It had to be postponed once because of (you guessed it!) snow, but the city’s snow plow drivers and public works employees were treated to a catered lunch courtesy of SunCrest residents after this year’s record snowfall kept them working longer and more than ever before, including weekends and holidays.
Snowfall in Draper is most pronounced in the mountain neighborhood of SunCrest where walls of plowed snow nearing 9 feet tall accumulated, and snow has to be hauled away to keep the community accessible and running safely. Deep snow in SunCrest makes other public works functions like garbage and recycling collection more challenging for city employees.
“They’ve gone above and beyond their regular call of duty,” said Scott Steadman. He and Robyn Foulger organized a GoFundMe for donations for the event. “We realize
page 10
56
SunCrest residents contributed to a GoFundMe for a catered lunch for the city’s
snow plow drivers and public works employees after a season of record snowfall kept them working harder than ever. (Courtesy Scott Steadman)
FOR SNOW
AFTER RECORD SNOWFALL ECRWSS Local Postal Customer Presort Std U.S. Postage P A I D Ogden, UT Permit #190 Scan Here: Interactive online edition with more photos. FREE May 2023 | Vol. 17 Iss. 05 Thank You to our Community Sponsors for supporting City Journals
m.dutton@mycityjournals.com Tree health care Tree trimming/ removal Organic mulch Stump grinding Emergency tree services Demolition Now Hiring! Up to $80K 801.262.1596 Call Diamond Tree Experts Today! 801.938.4345 DiamondTreeExperts.com Must present coupon at time of estimate. Expires 6/15/23. 10% OFF 10 Tree Services Now accepting green waste at our Magna yard! 7774 West SR201 • Magna UT Commercial & residential
Continued
SUNCREST RESIDENTS SHOW APPRECIATION
PLOW DRIVERS
By Mimi Darley Dutton |
D raper C ity J ournal page 2 | M ay 2023
M ay 2023 | page 3 D raper J ournal . C o M Alta View Hospital Thanks: • Sandy City Fire Stations 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 • Draper City Fire Stations 21, 22, 23 • Unified Fire Authority Station 110 (Cottonwood Heights) • Unified Fire Authority Station 113 (Snowbird) • Unified Fire Authority Station 116 (Cottonwood Heights) • Unified Fire Authority Station 125 (Midvale) • Unified Fire Authority Station 126 (Midvale) • South Jordan Fire Department • Gold Cross Ambulance • Sandy City Police Department • Draper City Police Department • Cottonwood Heights Police Department Join us in celebrating National EMS Week We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your dedication and service to our communities. In celebration of National EMS Week, we invite you to join us for a free BBQ. Thursday, May 25 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. The event will be held at St. Vincent Healthcare on the corner of 12th Avenue N. Thank You EMS, Fire, Law Enforcement and First Responders
Moon Juice brings their out-of-this-world sound to Draper Jam
By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
Moon Juice, a band comprised of student musicians, will bring their unique jazz-pop sound to Draper Amphitheater at Draper Jam on May 12. In March, the band won the 2023 South Multi-Region Battle of the Bands which is sponsored by the Utah PTA. Other Battle of the Bands finalists will perform at Draper Jam as well.
Clark Weiler, who plays trombone in Moon Juice, encourages people to attend the free concert. “You’ll hear up and coming new musicians, new sounds,” he said.
Singer and keyboardist Blake Hullinger added, “There will be a variety of unique music. You’ll get to see a lot of bands interact with each other.”
The Utah PTA Student Leadership Commission sponsors the Battle of the Bands every year. The competition is comprised of three rounds. The first rounds were held at participating high schools followed by the Multi-Region Battle of the Bands. Three musical acts chosen from each region then proceeded to the state finals which were held on April 29. All of the musical acts are judged on their technical proficiency, musicality, performance, creativity and audience appeal.
The young members of Moon Juice study their respective instruments at Rock University in Draper. Teachers at the music school introduced some of the players to each other. “We just sort of meshed well,” Weiler said. All, except for drummer Nolan Reinbold, are sophomores at Corner Canyon High School. Reinbold is a student at Draper Park Middle School.
Bassist Teagan Oram described the band’s style as “jazzy pop.” Hullinger explained that the band’s original songs are in the jazz genre. “But when we do a cover of a pop song, we make it our own with brass,” he said.
The band first came together in the fall
Jou r nals
DRAPER CITY TEAM
The Draper City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Draper. For information about distribution please email brad.c@thecityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner.
© 2019 Loyal Perch Media, Inc.
of 2021. Their former drummer came up with the name “Moon Juice” spontaneously when they were brainstorming names for the band.
For two years in a row, in 2022 and 2023, Moon Juice won the first round of Battle of the Bands at Corner Canyon High School. For this year’s competition, they performed a cover version of “I Lived” by
One Republic along with original compositions.
Winning the South Multi-Regional Battle of the Bands was a validating experience. “It makes you feel like the work you put in has been recognized,” Hullinger said.
“We’ve gotten so many gigging opportunities since we won regionals,” Weiler added.
Connect social media
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Bryan Scott | bryan.s@thecityjournals.com
EDITOR
Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
Ryan Casper | ryan.c@thecityjournals.com 801-254-5974
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Mieka Sawatzki | mieka.s@thecityjournals.com
Jason Corbridge | jason.c@thecityjournals.com
CIRCULATION COORDINATOR
Brad Casper | brad.c@thecityjournals.com 801-254-5974
EDITORIAL & AD DESIGN
Ty Gorton
Amanda Luker
Stacy Bronson
Anna Pro
DRAPER CITY JOURNAL 9500 South 500 West, Suite 205 Sandy, UT 84070
PHONE: 801-254-5974
Each member of Moon Juice is passionate about music and took up their instruments at a young age. Oram recalled “jamming on guitar with a friend up in Idaho.” He later moved to Utah and decided to take up the bass.
Guitarist Colter Barney, whose uncle, Jared Barney, founded Rock U, said, “I got my first guitar when I was 7 and started taking lessons.”
Caden Mather started playing trumpet when he was 9 years old. “My grandpa plays trumpet so I thought it was cool,” he said.
Hullinger began playing piano at a very young age. His skills on the keyboard and vocals lead him to be cast in a touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, “School of Rock” by the composer himself.
Weiler was a reluctant trombone player at first but enjoyed it and learned to play tuba as well. “I want to be the best tuba player in the state,” he said. Weiler, Mather and Hullinger belong to Utah’s All-State Band which includes the best musicians from high school bands in the state.
While Hullinger and Mather plan to pursue careers in music, each member of the band wants to keep playing in some capacity. “Whatever I do with my life, I want to keep music in it,” Oram said.
Barney isn’t quite sure what his future might look like. “I’ll go wherever the wind takes me,” he said. “But for sure I want to keep playing.”
Caden’s mom, Jenny Mather, is proud of the boys’ accomplishments. “It’s been fun watching this band because they’ve evolved into their own artists,” she said. “Then, as teachers, the role becomes just sitting back and watching the magic.”
Draper Jam will take place on May 12 at Draper Amphitheater, 944 Vestry Road. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. l
Our
MISSION STATEMENT
digital media.
PUBLISHER
Designed, Published, & Distributed by
|
|
D raper C ity J ournal page 4 | M ay 2023
FACEBOOK.COM/ /DRAPERJOURNAL/ INSTAGRAM.COM/ CITYJOURNALS LINKEDIN.COM/ COMPANY/ CITY-JOURNALS TWITTER.COM/ /DRAPERJOURNAL DRAPERJOURNAL.COM
YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS THE CITY
are also available on our website.
Rack locations
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
FREE
COMMUNITY
PAPERS
Members of Moon Juice, Teagan Oram on bass and Colter Barney on guitar, rock out on stage. (Photo courtesy of Jenny Mather)
Draper Historic Theatre’s ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ examines the human capacity for good and evil
The original concept for the 1886 novella, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" came to the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson in a nightmare. In the story, Dr. Jekyll's chemical experiments lead to the discovery of a potion which transforms him into the murderous monster, Mr. Hyde.
Stevenson's exploration of the capacity for evil that lurks in the human psyche was a sensation and it was immediately turned into a stage play. Draper Historic Theatre will present the 1990 musical version, "Jekyll & Hyde" starting May 8 through 27.
Director Melissa Van Dam explained that the main theme of the show is duality. "It's putting a microscope on good and evil and how they are present in all of us," she said. "Each character has that duality, not just Jekyll."
The music for “Jekyll & Hyde” was written by Frank Wildhorn, with the book and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Steve Cuden. The musical builds on the plot of Stevenson's novella. It adds characters such as Lucy, a nightclub performer and prostitute. Taylore Cahoon, one of the actors who plays Lucy explained, “She loves Jekyll but Hyde is obsessed with her.”
Other characters in the musical, like the Bishop of Basingstoke, appear to be upstanding members of society but have secret dark sides. The other actor who plays Lucy, Rachel Olson, said, “One of the songs in the show is about facades, the facade you put on for everyone else.”
Like most productions at Draper Historic Theatre, "Jekyll & Hyde" is double-cast. Tanner Tate, one of the actors who plays Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde offered an analogy about the conflicting impulses between good and evil. "It's like there are two wolves inside of each of us and the one that grows is the one you feed," he said. "Because this show explores such complex themes it delves into some darker territory. It's exciting."
The other actor who plays Jekyll and Hyde, Eric Smith, said, "I think that there are many stories to be told. We don't always dwell on the darker ones, but they have some important lessons." He sees the role of Jekyll as more challenging. "I want to dig into why Jekyll is so obsessed. What are his motivations to flirt with the dark side?"
Several cast members said that they were drawn to the musical’s soaring pop melodies.
“The music is so epic,” Van Dam said. “Everyone knows the show for the music, but we also wanted to bring out the stories of the characters and their relationships.”
By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
Claire Mortensen and Hanna Schneck both play Emma, the woman who is betrothed to Dr. Jekyll. “I love playing Emma because she is such a strong character who is so in love,” Schneck said.
Mortensen said, “Emma is definitely not afraid to stand up and fight for what she wants, a happy life with the man she loves.”
She also spoke of the show’s dark themes and stated, “This is definitely not a show for kids. It has some heavier content, such as murder.”
