 passed the House 70-0-5. H.J.R. 10 passed the Senate 29-0-0.
S.J.R. 2 Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution Statewide Initiatives 2025 General Session LONG TITLE General Description: This joint resolution of the Utah Legislature proposes to amend the Utah Constitution to modify a provision relating to statewide initiatives. Highlighted Provisions: This resolution proposes to amend the Utah Constitution to: • provide the circumstances under which a higher percentage of voters than a majority must approve a statewide initiative that proposes to impose a new tax or to increase the rate of an existing tax or the amount of revenue collected. Other Special Clauses: This resolution directs the lieutenant governor to submit this proposal to voters. This resolution provides a contingent effective date of November 23, 2026 for this proposal. Utah Constitution Sections Affected: AMENDS: Article VI, Section 1, Effective 11/23/26 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, twothirds of all members elected to each of the two houses voting in favor thereof: Section 1. It is proposed to amend Utah Constitution, Article VI, Section 1 to read Article VI, Section 1 (Effective 11/23/26). [Power vested in Senate, House, and People.] (1)The Legislative power of the State shall be vested in: (a) a Senate and House of Representatives which shall be designated the Legislature of the State of Utah; and (b) the people of the State of Utah as provided in Subsection (2). (2) (a) (i) The legal voters of the State of Utah, in the numbers, under the conditions, in the manner, and within the time provided by statute, may: (A) initiate any desired legislation and cause
it to be submitted to the people for adoption upon a majority vote of those voting on the legislation, as provided by statute; or (B) require any law passed by the Legislature, except those laws passed by a two-thirds vote of the members elected to each house of the Legislature, to be submitted to the voters of the State, as provided by statute, before the law may take effect. (ii) Notwithstanding Subsection (2)(a)(i)(A), legislation initiated to allow, limit, or prohibit the taking of wildlife or the season for or method of taking wildlife shall be adopted upon approval of two-thirds of those voting. (iii) Notwithstanding Subsection (2)(a)(i)(A), initiated legislation that is subject to a vote that occurs after November 1, 2026, shall be adopted upon approval of at least 60% of those voting on the legislation if the initiated legislation includes: (A) the imposition of a new tax; (B) an expansion of an existing tax to include additional items or transactions subject to the tax; (C) an increase in an existing tax rate; or (D) for a property tax, a change to the tax rate that causes the tax rate to decrease less than it would under current law. (b)The legal voters of any county, city, or town, in the numbers, under the conditions, in the manner, and within the time provided by statute, may: (i)initiate any desired legislation and cause it to be submitted to the people of the county, city, or town for adoption upon a majority vote of those voting on the legislation, as provided by statute; or (ii)require any law or ordinance passed by the law making body of the county, city, or town to be submitted to the voters thereof, as provided by statute, before the law or ordinance may take effect. Section 2. Submittal to voters. The lieutenant governor is directed to submit this proposed amendment to the voters of the state at the next regular general election in the manner provided by law. Section 3. Contingent effective date. If the amendment proposed by this joint resolution is approved by a majority of those voting on it at the next regular general election, the amendment shall take effect on November 23, 2026. S.J.R. 2 passed the Senate 21-8-0. S.J.R. 2 passed the House 55-17-3.