“Most musical theater is bright—this is very different,” Smith said. “But it’s a good different. If you’re looking for something fresh that is going to make you think, this is the show.”
Draper Historic Theatre has a disclaimer on its website explaining that the production is recommended for mature audiences only. In this regard, it is a departure from the family-friendly musicals that the theater usually presents. In fact, “Jekyll & Hyde” is rarely staged in Utah.
“This is not a show that you get a lot of opportunity to see,” Cahoon said.
“It really is a once in a lifetime show, especially here in Utah,” Olson added.
Mindful of the opportunity to present “Jekyll & Hyde,” the actors have come together as a tight ensemble. “We’re all best friends which comes through in the show,” Mortensen said. “Everyone elevates everyone else.”
“Jekyll & Hyde” runs May 8 through
27 at 7 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinee performances on May 13, 20 and 27. The theater is located at 12366 S. 900 East. For tick-
ets and more information, visit draperhistorictheatre.org. l
M ay 2023 | page 5 D raper J ournal . C o M
Tanner Tate, as Dr. Jekyll, contemplates the potion that will transform him in the Draper Historic Theatre production of “Jekyll & Hyde.” (Photo courtesy of Draper Historic Theatre)
Dr. Jekyll (Tanner Tate), defends the nightclub singer and prostitute Lucy (Rachel Olson) from her menacing boss, Spider (Bradley Barker) in the Draper Historic Theatre production of “Jekyll & Hyde.” (Photo courtesy of Draper Historic Theatre)
D raper C ity J ournal page 6 | M ay 2023
Thousands of teen girls’ interests sparked at SheTech Explorer Day
More than 3,000 girls attending the ninth annual SheTech Explorer Day profited from the 1,000 mentors, tech companies and educational institutions who offered classes, tech zone experiences and advice to them.
“Think about something that you totally love, something you totally love to do,” said Cydni Tetro, president and one of the founders of Women Tech Council who oversaw SheTech Explorer Day. “Then think for just a moment how technology might be part of the things that you love to do. You’re going to have an opportunity today to see so many different technologies and to be able to apply to things that you love. Think about if you learn technology, how you can apply that and help us change the world—and some really big problems. Your objectives today are to learn about all sorts of things you don’t know about, to intentionally meet role models— hundreds of them. Take advantage of the time to go and meet those women; they are here because of you.”
Behind the “Imagine the Possibilities” SheTech Explorer Day, was a student board of about 100 girls.
SheTech’s student board has two ambassadors from each high school who serve a one-year term. As ambassadors, they share information at their schools, attend monthly events, belong to school SheTech clubs, and have opportunities interacting with women in tech, industry leaders and the governor.
Many of them participated in the SheTech summer internship program. Several donned cap and gown as seniors and 30 were honored with SheTech scholarships to further their education. Applications for the board and internship are open now at their website, www.shetechexplorer.com.
Hillcrest High Work-Based Learning Facilitator Cher Burbank said her school’s ambassadors have promoted SheTech’s event annually.
“I like how the day is interactive; they’re showcasing their innovation and changes in the industry, and it engages students year after year,” she said.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox supported that as he addressed the attendees.
“Technology is changing rapidly and it’s impacting every single experience that we have; it’s impacting every industry and we need more women involved in those industries,” he said. “I see some of the best leaders in technology in our state here and they are incredible women. You can look up to them. I look up to them. We’ve been working hard to remove those barriers in the past and that’s what today is all about. This will do more to remove barriers than anything else. These people here have broken down those barriers for you and are here to support you in exploration and journey in STEM.”
Tetro realizes the impact SheTech is making as former SheTech students become leaders.
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
“Last year, a presenter told me, ‘I’m teaching one of the workshops and the only reason I graduated in civil engineering is because I came to SheTech seven years ago. Another told me she had met a woman who was an aerospace engineer, and she decided, ‘I could become that person,’” she said.
Summit Academy senior Kaidence Johnson followed the footsteps of her older sister to serve on the student board. She also serves as vice president of her school’s SheTech Club, a group her sister founded.
“I love the message SheTech is sending of empowering women to get into STEM,” she said. “It’s definitely a field that is growing and I’ve seen on Instagram and on the news how powerful SheTech is. The program is exploding into every school across Utah and every tech industry, so it’s exciting to be part of it.”
Hunter High senior Paris Ott also is a student board member.
“The end of my junior year, I didn’t know what direction I wanted to go and that’s when I came across the opportunity for the summer internship,” she said. “It was through that, I applied to be a board member and found my passion within STEM.”
She learned from data analysts, product managers and software engineers.
“Seeing their passion and the opportunities I had, I realized ‘this is something I can go into.’ I started my school SheTech club and I’ve been helping others see opportunities. At Hunter High School, we have a lot of ethnic kids with Latina and Asian backgrounds. I think a lot of them don’t know that they even have opportunities, especially those like me, as a woman, to have a future in STEM. I think a lot of girls are scared to enter the STEM field because it’s been a male-dominated field. When I see all these women in STEM, it inspires me. I’ve gained so much confidence through this program, and I was able to get an internship with Pixar because of SheTech.”
Johnson said the male-dominance is changing.
“My dad works in tech and says the attitude is changing and they’d love women’s viewpoints, but there’s still the idea of 20 years ago when you didn’t have a chance,” she said.
During the day, students were engaged in workshops such as programming, engineering, robotics, biomedicine, web development, ChatGPT, virtual reality, entrepreneurship and others.
Copper Hills High sophomore Sadie Smith attended their first Explorer Day.
“It is a good way to learn more about different jobs and get that in-depth understanding of technology, specific for girls,” Smith said. “Having an organization run this that encourages women empowerment is cool.”
Riverton High junior Elizabeth West-
wood said she was researching engineering and learned about SheTech’s student board and scholarship program.
“Explorer Day seemed like a perfect opportunity to learn more about that and about STEM,” she said. “I love physics and math, which isn’t everyone’s love, but it’s normal here.”
The TechZone offered hands-on learning about aerospace programs, 3D printing, automotive tech, gaming, aerial photography and more. Students also used creativity and visionary skills in the annual TechChallenge, with the guidance of industry mentors.
Participants chatted with Miss Utah Lyndsey Larsen, who shared she was a SheTech ambassador and summer intern as a Skyridge High student.
“I’m hoping I’m breaking stereotypes by talking about tech with a tiara,” she said. “I was really intimidated by math growing up, but I came to SheTech and realized that STEM is all around us. My experiences inspired me to take a kinesiology class. As a dancer, it was interesting to learn about the mind and the body and how that connection and the science behind that. That early exposure here at SheTech helped me want to pursue kinesiology with ballet performance for my college degree.”
Hillcrest High senior Morgan Khantivong, who plans to study English and zoology at Weber State, appreciated what she said.
“It made me see how anyone, no matter what your title is or how people may perceive you, can do whatever you want with your life,” she said.
Nearby, girls crowded around the University of Utah’s entertainment arts and en-
gineering, where they learned about game development.
“We teach everything from the history of games to how to do it, like production, design, tech art, game art, programming, all of that culminating in publishing a game,” said academic adviser Miranda Klausmeier. “We want girls to disrupt the norm and envision their future where they can develop these games, whether it’s a traditional entertainment game, or an alternative game, say for the educational or medical field. These young women here are going to be our leaders in STEM fields.”
Through involvement with SheTech, Adobe Chief of Staff of Cloud Operations Jamie Dalton wants to engage more females into STEM by sharing more career choices.
“We have a community of women here who are wanting to give back and help these young women succeed,” she said. “A lot of times women are pitted against each other and don’t realize if you get into a good healthy environment, women can be your biggest allies. For these high school girls, they’re going to have a really big advocacy group, cheering them on to success.”
Tetro said that is one of the reasons the Women Tech Council founded SheTech— to increase students’ exposure to women in STEM and to have that network “of thousands of women in STEM.”
“We interviewed a 1,000 girls, who said, ‘We don’t know any women in tech and that’s why we don’t enter STEM fields,’” she said. “We knew we could change that.” l
M ay 2023 | page 7 D raper J ournal . C o M
East High ninth-grader Addy Feldman and 12th-grader Mia Feldman talk with Miss Utah Lindsey Larsen at the ninth annual SheTech Explorer Day. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Local professional businesswomen mentor high school girls in scholarship program
It wasn’t expected to be a traditional cap and gown graduation, but one to celebrate 11 high school seniors at South Valley Chamber’s Women in Business meeting. Miss America 1985 Sharlene Wells Hawkes and two students were slated to speak.
These female students—one from each Canyons School District high school and Canyons Technical Education Center, four from Jordan School District and one from Juan Diego Catholic High School—have been part of the Junior Women in Business program this school year. It’s an opportunity for them to be mentored by professionals and be awarded with a $1,000 educational scholarship.
Corner Canyon High senior Chesney White, who plans to study international business at the University of Utah, is one of the junior members.
“I thought this would be a great scholarship opportunity for me, but since being a part of it, it’s been much more,” she said. “I’ve shadowed my mentor (Draper City’s Chief of Staff Kellie Challburg) and learned how the city runs and collaborates with other local businesses. It’s important to have good relationships because it impacts the community.”
The program pairs professional businesswomen with the students, who learn that even successful leaders may have been once just like them—ambitious, but maybe a little uncertain too.
Gaby Bernal-Camacho graduated from Junior WIB in 2019.
“As a first-generation college student, I was honored to have received that scholarship, but moreso, the resources that Junior Women in Business gave me were unmatched,” she said. “My mentor, Chris Whipple, was phenomenal. We immediately clicked. She was so supportive, I could have called her at two in the morning and she would have been there.”
Bernal-Camacho’s mentor helped her on her career path, supported her through graduating with a health society and policy major and a business minor and applauded her as she started her own business.
“When I shadowed Chris, she was passionate about her job. I remember thinking, ‘I want to be that in love with my job and have that kind of impact in the world,’” she said. “She and (former South Valley Chamber director of programs) Karla Rogers were always there helping me make decisions that impacted my life and my career.”
South Valley Chamber CEO/President Jay Francis is enthusiastic about the program that began about 20 years ago.
“I’m passionate about having these high school senior girls rub shoulders with successful businesswomen at professional lunches, perform a service project, be mentored; it gives these young ladies a boost up,” he said.
Former Sandy Chamber CEO/President Greg Summerhays agrees.
“Many of these girls have a great GPA, they know where they’re going, they know what they want to do,” he said. “Others look for direction and guidance. So that one-on-one mentorship helps these girls to discover what it’s like to be a woman in business, the challenges women face, and the amazing opportunities out there. They’re able to network and have their mentor’s cell phone number as they are graduating from high school, entering college and looking for jobs or internships. It’s an amazing connection for them.”
The mentorship helps the girls gain insight, support and guidance, said Susan Edwards, Canyons School Dis-
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
trict’s public engagement and legislative liaison.
“We match the girls and their interests with our mentors,” she said, adding that in the past 15 years she’s been involved in the program, mentorships that once focused in business fields now extend to other careers. “(My mentee) this year is interested in environmental policy, so she’s had some experiences and talked to people in that field. Last year, my mentee wanted to understand politics so she talked to people at the Capitol. When a student wants to go into education, I introduce her to all the working parts of the district office so she learns the business behind education.”
White, and the other junior members, attend monthly luncheons featuring keynote speakers.
“We heard how small business owners learned from their experiences to become successful. We heard from the Policy Project, a nonprofit that recently got the legislature to pass getting menstrual products in schools,” said White, who afterward volunteered to be an ambassador with the Policy Project. “We’re lucky because as Junior Women in Business members, we get a shoutout and get to meet the presentation speakers. It’s a cool opportunity to be with these successful women, all who answer our questions. I’ve learned a lot of leadership skills; it’s been uplifting.”
Bernal-Camacho also remembers speaking to the women leaders.
“I’d ask every speaker for contacts and follow up with them,” she said. “I wanted to make the most of the opportunity. I’m still in contact with some of those people as
well as my cohort of girls to this day.”
Through the years the speakers have ranged from Gail Miller, owner of the Larry H. Miller Company, to the local business entrepreneurs with Julie Ann Caramels and RubySnap Bakery.
In March, Salt Lake Community College President Deneece Huftalin shared how she uses her leadership style to lead the state’s largest two-year school. She hopes she inspired the junior members.
“I want them to think the world is their oyster,” she said. “They should never think that they can’t do things they care about. If they want to do something, pursue it. Work hard to get to that place, do your homework and be prepared, and realize, you can do more than you think. Sometimes, a job doesn’t always line up with what is on your resume, but when you’re passionate and have enough capability, you can do incredible things.”
Three-year WIB committee member Gayle Whitefield of Jordan School District said students appreciate the messages of encouragement.
“It motivates them to see the changes they can make and how women are leaders,” she said. “They realize, ‘I can be a part of this great thing;’ we’re here to make that connection and give students a step to achieving their dreams. These girls will be leaders, and we’re giving them support.”
As part of the program, the teens learned from legislators at the Utah House of Representatives.
“We learned how they work through bills and how the
D raper C ity J ournal page 8 | M ay 2023
Salt Lake Community College President Deneece Huftalin talks with Junior Women in Business members during a recent South Valley Chamber of Commerce Women in Business luncheon. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
New craven sculptures at Price Lone Peak Business Park symbolize good luck and optimism
People passing by the Price Lone Peak Business Park and Retail Center on 12300 South might be forgiven if they do a double-take at the new realistic-looking sculptures of cravens on the property.
Real estate developer Steve Price commissioned the works of public art which were officially unveiled on a chilly day in late March. Draper City Mayor Troy Walker and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson joined Price, his parents and artist J. Michael Wilson for the occasion.
A craven is part-crow and part-raven. “They are based in Native American mythology,” Wilson explained. “They’re a good luck symbol.” Wilson did not give a detailed explanation of the sculptures’ significance. “I think it’s kind of neat to let them be a little mysterious,” he said. “We wanted to keep it simple, let the birds speak for themselves.”
Each craven is made of bronze and weighs approximately 200 pounds. They were cast by the Lehi-based foundry Adonis Bronze. “Every single bit of this project is local,” Price said.
The creation of the sculptures began about three years ago. Wilson initially sculpted them out of an oil-based clay. He said that as he worked on the cravens, “they started taking on a personality of their own.” Molds were made of the finished clay figures which were later cast in bronze.
Three of the large birds sit atop a 22-foot-tall feature spanning the entrance to the business park. Two of them appear to be examining an empty coffee cup while another peers down quizzically at cars entering below. Yet another holds a key in its beak while perched on a 20-foot-tall repurposed gantry beam from the historic Rio Grande/Union Pacific depot in Salt Lake City.
government affects how businesses run. I compete in congress debate in school, so I was able to relate to it, which was neat,” White said, adding that they helped with Women of the World, an organization that helps women who have been displaced become self-reliant. “This program is one of the best things I’ve done; I’d do it again— in a heartbeat. I’ve loved it.”
The program evolved from Sandy Chamber of Commerce wanting to support a student interested in business into the mentorship scholarship, beginning with seniors in Canyons School District and at Juan Diego, Edwards said.
Former Sandy Chamber President/ CEO Stan Parrish said that the strong WIB program allowed for more networking opportunities.
“There’s a lot of support in the program and a genuine goodness in the community
By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
“The key represents a key to the future, new heights,” Price said.
The cravens join sculptures of polar bears and a rhinoceros in the area which were also commissioned by Price. Those animal sculptures were created by Utah sculptor Dollores Shellady whose works appear at Hogle Zoo and around the world.
“Local art matters,” Price stated in his remarks to the gathered crowd at the business park. He spoke about the importance of public art. "How do we craft a city that is livable?” he asked rhetorically. “Art has a place. Art gives us soul and inspires us. Art-place makes a community. Art isn’t a decoration, it’s a destination.” He said that he was pleased to see people stopping to
to want to help,” he said. “We learn a lot from one another about running a business; when we share those stories with everyone, we become a stronger community.”
The junior program multiplied in 2019 when the chamber became South Valley and included four Jordan District high schools: Bingham, Herriman, Mountain Ridge and Riverton. It also expanded in its scope beyond the business pathway, Edwards said.
Summerhays said Rogers “elevated” the program during her tenure to include powerful speakers, strong mentors and meaningful service.
“What’s neat is the Junior Women in Business girls are right alongside these professional women; they see their impact in our community,” he said.
Rogers said the program’s focus allows girls to learn from women about their
look at and photograph the polar bear and rhinoceros sculptures, adding that the rhino’s horn was shiny from folks touching it.
In her comments, Wilson spoke of the benefit of public art to the community. “The world’s hurting and the more we can do something positive like this, the better everybody’s going to be,” she said.
Wilson commended the Price family for helping to enrich the community through their contributions to the arts. “It’s not often that you see a business and a family commissioning art for the public,” she said.
Walker described public art as an ex-
careers.
“I grew up thinking you were either a nurse, a schoolteacher or a secretary, so having these girls be exposed to women with so many varying backgrounds is critical to their learning,” she said.
Juan Diego Catholic High’s John Moran, a WIB committee member, agrees.
“There’s a big push to get girls into these nontraditional tech fields, so we get them opportunities to see these women in action so they can learn successful professionals are doing and how to become those future leaders,” he said.
This fall, the Chamber plans to include girls from all Jordan School District high schools Francis said.
“We’re reaching to all the high schools in Jordan and some private schools to expand this opportunity to 17 or 18 girls. As a Chamber, we’re finding resources so we
ample of the partnership between the public and private sectors. He also observed that the cravens are in the perfect location to draw a lot of people—“between sugar and caffeine.” The sculptures sit between a Swig soda shop and a Starbucks.
Wilson explained that the placement of the sculptures “where you don’t expect to see them” was intentional. “They can bring a little enjoyment to people’s lives,” he said.
The cravens are located at approximately 200 W. 12300 South in Draper. l
can mentor young women in careers and help with their college education,” he said. Canyons’ Career and Technical Education Specialist Patti Larkin is serving her sixth year on the WIB committee.
“The biggest benefit is the connections that are made, those with the mentor, the speakers, the Women in Business and the other girls themselves,” Larkin said. “Most of the girls stay in touch with their mentors long after their mentorship ends and continue to connect with those people they’ve met during their senior year.”
Summerhays agrees.
“There are tears and hugs when they say goodbye at the formal end of the program, but the girls stay in touch as they move forward with their lives,” he said. “Those connections continue through college and as they enter the business world.”
M ay 2023 | page 9 D raper J ournal . C o M
l
A bronze sculpture of a craven, a crow/raven hybrid, sits atop a repurposed gantry beam from the historic Rio Grande/Union Pacific depot in Salt Lake City in the Price Lone Peak Retail Center on 12300 South. (Photo courtesy of Price Real Estate) Cravens, crow/raven hybrids, appear to examine a discarded coffee cup in a new bronze sculpture recently unveiled at the Price Lone Peak Business Park on 12300 South. (Photo courtesy of Price Real Estate)
Charger wrestlers finish high at nationals
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
Corner Canyon High sophomore Leimana Fager (middle) placed fourth in the 182-pound division at NHSCA High School Nationals in Virginia Beach, Virginia, March 24-26. Junior Kaydon Williams (right) and sophomore Nai Filivaolelei (left) also placed fifth and eighth, respectively, in the 285-pound division. (Photo courtesy John Fager)l
SilverLine drill team take talents to nationals in California
By Cathering Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
TheJuan Diego SilverLine drill team placed first at USA Dance Nationals in Anaheim, California March 17-18. They also came in second in Military—just five-tenths out of first place —and third in Dance. Those on the squad this season were: Kianna Almonacid, Ireland Colligan, Ella Devir, Maile Gallegos, Lucila Garcia, Rachee Hatch, Josie Jewkes,
Mikala Lund, Alexis Manson, Lily Martin, Samantha Martinez, Sophia Moreno, Danielle Pozzi, Miranda Rice, Ava Schorlemmer, Ella Schorlemmer, Rowan Shosted, Iris Silva, Mia Silva and Corinne Simao. The SilverLine team was coached by Jaydee Lester, Maddy Gough and Gentry Stevenson. (Photo courtesy April van der Sluys) l
it’s been taxing on them and their families, so our community rallied to show support,” Steadman said.