SPONSORED CONTENT
October 2026 | Page 27
‘Choose the hard’ – Harrison’s patience pays off at Utah The former Viewmont High standout arrived at the University of Utah F
or six years, Alex Harrison waited for his opportunity at Utah. During that time he could have looked for an opportunity elseas a highly recruited offensive linewhere in search of more playing time via the man with offers from USC, Oregon, transfer portal. Instead, he stayed, and that Tennessee and Nebraska. has made all the difference. The former Viewmont High standout By Drew Angus arrived at the University of Utah as a highly d.angus@davisjournal.com recruited offensive lineman with offers from USC, Oregon, Tennessee and Nebraska. Through his first five seasons with the Utes, Harrison appeared in just 13 games. Now, after years of dedication and commitment, Harrison has his opportunity in 2026. The senior is anchoring the offensive line as the starting center, a team captain and the 2026 recipient of the 22-Forever scholarship. When asked if there were any regrets, Harrison didn’t hesitate. “Regrets? No.” At Viewmont, Harrison was a four-year starter and two-way player contributing in 37 games and was also recognized as a threetime all-state player, making first-team as both a junior and senior. With nine total college offers from top programs all across the country, Harrison had options. So why Utah? “From the time I was a little kid I was a Utah fan. Ultimately [the] proximity to home, Alex Harrison (79) snaps the ball in the University of Utah’s season opener against Idaho. Alex Harrison (79) holds his child after the continuity in the staff…and Utah had a Utah defeated Idaho 66-14 in the season culture of putting out NFL and all-conferopener on Thursday, Sept. 3. (Photos by Drew ence offensive linemen and that’s ultimately The 2025 season was Harrison’s junior deal with really grew me into the man I am Angus/Davis Journal) season and his sixth with the Utah program. today and it grew me into the player I’m where I wanted to be.” While he appeared in nine games, including a going to be this year.” start at center against Cal Poly, Harrison was That adversity and growth have put Harstill competing for playing time on an offen- rison in a position to accomplish the goals he sive line loaded with NFL talent. Utah’s start- has carried with him since high school, “first ing five in 2025 included eventual first-round and foremost is to win the Big 12. Personal draft picks Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, goals: I want to be an all conference player, be along with Tanoa Togiai and Jaren Kump, the best version of myself that I can be and set who both went on to make NFL 53-man ros- myself up for a shot at the [NFL] next year.” ters. The fifth, Michael Mokofisi from Woods For younger athletes hoping to follow Come try Utah’s Cross high school, was another NFL- caliber a similar path, Harrison’s advice is simple. Best Barbecue Restaurant lineman who according to Harrison, “likely “Choose the hard,” Harrison said. “ You’re would have been another draft pick” if not for never going to be disappointed that you gave Scan for $10 off your next order a foot injury during the draft process. everything you had and it may take you a little Looking back, Harrison sees those bit longer. It took me this long in my career to years of waiting as an important part of finally be a starter and I don’t regret a single his journey. “I love everything I went second of it.” Harrison closed by emphasizing, through,” he said. “The struggles, the tri- “Again, choose the hard. And believe me, if I als I had early on, everything that I had to made it out of here, anybody else can.” l
Screens New & Repair DAVIS
426 N Cabela’s Dr., Bldg H Ste 102 www.randrbbq.com Farmington, UT
Page 28 | October 2026
T he City Journal
Four siblings, three sports, one family: Satualas find success at Division I level
Despite playing for different universities, the Satualas stay connected as a family and cheer each other on. By Drew Angus d.angus@davisjournal.com
H
aving four siblings compete across multiple sports in high school would be remarkable. Having all four reach the Division I level across three sports is almost unheard of, but that is exactly what has happened with the Satuala family of Bountiful. The oldest, Emrie (Satuala) Moea’i, earned Big Sky Freshman of the Year honors at Idaho State playing volleyball before transferring to Utah, where she earned AVCA All-Region and Second-Team All-Big 12 honors before graduating in April. Faletau is a junior on the BYU football team who earned FWAA Second-Team All-America honors and First-Team All-Big 12 honors as a sophomore. Milika began her freshman season with the Utah basketball team this year after being named Deseret News’ Ms. Basketball as a senior at Bountiful. Rounding out the four is Bountiful senior Lakepa, who committed to play football at BYU earlier this summer. While their paths have taken them to different schools and different sports, the foundation for all four began in the same place. Milika remembers her dad getting all four of them outside for training. “I don’t know exactly what age, but definitely from a young age my dad started training sessions with us. We’d be out on the field for speed and agility, then for the boys we would be catching for my brothers and they would help us with basketball as well.” Milika credits her athleticism to those early training sessions, but also cites them as a time when the siblings grew closer. “All four of us trained together, pushed each other, competed and bonded together
Faletau Satuala (11) high-fives fans after BYU defeated Arizona 2817. (Drew Angus/ Davis Journal)
Davisjournal .com
over that time,” Milika said. Behind those early training sessions were her parents. Milika said the biggest sacrifices they made were their “time and energy,” an investment that became part of the foundation for what followed. “We definitely wouldn’t be here if they didn’t do that,” Milika said. As Emrie and Faletau moved on to college athletics, they set an example for their younger siblings. Emrie became someone Milika could turn to for advice, while Faletau’s influence shows up in a more visible way – Milika’s jersey number. “I chose jersey number 11 too because I look up to [Faletau] a lot and I want to follow in his footsteps and the example he sets, especially as an athlete.” That support for one another doesn’t mean things weren’t competitive in the Satuala household growing up. Milika said they are each “competitive in different ways.” She describes herself as the loudest and most vocal of the bunch, while youngest sibling Lakepa is always asking for “one more time, one more time” to keep the competition going. That competitiveness hasn’t carried over into the Utah-BYU rivalry. When asked if Milika Satuala dribbles the ball during practice at the Utah Huntsman Basketball Facility. the rivalry ever comes between the siblings, (Drew Angus/Davis Journal) Milika’s answer was simple: “No.” Instead, their parents have two bows – one for BYU and one for Utah – and hang the respective bow on the door whenever one of their children has a game. In a rivalry that can divide households across the state, the Satualas have found room for both red and blue. For all the success sports have brought the Satuala siblings, Milika said their athletic careers have given them something even more lasting. They can turn to one another for advice and relate to the experiences each is going through, even while competing in different sports wearing different colors. “It’s super cool how we can all just relate and still have this bond together,” Milika said. “Sports have been able to bring our family together, and that’s been really cool.” l
Join us for our Fall Shows. Scan the QR Code to be part of the magic and mystery.