Adding levity to the lunch, “I survived SunCrest winter 2022-2023” bumper stickers were distributed.
Because fundraising exceeded the established goal, the extra $1,600 was used to purchase “Grab and Go” drinks and snacks that will be at kept at the Public Works building for the drivers and staff to enjoy in the months to come.
Deputy Public Works Director Robert Markle spoke on behalf of the city’s employees. “In a year where we’ve seen historic snowfall and countless hours from dedicated workers, it was very nice to feel appreciated. All of the crew has put their personal lives on hold for the past five-plus months. Between December and February there were less than 20 days where we weren’t performing some type of snow removal. We usually only hear from residents that are upset about our efforts. The crew could feel a little bit better about their efforts that day,” he said. “As of January, we had already performed more snow plowing then the previous two winters combined.” l
D raper C ity J ournal page 10 | M ay 2023
Continued from front page
Middle school athletes compete in first state unified basketball tournament
About100 athletes and their peer partners packed Jordan High School’s gym for Utah’s first-ever middle school unified basketball tournament.
The middle school unified basketball tournament is modeled much like the early March high school state tournament where three athletes and two partners play together on the court. The ball is shared with everyone on the team and partners help their fellow teammates be successful, said Boston Iacobazzi, Unified Champion School’s college-growth coordinator.
“We’re wanting to involve more of our middle schools and also elementary schools in Unified Champion Schools,” Iacobazzi said, adding the progression starts with Sports Days or various games at the elementary level. “Inclusion can happen at a young age. It doesn’t need to be later in life; we want it to start as young as possible. Last spring, we started a middle school unified golf program as more of an individual-type sport that students competed in this past year. Now, we’re adding the team sport of basketball. Our goal is to have 25 middle schools involved next year.”
Seven Canyons and Jordan school districts’ middle schools’ players practiced with their peer tutors since mid-winter for the March 23 tournament. Several schools brought more than one team to the tournament. The teams were set into divisions based on the players’ ability.
“It’s all about inclusion,” Iacobazzi said. “Everyone gets to play; everyone is on the floor dribbling, passing, shooting and being out there, having fun.”
Often during the games, unified sports players will clap or high-five a player after
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
a basket, even when the athlete is on the opposing team. Players break out in an impromptu dance with a big grin on their faces in pure joy, realizing that by being included, they’re an important part of their team and their school, he said.
“For me, middle school was not my favorite time. Middle and junior high is an awkward phase in a student’s life. So, it’s important that we add that inclusiveness, that sense of belonging and inclusion while everyone’s still learning how to be a young adult,” Iacobazzi said.
At the tournament, the division 1 middle school teams squared off, with Mount Jordan Middle 1 taking first place. Second place went to Mountain Creek Middle 2 and third to South Jordan Middle 1.
Oquirrh Hills Middle 1 was the champion of division 2, with South Jordan Middle 2 taking second. Mountain Creek Middle 1 took third and Mt. Jordan Middle 2 took fourth.
In division 3, West Jordan Middle won. Second place was Oquirrh Hills Middle 2, followed by Draper Park Middle and Mt. Jordan Middle 3.
“It was very cool seeing just the level of play and how well the coaches, most of them being special education teachers, had really coached their teams,” he said. “And it was great seeing some of the high school coaches supporting and talking to the middle school players, asking them to be on their team when they reach their schools.”
In addition to the middle school tournament, Special Olympics Utah held a March 24 alternative high school state basketball tournament after more than 70 teams competed for one of the 32 playoff spots.
“We offered this tournament to those teams who didn’t get the chance to play earlier at Weber State,” Iacobazzi said. “We wanted to offer more opportunities than just their one-day region tournament and the state tournament.”
At the March 25 college tournament, four Utah schools competed to advance to nationals. Brigham Young University won and was slated to represent the state April 13-16 in Maryland. It was also the first unified college tournament for the state.
Special Olympics had its state community basketball tournament March 25, which has been held for about 10 years. About 35 teams, with players age 8 years old and up, competed at the University of Utah.
“It’s one of our biggest events; we may have to pattern it after the high school tournament and hold a state and alternate state tournament just to make sure we have enough basketball courts,” Iacobazzi said. “It’s great that so many are wanting and getting the opportunity to play.” l
M ay 2023 | page 11 D raper J ournal . C o M
West Jordan’s unified basketball won its division in the first middle school unified basketball tournament. (D. Rae Garrison/West Jordan Middle School)
Mt. Jordan athletes and partners team up to play in the state’s first middle school basketball game, where all players are included. (Photo courtesy of Jamie Hakala)
In front of a packed gym, an Oquirrh Hills student-athlete brings up the ball in the game. (Photo courtesy of Jamie Hakala)
Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
D raper C ity J ournal page 12 | M ay 2023 In March, Juan Diego Catholic High School students and faculty celebrated a centuries-old Italian tradition, honoring Saint Joseph, the school’s patron saint. To go along with the tradition that originated in Sicily as a way for peasant Italian communities to give food to the less fortunate among them, the Juan Diego Catholic High School community gathered more than 10,000 cans of food, seen here sorting the food, and raised $12,000 earmarked for Catholic Community Services. (Photo courtesy of Juan Diego Catholic High School) l Juan Diego gathers 10K cans of food for less fortunate
Utah’s #1 Stop for Sweet Rolls and Cookies! 369313400S. •Riverton,UT84065•(385)361-1860 Buy a box of 4 items or more & get your second box 50% OFF! Expires 6/15/23. One coupon per order. Must present coupon to receive offer. Birthday Cake Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Roll - our best seller!
By
Draper Real Estate Update & Scholarship Information
By Jason Corbridge
school in the spring of 2023. The student is required to write a short essay on what they love about living in Draper. The winner’s essay and picture will be displayed in the June 2023 edition of the Draper Journal, in this section. Send essay entry to RaeAnne at GotUtahHouses@live.com or call/text for more information. “I had to work my way through college and I actually won a few scholarships through the Miss America preliminary pageant system. I know personally, how overwhelming it can be to have to find funds for continued-education post high school, so this is my way to give back to the community,” Stranc said.
Stranc’s take on the market right now is that Draper residents still retain a lot of equity in their homes to date, but the market is showing a shift in favor of buyers, affecting prices, days on market, and the volume of Active vs. Sold homes.
Please let Stranc know if you are planning to do some updates to your home, or if you have plans to take equity out to buy an investment property. She can create a complimentary Comparative Market Analysis specific to your property, which will ensure you are not overspending in your updates compared to the home value. Please call or text her at (801) 888-4525. Otherwise, she’ll see you at the door!
Draper resident, Raeanne Stranc, is four months into her own “marathon.” She’s not a runner, but a Realtor, who’s been selling homes in Draper for over fifteen years. Her marathon consists of door-knocking 10,000 homes in the city of Draper. Most of these will be single-family homes. “My goal is to get to know my neighbors and be a part of the community and if I can help on a more personal level, then all the better,” Stranc said.
Stranc’s goal is to knock 10,000 doors by the end of 2023. She is hoping to give updates and stories of her progress in the upcoming Draper Journals editions. “Most Realtors call this farming, but that’s not really what I am doing. You have to be consistently knocking the same doors over and over to really farm a neighborhood. This to me is a marathon, because I have to stay the course and double-down on a new subdivision every week. I love meeting people and I hope this will be fun for everyone,” she said.
She is also leaving behind a door hanger with a number on it. If she posts your number in the upcoming edition of the Draper Journal, you win a $25 gift card to one of Draper’s eating establishments. “There will be about four gift card winners a month and so the neighbors who I knock first will have the biggest advantage because they will be in the pool until December 31, 2023,” Stranc said.
Stranc has door knocked 420 homes since January and winning door numbers who have not claimed their restaurant gift cards are 90, 237, 32, 294, 381.
In April, Stranc announced that she is giving away a $1000 scholarship to a high school senior who is graduating from high
M ay 2023 | page 13 D raper J ournal . C o M
ADVERTORIAL
Statistics are a daily snapshot
Raeanne Stranc is a 2021 Top 500 Realtor and a 2022 Distinguished Service Award Winner with the Salt Lake Board of Realtors.
courtesy of UtahRealEstate.com.
D raper C ity J ournal page 14 | M ay 2023 HERE KNOWLEDGE MATTERS! O V E R 2 0 0 Y E A R S O F E X P E R I E N C E U N D E R O N E R O O F F R E E Buy four 10,000 sq. ft. 50 lb bags and get one 50 lb. bag of Granular Humates 4-Step Lawn Care Program $199 Full-Year Program C U S T O M I Z E D (800 GIVE US A CALL! YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID! NOR - VERT. TANK50 GAL 18X53 - 3/4" OUTLET $230.11 LIVE EARTHGRANULAR HUMATES $17.99 50 lb. ZOELLER - PUMP DISCHARGE SUBMERSIBLE $25.72 I-YIELD TREFLAN GRANULES COVERS 2,400 sq ft prevents weeds for 810 weeks Treflan stops weeds cold! 15 lb. Specially blended for lawns along the Wasatch Front. Covers up to 1,000 sq. ft. $31.90 PICKSEEDATHLETIC MIX 5 lb. Other blends available! $279.99 Prepare for flooding with this high volume sump pump! 1 qt Formulated for moderate y active dogs $49.75 50 lb Great summer blend fertilizer. Covers 10,000 sq. ft. TURF FERTILIZER 24-3-6-10S-3FE FERTILOMEGARDENER'S SPECIAL - 11-15-11 $29.98 15 lb. DIAMONDMAINTENANCE DOG FOOD $35.99 40lb. Shop online anytime at steveregan.com W E H A V E E X T E N D E D H O U R S T H R O U G H T H E S P R I N G ! ! FERTILOMEROOT STIMULATOR $11.72 Other options available! L A N D S C A P E F A B R I C & E D G I N G Steel edging Strong enough to last and Flexible enough to bend! STAKES INCLUDED!! Dewitt offers the highest quality, commercial grade weed barrier on the market! We offer a large variety of sizes at the best value! Protect your dogs against ticks and lyme. DURVET - CANINE SPECTRA 10PLUS LYME $17.50 Emergency water storage. Other sizes available! 1 ds. For the best lawn in the neighborhood Use for healtheir roots and plants Contains essential micro nutrients 50 gal.