October 2026 | Page 29
OBITUARY
Pauline Perkes Biggs March 30, 1934 – Sept. 16, 2026
Beloved by all who knew her, Pauline Perkes Biggs peacefully passed away at her home on Sept. 16, 2026, at the age of 92, following a long struggle with her health. Her life was marked by faith, service, adventure, creativity, and devotion to family. Pauline was born March 30, 1934, in Logan, Utah, to Orson Perkes and Naoma Webb Perkes. She was the second of three children and grew up with an enthusiasm for life that remained with her throughout her years. On Jan. 8, 1954, she married Eugene Sidney Biggs of Preston, Idaho, in the Logan Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Together they built a loving home and shared more than 60 years of marriage before Eugene’s passing in 2015. A woman of many talents, Pauline was known for her exceptional baking and cooking, beautiful oil paintings, floral arrangements, and sewing skills. Her adventurous spirit led her to enjoy horseback riding, skiing, snowmobiling, sailing, and riding her Kawasaki dirt bike. A faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pauline served in numerous callings, including Relief Society, Primary, Girls Camp leadership, and family history work. Her testimony was reflected in the simple statement: “I never doubted it.” Pauline’s greatest joy was her family. She was a de-
voted stay-at-home mother of three, grandmother of seven, and great-grandmother of 12, including three step-great-grandchildren. She is survived by her children, Steve Biggs, Janet Brewer (Mark), and Kathryn Schiffman (Buddy); and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene; her parents; and her brothers, Dee Perkes and Cordell Perkes. Funeral services were held on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026.
SAVE BIG ON YOUR BATHROOM REMODEL
Jone Olson Insurance Agcy Inc Jone Olson, Agent 94 West 200 North Bountiful, UT 84010 Bus: 801-292-8413
Matt Howard Ins Agcy Inc
420 N Redwood Road #C North Salt Lake, UT 84054 Bus: 801-335-0016 98 West 200 North Bountiful, UT 84010 801-292-7291
CALL US TODAY!
801-758-7911 Culligan Ins. & Fin. Srvcs. Inc. Matt Culligan, Agent 1584 S 500 W, Ste 201 Bountiful, UT 84011 Bus. 801-335-9016
Paul Howell Insurance
Paul Howell, Agent 146 W Parrish Lane Centerville, UT 84014 801-683-8276
VISIT US ONLINE: WSHPromotion.com
Why Choose West Shore Home?
Scan-to-Plan Accuracy Design-Driven Pricing
On-The-Spot Install Scheduling
Flexible Financing Options Subject to credit approval
Highly Trained Employee Installers
Ready to Renovate?
Scan the QR Code to schedule now!
New orders only. Offer not valid on previous sales or estimates and cannot be combined with other offers. See design consultant for details. Other restrictions may apply. 1. $1,500 off. Discounts taken from 1 year price and applied before other promotional offers. 2. Financing offers a no payment - no interest feature (during the “promotional period”) on your purchase (at an APR of 13.99-23.99%, rates vary by state). No finance charges will accrue on your account during the promotional period, as set forth in your Truth in Lending Disclosures, and you will not have to pay a monthly payment until the promotional period has ended. If you repay your purchase in full before the end of the promotional period, you will not have to pay any finance charges. You may also prepay your account at any time without penalty. Financing is subject to credit requirements and satisfactory completion of finance documents. Any finance terms advertised are estimates only. Normal late charges apply once the promotional period has ended. Call 888-697-4033 for financing costs and terms. Expires 12/31/2026.