Five healthy cyber habits to practice in 2023
Aswe develop new habits for 2023, it’s important to analyze old patterns to determine where we can improve. In addition to physical, financial and social resolutions, taking charge of cyber habits can create online protection.
According to Comcast’s Xfinity Cyber Health Report, 78% of Americans engage in risky online behaviors, leaving them vulnerable to cyber threats. Many share or reuse passwords and ignore software updates, giving criminals opportunities to hack information.
“Just as it’s important to care for our physical health, it’s important for us to maintain our cyber health,” said Kevin Taylor, Comcast cybersecurity fellow. “As we see in the Comcast Cyber Health report, cyber criminals are busy trying to access consumers’ information and networks. A good cyber health plan includes good passwords, multi-factor authentication, and caution when clicking links and visiting websites.”
Simple practices can protect you, your family and business from potential scams and security breaches.
1. Beef up your passwords. According to the report, 56% of Americans reuse passwords across platforms. Also, 18% used preset passwords for a new device instead of creating one during setup. While having a few password variations makes it easier to log in to accounts, it leaves you open to network and device breaches.
Use strong, unique passwords. Avoid using generic passwords and don’t use passwords that include personal information that hackers can guess by searching social media. For example, don't include your name, pet's name, birth date, favorite sports team or the city where you were born in your passwords.
The strongest passwords are long and use a combination of letters, numbers and special characters. Passphrases (passwords made up of phrases or sentences) enhance password security.
Comcast’s Xfinity Cyber Health Report showed nearly 80% of Americans leave themselves open to cyber threats due to risky online behaviors. Comcast offers five cyber habits to practice this year. (Comcast)
Change passwords regularly so compromised credentials are useless to scammers.
2. Use multi-factor authentication. Many accounts and devices use multi-factor authentication, requiring you to confirm your identity using two or three different factors. Typically, MFA will ask you something you know (a challenge question), something you have (a time-sensitive code sent to your phone or email) or something physical (fingerprint or facial recognition). Enabling MFA adds a layer of protection that makes it harder for bad actors to invade your digital life.
3. Keep your devices up to date. Do you dread the “system update required” message? It seems to come at the worst possible time, like during a work assignment, helping kids with online schoolwork or paying bills.
Don't ignore these notifications. Firmware and system updates often include new security features that are essential for
device and network security. An easy way to protect devices is to enable the auto-update setting. By allowing devices to update automatically, you can always have the latest security updates and firmware running.
4. Review your connected devices. On average, Xfinity households have 15 connected devices, with power users averaging as many as 35. Often, someone bought a new device, connected it to the home network and neglected to disconnect the old ones. However, just because you're not using older devices doesn't mean there isn’t a security threat.
To secure your home network and accounts, take inventory of all your devices. Use your internet provider's apps and tools to check which devices are currently connected in your home. Find the devices you no longer use and erase personal information before recycling.
5. Read up on phishing. Get educated on common phishing tactics to protect yourself from scams. According to the Xfinity report, only 39% of respondents said they could confidently explain what phishing is. Not understanding phishing means it’s unlikely you can protect your household. Many cybercriminals impersonate a friend, family member or organization, like banks or schools, to get you to divulge sensitive information.
Phishing emails can be convincing, but telltale signs of phishing include spelling errors in the subject line or email body, suspicious links or attachments, tones of misplaced urgency, unfamiliar senders or slightly misspelled company names in the sender's email address. If you have doubts, reach out to the family, friend or organization the email is from to inquire about its legitimacy.
Using these five tips will safeguard your devices and digital information in 2023 and beyond. l
M ay 2023 | page 15 D raper J ournal . C o M CURRY YOUR WAY! 9710 SOUTH STATE STREET SANDY, UT 84070 385-296-1461 Monday - Saturday 11 AM – 9 PM $5 OFF Must present coupon at time of purchase. Valid only for dine In or take out. Can’t be combined with other discounts. Valid only with purchase of food items. One coupon per customer. Expires 6/30/23. PURCHASE OF $20 OR MORE! zimbuslc.com
D raper C ity J ournal page 16 | M ay 2023 • NOT medicine • NOT shock therapy • NOT invasive • IS safe and effective • IS COVERED by most insurance “I had taken 11 different medications without any relief… NeuroStar treatment has helped me bring my life back…with a happiness that I’ve never experienced before” ~TODD TMS is like physical therapy for the brain. It uses magnetic pulses, similar in strength to an MRI, to reignite dormant connections in the brain and give you control of your depression. With NeuroHealth, you can take back your life. Scan here to take a free HIPPA compliant PHQ9 self assessment test. DO YOU SUFFER FROM Depression? We can help. NeuroHealthUtah.Com 10437 South Temple Dr. South Jordan, UT 84095 385-217-6890
Utah Supreme Court project will give people access to free legal advice on housing issues
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
Asevictions and landlord-tenant disputes increase, the Utah Supreme Court is stepping in with what it hopes will be a solution.
The Court’s Office of Legal Services Innovation, in partnership with Innovation 4 Justice, announced a groundbreaking project. The Housing Stability Legal Advocate Pilot Program will train and certify nonlawyers working within community-based organizations to help bridge the gap in access to justice for vulnerable populations.
“We have so many unrepresented tenants in our court system right now,” said Utah Supreme Court Justice Diana Hagen. “When an eviction case is filed, generally the landlord is almost always represented and the tenant is almost always not represented. We have a lot of lawyers offering pro bono services for those tenants. The number of tenants in the system is staggering.”
Social workers trained as HSLAs will be able to provide legal advice to tenants who are facing eviction or other housing instability issues. The program is designed for early intervention to keep tenants out of the court system. Housing advocates will also help people who have been evicted to find housing assistance, get the eviction off their credit report after seven years and explain the financial ramifications of eviction.
Many attorneys provide free legal advice and services for those struggling with housing instability and legal aid clinics are available for those who qualify, but the need still outweighs the availability of these services.
The HSLA Pilot Program will focus on four key areas: detect housing instability issues as people receive services at community-based organizations, provide legal advice before
housing issues move into the court system, offer legal assistance for post-judgment procedures and give legal advice related to other state and federal assistance programs.
“The idea was to test different ways to deliver legal services to people who currently aren’t being served with a lawyer. We know about 86% of families experience at least one legal issue a year and most of those never get any legal advice,” Hagen said. “This is difficult for clients who really need some type of help and really can’t afford to hire a lawyer to get the assistance they need.”
Several years ago, the Court authorized a Paralegal Practitioner License where paralegals could offer limited legal services involving debt, family and housing issues. The HSLA is another attempt to reach people who need legal assistance who
might not have the financial means to hire an attorney.
Under the Utah constitution, the Court has exclusive authority to regulate the practice of law. Its responsibility is to decide who’s admitted to the practice of law, who can become lawyers, and to regulate those people to make sure they’re maintaining high ethical standards.
In 2020, the Court established a regulatory sandbox for nontraditional legal services providers. The sandbox allows individuals and entities to devise innovative practices that relax the rules around who can practice law, without creating undo harm.
“The sandbox is an experiment to see if perhaps our own rules are contributing to the access to justice gap in Utah. To see if the reason people are having a difficult time getting legal resources is because our rules are too restrictive,” Hagen said. “In the sandbox we are gathering a lot of data and we’re using that to determine what works and what doesn’t so we can make better policy decisions in the future.”
The HSLA program is about six months out, but then community-based organizations can begin the certification process to get authorized. Organizations that can certify include homeless and domestic violence shelters, faith-based programs or most programs that serve low-income individuals.
For more information, visit innovation4justice.org.
“We’re really hoping this can help people before they face a legal issue in court,” Hagen said. “The degree in which people are affected by housing problems can’t be overstated.” l
Salt Lake City Rotary Club launches fundraising effort to expand transitional living services
TheSalt Lake City Rotary Club supports the expansion of the Salt Lake County Youth Services Milestone Transitional Living Program and is raising the money to prove it. The Milestone TLP provides crucial transitional housing and support services for adults from 18 to 21 who have aged out of the foster care system or are at risk of homelessness.
The club held a kickoff event on March 28 to launch its fundraising efforts, with a goal to raise $3.5 million to purchase and renovate two five-plex properties to house young adults. Spring 2024 is the target for when the money is raised and the properties purchased. Since the event, Salt Lake Rotary has already raised roughly $250,000 for this project.
“We are thrilled to be launching this fundraising campaign to support the Milestone TLP,” said Jeff Young, president of the Salt Lake City Rotary Club in a press release. “This program has already made a significant impact in the lives of so many young adults who have experienced homelessness and with the community’s support we can do even more to help those in need.”
Currently, the Milestone TLP provides housing for young adults for up to 18 months and offers services such as case management, life skills training, education and employment support and mental health counseling.
This is the only program of its kind in Salt Lake County and many consider it crucial to address the increase in the youth homeless population. The Milestone TLP started operating in 2012 and has served more than 250 young adults. In 2022, 86% of the young adults that exited the Milestone TLP were success-
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
fully housed and were employed, attending school or both.
“It’s been said that it takes a village to take care of our young, and the partnership with the Salt Lake City Rotary Club provides the opportunity for youth experiencing homelessness in our community to change the trajectory of their lives,” said Mina Koplin, in a media release. Koplin is the current section manager of Salt Lake County Youth Services and former program manager of the Milestone TLP for more than eight years.
More than 120 young people age out of the foster care system in Utah each year, which means they are no longer wards of the state. These young adults are often at risk for homelessness, substance abuse, crime and other dangerous situations.
Funds raised through the campaign will go toward expanding the program to provide additional housing for young adults at risk of homelessness and other negative outcomes. The goal is to have young adults moving into the new facilities in the fall of 2024.
Information on the Salt Lake City Rotary Club’s website shows that people experiencing chronic homelessness cost the public between $30,000 and $50,000 per person per year because of repeated emergency rooms and hospital visits, jails, psychiatric centers, detox and other crisis services. This cost is more than double the maintenance costs for the Milestone Living Program.