Page 30 | October 2026
T he City Journal
W
hat if your worst day became your villain origin story? The day you lost your temper at Walmart. The day you kicked the office water cooler. The day you screamed at your partner in the grocery store and became a viral sensation for all the wrong reasons. What if your greatest shame or embarrassment became your legacy: forever. I’m afraid we’ve judged Disney villains too harshly. What if they were normal people having a tough day? What if their bad decisions defined them for generations? Take Ursula the Sea Witch. She ran a powerful, women-owned business, granting people their heart’s desire. What did she get? Impaled on the bow of a ship and labeled as a fast-talking, predatory loan officer for eternity. Were her tactics questionable? Of course. But she was also an octopus. What about Snow White’s Evil Queen? She bought into the idea that youth is everything and had a questionable relationship with mirrors, but one poison-laced apple and suddenly she’s a witch. Maleficent’s curse on Sleeping Beauty was an overreaction to not being invited to a baby blessing. Cinderella’s stepmother just wanted Cinderella to do some damn chores. Does that make her evil? Cinderella could have at least unloaded the dishwasher instead of dressing up her mice. Maybe these villains were all having a
Davisjournal .com
Welcome to the Dark Side Peri Kinder Life and Laughter
terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. But understanding why someone acted badly isn’t the same as excusing that behavior. We’ve all been there. We’ve said things we’ve regretted. We’ve hurt people’s feelings. We’ve done stupid things. Hopefully you didn’t try to skin 101 Dalmatians, but really, who hasn’t wanted a coat as soft as a pile of puppies? Who hasn’t gone all Queen of Hearts and yelled, “Off with his head!” during a stressful work meeting? No one? Just me? Was Beauty’s Gaston intentionally terrible? Maybe his father never taught him to respect women and never scolded him for putting his disgusting feet on the table. His public humiliation seemed to push him into “Kill the Beast” mode, but that’s no excuse for his villainous behavior. The way we treat each other matters. How often have we made someone the villain? The driver who honks immediately after the light turns green was obviously raised
by feral wolves. The woman having a meltdown at Starbucks becomes a “Karen” and is publicly shamed on TikTok. The neighbor who disagrees with you politically becomes your nemesis. And now our bad days can be recorded, posted, commented on by strangers and picked apart by internet trolls before we even figure out what happened. Life feels so prickly. We’re walking around like a cactus, trying not to stab someone in the thigh. I don’t think anyone wakes up and thinks, “I’m going to be an incredible jerk today.” Well, except some politicians. Who hasn’t felt rage, hopelessness or fear? Humans act irrationally. Sometimes we’re exhausted, sometimes we’re at wit’s end or sometimes we just can’t hear our co-worker chew his sandwich for one more minute. We are so quick to judge, so fast to condemn. Trolling has become a favorite pastime for many people, and I don’t mean the ones who live under bridges. I’ve often fallen into the role of villain. I’ve posted rage-bait; I’ve gauged a person’s character by the color of their hat or by the number of American flags stuck to their Ford F-150. We need to remember that everyone is carrying a heavy load, even the people we want to push off the castle. I know I’ve been the villain in someone’s story. Haven’t we all?
Peri Kinder is an award-winning columnist and journalist who has written for The City Journals since 2004. She also hosts the Life & Laughter podcast. Peri can be reached at peri.k@thecityjournals.com.
October 2026 | Page 31
Vote S U S A N R E P U B L I C A N C A N D I D AT E F O R D AV I S C O U N T Y C O M M I S S I O N E R ✔ Supports lower taxes & less spending ✔ Wi l l w o r k w i t h c i t i e s a n d n e i g h b o r h o o d s ✔ Wi l l p r o t e c t y o u r p r i v a c y ✔ Advocate for safe neighborhoods ✔ Accountant & small business owner
Content Authorized by Susan Lee for County Commissioner
w w w. Vo t e S u s a n L e e . c o m