For more information on Milestone TLP visit SLCRotary. org. l
M ay 2023 | page 17 D raper J ournal . C o M
The Utah Supreme Court will roll out the Housing Stability Legal Advocate Pilot Program to help tenants access free legal advice for housing instability issues like foreclosure and eviction. (Stock photo)
More than 120 people age out of the foster care system in Utah each year. The Salt Lake City Rotary Club is raising $3.5 million to expand services for these young adults to help them find housing and employment. (Stock photo)
For Draper singer EJ Michels, ‘The Voice’ is an exciting step in his musical career
The city of Draper received a shout-out on national television last March when singer-songwriter EJ Michels finished his blind audition on NBC’s “The Voice.” “My name’s EJ, I’m 31 years old and I’m from Draper, Utah,” he explained to the judges, noting that his hometown is about a 10-hour drive from Los Angeles where the show is taped.
Even though Michels was eliminated during the knock-out rounds on April 24, his appearance on the singing reality competition series has been both a rewarding experience and a step forward in his musical career.
After spending long stretches of time away from home recording the first rounds of “The Voice,” Michels was glad to be back in Draper. “I just love the feeling of being surrounded by the big Wasatch Mountains,” he said. “My family is here. It’s where I’m meant to be.” He shares a condo with his partner and their Cavapoo puppy.
Mike Powers, Michels’ partner, is supportive of his being on “The Voice.” “It’s been very exciting,” he said. Powers, who works in cybersecurity, explained that he had been a fan of Michels’ music before they met online during the pandemic. The couple moved in together last summer. “The long stretches that EJ’s out in California have
By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
been challenging because we have a puppy. But it’s definitely been really exciting,” he said.
“It’s been nothing but a positive experience for me,” Michels said. “I feel nothing but lucky that I got to do the blind audition and get on Team Blake.”
Growing up in Draper, Michels attended Crescent View Middle School and Alta High School. He started learning classical piano at age 7, but did not discover his singing ability until receiving accolades at a ninth-grade talent show. “I was like, ‘Wow, people react to my voice. Maybe I do have something special,’” he remembered.
Michels and his brother put together their band, Foreign Figures, while in high school. The band’s name partly evolved out of the fact that the four members came from different backgrounds and had a wide variety of musical tastes. “The music brought us together,” Michels said. He described Foreign Figures as “under the umbrella of alternative pop rock or indie pop rock which evolved into synth alt rock.”
Over the years, Foreign Figures has toured in both the U.S. and Canada in addition to producing albums and music videos. They have opened for artists such as Smash Mouth and Kesha. Locally, Foreign figures is affiliated with Stand 4 Kind, a Draper-based nonprofit that aims to curb bullying and promotes kindness through school assemblies and programs.
In 2014, Michels began teaching voice lessons and later became a vocal coach. He passed exams to become a certified instructor in the renowned local voice teacher Dean Kaelin’s “mix” style of singing. “I want to be the best singer, artist and vocal coach I can be,” he said.
As a solo artist, Michels characterized his style as “blue-eyed soul.” “Soulful pop songs are my vibe,” he said. “I love Adele, Sam Smith and Coldplay—artists who are raw, honest and emotional. I really love singing from my heart and soul.”
His heartfelt approach to music caught the attention of the judges on “The Voice.” Michels’ journey on the program began with a virtual open call audition. “You sing 90 seconds of a song,” he said. Forty-five minutes later, he received an email from the show’s producers which was followed by more auditions and interviews. He then received the call to go to Los Angeles.
Prior to auditioning for “The Voice,” Michels had tried out for “America’s Got Talent” and “American Idol” but didn’t make it. His inspiration to keep trying was another talented local singer, David Archuleta. Michels was in high school when he first saw Archuleta perform on “American Idol” and became a huge fan. “He really inspired me to believe that I could do the same,” he said.
The contestants were allowed to choose their own piece for the blind auditions but were given songs to perform for the subse-
quent rounds of the competition. Michels sang “Easy On Me” by Adele for the blind auditions round and performed “Tracks of My Tears” with fellow contestant Tasha Jessen in April. The live rounds of “The Voice” will be broadcast on NBC starting in May.
Being on a reality TV show is not easy. Powers shared some details about Michels’ life behind the scenes at “The Voice.” “The contestants are at a hotel under strict COVID rules,” he explained. “They always have to be ready to perform. The process goes on for months.”
During the knock-out round, Michels donned a sparkly black jacket to perform “Trip Switch” by Nothing But Thieves. When the judges did not choose him to proceed, his fans took to Twitter to express their disappointment.
Michels, however, is keeping his performance on “The Voice” in perspective and still plans to release his solo debut album later this year. The album will include 12 songs but he has yet to reveal the title.
In describing his album, Michels alluded to his long and often difficult journey coming out as a gay man. “It’s a series of songs about falling in love and being in a healthy relationship for the first time as my fully authentic self,” he said.
Michels is eager to tour his album and has new videos planned. He has also lined up a gig to perform in Draper Historic Park as part of the city’s free summer concert series in June. “I am ready to hit the ground running,” he said. l
D raper C ity J ournal page 18 | M ay 2023
EJ Michels, a singer and vocal coach from Draper, appears on “The Voice” on NBC. (Photo courtesy of NBC)
Corner Canyon boys and girls lacrosse teams among top in state
TheCorner Canyon High lacrosse programs have been among the top teams in the state in recent years and this season is no exception. Also, the two-time defending boys state 6A champions—led by University of Utah signees Blake Franckowiak and Jacob Osborn, both First Team All-Staters— graduated several talented players from a season ago, the Chargers are still ranked on top. The girls squad also boasts one of the state’s top players in senior captain First Team All-State player Allison Reading and are currently ranked second in the state.
Boys
“The guys are anxious to kind of prove themselves,” said head coach Aaron Ika, who is in his third year. “They’ve heard what’s been said about us not being as good. These kids are more than capable of carrying legacy on.”
Senior attacker Blake Franckowiak and senior midfielder Jacob Osborn, both University of Utah signees, return with senior attacker Jairus Checketts and senior midfielders Dawson Andersen and Porter Wells, who will play collegiately for Southern Virginia, are leading the offense this spring. Defensively, seniors Lincoln Hanks and future St. Joseph’s University player Jack Baird, who were All-State players last spring, along with junior goalie Mitchell Phippen are key to shoring up the back line.
Senior defender Zach Harden, who transferred from California and has signed with Michigan State, leads some key newcomers for Corner Canyon which also include senior long stick middle Ben Brand, who will play for Utah Valley University, along with senior Sam Broman, juniors Landon Fleming and Kisen Muramoto, sophomore Easton Daynes and freshman Rhett King.
“We knew we had monsters defensively so we now have offensive players stepping up with a good mix of returners and others getting some opportunities,” said Ika, particularly noting Anderson as a “Swiss army knife” who will play offense this season.
Also on the CCHS squad this season are seniors Carlos Becerra, Landon Bethers, Gio Hollingsworth, Brayden Mohamed, Trevor Ogden and Riley Stokes; juniors Lewis Anderson, Jack Dalley, Nick Erasmus, Ashton Free, Braden Larson, Weston Mapes, Conner Welling, Luke West and Conner Zaharis; sophomores Kaden Ballman, Alec Barnes, Damon Barnes, Seth Carlsen, Lincoln Crittendon, Carson Hall, Cason Hiatt, AJ Leggett, Perry Lunstad, Maximus Mckenna, Paxton Newell, Tanner Oldroyd, Miles Parkinson, William Perry, Will Russell, Brock Sorenson, Max Taylor, Cole Wentworth and Michael Wheatley; and freshmen Tanner Adamson, Cole Bonham, Ashton Brown, Cameron Crayk, Quince Crittenden, Luke Fisher,
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
Austin Larson and Asher Macpherson.
Ika is being assisted on the coaching staff this season by Bryan Quick, Dave Michaeli, Garrett Michaeli, Jeff King, John Holmes and Tyson Poole.
At press time, the top-ranked Chargers were 8-2 with wins over Davis 14-3 March 10, Alta 12-2 March 14, Mountain Ridge 17-2 March 17, Green Canyon 16-1 March 23 and Lone Peak 9-5 March 30, Riverton 18-2, Westlake 19-10 and Lone Peak again 17-7. Its losses were at the hands of Cherry Creek, Colorado 14-5 March 25 and Olympus 14-7 April 14, breaking a streak of 43 straight wins against Utah opponents.
“We gave had a good start to what we knew was going to be a tough schedule,” Ika said. “We have had some great performances and some experiences that have given us an opportunity to learn so far this year. I am excited to see how we respond to our first in-state loss since the 2019 season. I expect our guys to rise to the occasion and make the next play when given the chance.”
Corner Canyon will also face region opponents Skyridge, American Fork and Pleasant Grove before a nonregion matchup with Park City May 11 to end the regular season.
So far this season, Franckowiak has scored 23 goals and 19 assists while Osborn’s 11 goals and seven assists are second offensively. Phippen has recorded 49 saves in the cage.
Girls
Reading is joined by many experienced returners from last year’s state quarterfinals
squad, who lost to 6A’s eventual champions in Mountain Ridge on the field for the Chargers this spring.
Reading, who committed to play for UMass Lowell next season, moved to midfielder and has been joined in the middle by senior captains Kenzie Zimmerman, a Second-Team All-State defender, and Hannah Berente, senior attacker Malarie Story and senior defender Sadi Peacock, who is also a captain this year.
Head coach Matt Kenning, who is in his fourth year at CCHS, said his players used the offseason to get stronger and “prepare for a faster, more intense level of play.”
“This team is as athletic as any I have ever seen and we want to use that to our advantage,” he said.
Kenning said he is also leaning on sophomores Cat Faucette and Sophie Jacobs for offensive contributions for the team.
Also on the CCHS squad are attackers Eden Linford, Ashlynn Pepper, Abbey Richardson and Mia Wells; midfielder Marissa Parker; defenders Mia Ambrose, Breanne Cruz, Sessilee Halverson, Kamryn Stuart, Saige Talbot and Niya West; and goalie Janneke Remick.
Kenning will be assisted on the coaching staff by Eliza Jrogensen, Peighton Kimble, Alyssa Brown and Sydney Ludeman.
“This has been quite the season to remember so far,” Kenning said. “We are approaching the halfway point of our season and have only been able to play five of our 17 games due to the weather. It has impacted our practice time as well. Fortunately, we
have used the extra indoor time to review film and learn from our successes and failures of our first five games.”
Corner Canyon began the season with an 18-4 loss to Olympus March 14 before winning eight straight games against Bear River 7-5, Bingham 14-8, Westlake 20-1, Skyridge 10-5, American Fork 20-1, Pleasant Grove 10-8, Westlake 14-3 and Skyline 20-4.
“We are trying to play clean, play as a team and have fun,” Kenning said. “We are getting better by the day. We are playing cleaner with each successive game.”
The Chargers will also face Lone Peak, American Fork and Alta to wrap up regular season play.
“We are well positioned to finish the last half of the season strong and make a deep playoff run,” Kenning said. “I am super excited to see how these next few weeks play out. We will have a lot of games crammed into a short period but it will be really fun and a season to remember.”
Faucette leads the team with 21 goals while Reading’s eight assists is tops on the squad while she has also netted 13 goals. Remmick has 37 saves in the cage to lead defensively.
“We should be a favorite to win our region and one of the favorites in 6A with our toughest competition in Lone Peak, but there always seems to be a team that will surprise you,” Kenning said. “We will see soon enough.” l
M ay 2023 | page 19 D raper J ournal . C o M
The Corner Canyon High boys lacrosse team have won the past two 6A state titles. This spring, they both reached a No. 1 ranking in the state. (Photo courtesy CCHS lacrosse)
JDCHS girls and boys lacrosse teams among state’s top three
The Juan Diego Catholic High School girls lacrosse team is ranked second in 4A so far this season while the boys squad is third.
Girls
First-team All-State player Olivia Prosper has already scored 48 goals this season in just six games to lead the Soaring Eagle squad. The sophomore also leads the team in assists. Also contributing heavily on offense is senior Julie Holly with 20 goals on the year.
The team defeated East 20-5 to begin spring play behind 11 goals and two assists from Prosper. After a 21-4 loss to Bingham, Juan Diego has won four straight, including wins over Green Canyon 16-11, Springville 19-13, Highland 11-10 and Waterford 17-16, before losing to Judge Memorial 18-16 and Wasatch 20-10.
“The majority of our team are very new players,” said head coach Shaun Judd. “They have, and are continuing to work hard on learning the finer details of the game.”
The JDCHS team will also play Ridgeline, Mountain Crest, Logan, Waterford and Cedar Valley in the regular season.
Also on the JDCHS team are seniors Amy Caton, Annette Rodriguez and Kanori Watanabe; juniors Sierra Clark, Sam Horner, Alex Moreno, Maimiti Paroto and Mia Perez-Ventura; sophomores Sarah Azar, Hope Lowery and Futaba Tomae; and freshmen Penny Avalos, Jocelin Diaz, Ella Fortune, Hannah Haney, Kaitlin Hulverson and Gabby Pappas.
“I am seeing a forward progression at every game,” Judd said. “I feel we could be in the playoffs if we can come togeth-
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
er as a team, continue the hard work and avoid injuries.”
Boys
The third-ranked boys squad was 5-4 at press time behind the play of senior long stick middle Jacob Anderson, who was First Team All-State a year ago, and Second Team All-State goalie Austin Lund, who is a junior.
“They’ve been our best players this year. As a team, we’ve had some flashes of great chemistry and commitment to our systems,” said head coach Greg Stamatov. “In our losses, we have been outmatched physically and skill-wise. We have also dealt with some health issues. We’ll find our way through great team defense and commitment to stick skills and offensive systems.”
Senior Lance Ebner, who was a First Team All-State attackmen last season, is the leading scorer for the Soaring Eagle squad this year with 12 goals and six assists while freshman Noah Schuyler has netted nine goals. Lund has recorded 94 saves in the cage.
Also on the JDCHS squad this season are First Team AllState players Mason Kegel and Josh Funes along with seniors Alijah Bendinger, Matthew Chiazzese, Jacob Cusick, Tommy Filidore, Mateo McCullough, Brayden Ortega and Lucas Slobodnic; juniors Peter Azar, James Curran, Juan Diaz, Zach Drent, Weston Eder, Andrew King, Revan Lee, Angelo Lewis, Liam Pool, Tommy Rock and Aidan Wigton; sophomores William Conley, Ethan Maxedon, Roman Rossano, Miles Sears and Daniel Sosa; and freshmen Zach Apgar, Brandon Backman, Jose Calderon, Nicholas Carvalheiro, Loklan Cruz, Jack Cunningham, Deng Deng, David Hafner, Aidan Janiga, Chris
Jimerson, Hunter Landers, Mario Maestas, Michael Moore, Trey Nicolodemos, Cuauhtemoc Pedroza, Colton Pugmire, Sebastian Ramirez and Liam Ross.
So far this season, Juan Diego has wins over Salem Hills 9-2, Ridgeline 9-2, Skyridge 7-6 and Waterford 9-5 while losing to Green Canyon 3-2, Cedar Valley 6-3, Lone Peak 18-3 and Bingham 16-6..
The Soaring Eagle team is also scheduled to face Mountain Crest, Logan, Waterford, Highland and East in the regular season this season. l
D raper C ity J ournal page 20 | M ay 2023
Juan Diego Catholic High School sophomore Olivia Prosper, who was a First Team All-State defender a year ago, averages eight goals a game this season for the second-ranked JDCHS squad. (Photo courtesy Shaun Judd)
Draper’s Club GSL volleyball player invited to national training program
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
Skyline
High junior Kai Sorenson, along with two other Utah volleyball players, has been invited to the National Training Development Program May 5-7 in Washington, D.C. This is the third year the 17-year-old from Millcreek has been invited to the prestigious Spring Indoor Training Series.
“I am thrilled to have been selected to train with the best players in the country my age.
It is a huge honor to get the opportunity to play and receive coaching at the highest level,” Sorenson said. “There will be about 40 kids there my age from all over the country and about five setters total so I am thrilled to be one of them.”
The NTDP brings selected players the opportunity to train with other top-level athletes and coaches to further their athletic progress within the framework of USA Volleyball’s philosophy, methods and culture.
Warren Van Schalkwyk, Kai’s coach at Club GSL in Draper said, “Kai is one of the most gifted setters we've ever seen come out of Utah. He has amazing hands and is able to run a deadly offense from anywhere on the court. He always works hard and has a natural way of helping his team play relaxed yet competitive. He has so much potential, and I look forward to seeing what his future holds.”
Also invited to the national training were North Ogden’s Tennison Lighthall and St. George’s Corbin Batista.
Kai, the son of Ashleigh and Lance Sorenson of Millcreek, has been playing volleyball for as long as he can remember, following in the footsteps of his father. They both played at Churchill Junior High—27 years apart—and were both coached by Gene Bechtold. Kai’s younger sisters have
since been coached by Bechtold, and the tradition started by Lance Sorenson, who went on to play for the Pepperdine University team that competed for the 2002 national championship, continues.
“I started playing competitively in fourth grade with older boys from my neighborhood,” Kai Sorenson said. “At the time there weren’t many boys teams so we would sometimes play against older girls. It has been so much fun to watch boys volleyball explode in Utah since then and now we go to local packed tournaments being hosted at multiple locations. I am so excited that boys volleyball will be a Utah high school sanctioned sport next year for the first time for my senior year of high school.”
Kai Sorenson has played multiple sports over the years, eventually settling his 6-foot-3 frame onto the volleyball court where he has collegiate aspirations. He is also a power forward on the Eagles basketball team.
“I love the life lessons that volleyball has taught me,” Kai Sorenson said. “In volleyball, every point is a new point and a new opportunity to start over and do better. I love that I can apply this to my daily life by learning from my mistakes and not dwelling on things in the past that I can’t change.”
Off the court, the Eagle Scout is a 4.0 student who recently scored a 35 on the ACT and takes multiple Advanced Placement courses. l
Volleyball player Kai Sorenson, who trains with Club GSL in Draper, will train with the National Training Development Program this spring. It’s his third invitation to be trained within the framework of USA Volleyball’s philosophy, methods and culture. (Photo courtesy Kai Sorenson)
M ay 2023 | page 21 D raper J ournal . C o M
Cannot be combined with any other offer. Participating locations only. Exp. 6/15/23. Other restrictions may apply. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Participating locations only. Exp. 6/15/23. Other restrictions may apply. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Participating locations only. Exp. 6/15/23. Other restrictions may apply. 385-2 206-6559 Up to 10 Windows Interior & Exterior
Corner Canyon boys tennis enjoy winning ways
The Corner Canyon High boys tennis team has finished in the top three at state the past two seasons and now junior Alex Fuchs has joined the program and will play in the top singles spot for the Chargers.
“Alex is an incredible tennis player and a huge asset to our team,” said head coach Allison Rideout. “He will play No. 1 for us and we are thrilled to have him.”
Seniors Nate Kennedy, Jaxson Roberts, Jason Sharp and Josh Townsend along with juniors Aidan Rideout and Beau Welker bring plenty of varsity experience to a squad aiming for it all this season.
“Our goal this year is to take state, and we are going to work as hard as we can to reach that goal,” Allison Rideout said. “Why not shoot for the stars? We are going for it. We have a goal in mind and we are going for it. Everyone needs to show up, everyone needs to work their hardest, everyone needs to believe we can and when that happens we can take it.”
So far this spring—amidst several cancellations with the weather—Corner Canyon has been rolling through opponents and are currently undefeated through eight matches.
Against Alta March 13, Jenkins and junior Ethan Woodward won their matches at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, respectively while
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
Roberts/Townsend and Kennedy/Sharp also picked up wins at the doubles spots to lead the team to a 4-1 win. The Chargers swept Logan, Mountain Ridge, Skyline, Pleasant Grove and Westlake 5-0 with straight-set wins in every match. Against Skyridge March 30, Fuchs— at No. 1 singles—and doubles pairs Welker/ Roberts and Townsend/Kennedy pulled out three-set wins while Rideout and Jenkins, playing at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, respectively, lost just one game each in their matches to lead Corner Canyon to a 5-0 win. They have also defeated American Fork 3-2 March 17 and American Fork April 13, Lone Peak 4-1 April 18 and Pleasant Grove 5-0 April 20.
“We always change the lineup a lot, but we have had to a great deal because Alex and Aidan are still trying to continue their training in California also,” said Allison Rideout. “The boys are playing well and working hard.”
Also on the CCHS squad are seniors Braden Covington, Andrew Engh, Davis Hammond, Austin Shipp and Sam Springer; juniors Blake Burraston, Sam Petersen and Cooper White; sophomores Brayden Belote, Jaden Buchmiller, Tennison Erickson, Boone Hammond and Brek Johnson; and freshmen Beau Edmunds, Dillon Roberts, Cameron White, Camden Wilcox and Zach Woodward.
Allison’s husband, Jensen, has joined the
coaching staff this season. “We’re very excited to have Jensen join our coaching staff,” Allison Rideout said. “It is really a family affair now with my husband and I and my oldest son. He is a great coach and has already helped our boys so much.”
They are assisted on the coaching staff by Adrien Jenkins, Benji Rideout and Mykel Seeborg and managers Afton Milne and Tay-
vee Ash.
Corner Canyon is also scheduled to face Lone Peak, Pleasant Grove, Skyridge and Westlake and play in the Ashton Invitational before the region tournaments May 3-6 and the 6A state tournament May 18, 20 at Liberty Park. l
page 22 | M ay 2023
1393 Pioneer Rd, Draper, UT 84020 Schedule a tour today! (385) 386-3003 avistaseniorliving.com/draper • Assisted Living • Memory Care Feels Like HOME. An Avista Senior Living Community
The Corner Canyon High boys tennis team, who tied for third at the 6A state tournament a year ago, is undefeated in match play so far this season. (Photo courtesy Jon Clifford, All-Star Photography)
It’s cap and gown time for hundreds of students
Area schools are announcing their commencement exercises for the class of 2023. ADA accommodations are available at all locations. Here is the pertinent information.
Alta High — Canyons School District Assistant Superintendent Bob Dowdle is scheduled to speak to 522 students who are expected to graduate at 10 a.m., May 25 at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center. This year’s theme is “We are better together.”
Bingham High — Commencement exercises will be held at 1 p.m., June 1 in the UCCU Arena at Utah Valley University in Orem. The theme is “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
Brighton High — About 500 seniors are to walk through commencement exercises at 6:30 p.m., May 25 at the Maverik Center with Canyons School District Superintendent Rick Robins speaking. This year’s theme is “Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts,” spoken by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Canyons Transition Academy — Thirteen students will graduate at 12:30 p.m., May 24 in the Canyons Center. The theme is a quote by Barnum & Bailey Circus founder, nicknamed “The Greatest Showman,” P.T. Barnum; he said: “No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.”
Corner Canyon High — “Good things end so great things can begin” is the theme for 567 seniors who will graduate at 2 p.m., May 25 at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center. Canyons School District Assistant Superintendent Bob Dowdle is scheduled to speak.
Cottonwood High — Seniors will walk through the traditional commencement exercises at 1 p.m., June 2 in the school auditorium. The theme is “What matters in life is not what hap-
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
pens to you, but what you remember and how you remember it,” by Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez. During the ceremony, the school’s Madrigals, Concert Choir and jazz band will perform.
Diamond Ridge — About 60 students will graduate at 6:30 p.m., May 24 at Mt. Jordan Middle School. Canyons School District Assistant Superintendent Bob Dowdle is scheduled to speak.
Entrada — Incoming Canyons School District Assistant Superintendent McKay Robinson is expected to address 140 soon-to-be graduates at 7 p.m., June 22 at Jordan High School.
Hillcrest High — Canyons School District Superintendent Rick Robins will address the 450 seniors at the 9:30 a.m., May 25 commencement ceremony at the Maverik Center. For their theme, the seniors selected a quote from the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “Whatever you choose to do, leave tracks. That means, don’t do it just for yourself. You want to leave the world a little better for you having lived.”
Jordan High — About 400 seniors will “Beat the Odds: The odds are up to them, the end result is up to you” at their 2 p.m., May 25 graduation at the Maverik Center. The speaker is Canyons School District Superintendent Rick Robins.
Jordan Valley — Canyons School District Superintendent Rick Robins will talk to two students who will graduate at 4 p.m., May 19 at the Canyons School District’s boardroom. The theme is “Adapting to Change.”
Juan Diego Catholic High — Students and their families celebrate commencement week with a baccalaureate mass at 6:30 p.m., May 23 at The Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City. The week concludes with commencement for the Class of 2023 at 9 a.m., May 27 at Juan Diego Catholic High
School’s auditorium. Contact the school for both ticketed events.
Murray High — The graduation ceremony will be held at 1 p.m., May 26 at the Lifetime Activities Center on Salt Lake Community College’s Redwood Campus.
River’s Edge — “Level Up” is the theme for this year’s commencement, which will be held at 1 p.m., June 2 in the school’s auditorium.
Valley High — Graduation will be held at 10 a.m., May 31 at Zions Bank Stadium at Real Academy in Herriman. This year’s theme is from Indian lawyer and activist Mahatma Gandhi, “A beginning, a struggle, and a victory.”
Waterford School — At 7:30 p.m., June 1, the school will honor its Class of 2023 on the campus’ main quad east. l
Free community event will feature music, car show, mini-camps at Alta High
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
This school year, Alta High’s marching band took first place, competing with more than 30 other bands, in the Bands of America western regional competition. Now the band students will be sharing their talent with the community.
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, May 13, Alta High students in the jazz band, drumline and winter color guard, under the direction of the Utah High School Activities Association music educator of the year Caleb Shabestari, will perform at their first-ever community car show fundraiser event. There also will be percussion and color guard mini-camps for youngsters age 5 through 12.
“It’s going to be a free community event, with a little bit of something for everyone, of any age; we’ll have live music, dancing, cars, food—and fun,” said Karla-Ann Whitaker, Alta band booster outreach coordinator. “At the same time, it will serve as a fundraiser for the marching band and to fund updated instruments.”
While it’s free to attend the car show, those who are entering their vehicles need to pay a $20 registration fee. The car show will be held in the southwest parking lot at the school. There will be prizes; the categories include antique/classic cars built before 1965; muscle car era 19651984; import/exotics; custom vehicles with three or more significant modifications; modern 1985 and newer; and motorcycles. Those who want to show their vehicles, can register at www.successfund.com/altacarshow.
“For those registering their vehicles, this will be an amazingly fun opportunity. They’ll be able to park their vehicle, all buffed, ready to shine, and share their passion and joy with the community alongside live music in the
background to entertain all attending the event,” Whitaker said.
Another opportunity for youngsters will be the minicamps, which will be taught by Alta High’s percussion and color guard students. A $5 donation is asked per child. Registration for the color guard session is at: canyons. revtrak.net/ahs-mini-color-guard-camp-2023-h for the drumline mini-camp: canyons.revtrak.net/ahs-mini-drumline-camp-2023-h.
“The mini-camps will be led by our Alta marching
band students. They are working hard putting together simple, introductory routines, which will be a great experience for elementary and middle school students who want to try something new or maybe join the marching band in the future,” she said. “The camp participants will have fun learning and following a quick camp, will have a short performance for their parents and the community.”
The day’s schedule begins with the car show check-in at 9 a.m. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be stage performances by Alta’s instrumental music program and the children’s mini-camps. At 1 p.m., there will be an awards ceremony.
Whitaker said that the entire event is student-led. All band students have assignments such as the poster design and promotion, teaching the mini-camps, performing at the event, helping with concessions, directing traffic and parking, preparation and cleanup. The 20-member band booster leadership team has helped plan and organize the event.
Food trucks, which will donate a portion of their proceeds, as well as 100% of concessions’ profits will help toward the fundraiser. Donations also are being accepted at successfund.com/altacarshow.
The community is encouraged to walk to the event; parking on the east side of the school will be available. In case of inclement weather, all music-related activities will be moved indoors.
For more information, and about the annual Alta High band community yard sale in June, go to ahsbandboosters. my.canva.site. l
M ay 2023 | page 23 D raper J ournal . C o M
Juan Diego Catholic High will hold its commencement exercises on May 27 at its campus. (Photo courtesy of Juan Diego Catholic High School)
Alta High’s marching band students, who took first place in Bands of America western regional competition, will be amongst the performers, student teachers and organizers of their car show and mini-camp fundraiser May 13. (Photo courtesy of Julia Burnett)
D raper C ity J ournal page 24 | M ay 2023 DUST MITES POLLEN PET DANDER BACTERIA 10 vents,1 return, and 1 main comes with free system analysis/inspection dryer vent cleaning with any complete air duct system cleaning allergy/asthma sanitizer with any complete duct cleaning Additional vents priced separately. With coupon. Expires 6-1-23. With this coupon. Expires 6-1-23. With this coupon. Expires 6-1-23. $49 FREE 50%OFF SPRING CLEANOUT SPECIALS www.apexcleanair.com CALL US TODAY! 801-618-4649 WE WILL BEAT ANY PRICE WITH SUPERIOR QUALITY 100% GUARANTEED AIR DUCT CLEANING DRYER VENT CLEANING ASTHMA & ALLERGY TREATMENT ARE YOU EXPERIENCING: • Allergies • Asthma • Headaches • Coughing/Sneezing • Excessive Dust? Do you KNOW what your Family is Breathing? What’s Hiding in Your AIR VENTS? We can sanitize your vents to help strengthen your immune system. AIR DUCT CLEANING
Pearls With Purpose breaks generational poverty in developing countries
WhenWendy Bird’s husband suggested she make jewelry to sell at farmers markets, she had no idea it would turn into a global foundation that provides training, mentorship and income for hundreds of women.
Back in 2001, Bird was a stay-at-home mom with five children, looking for a project that would help rediscover her identity which had gotten lost in all the laundry and daily chores. Jewelry making seemed the perfect fit. As a certified gemologist, Bird loves pearls for the way they mimic humanity.
“I love that they’re formed because of an irritant within the lining tissue of the oyster,” she said. “The oyster can’t spew it out, it can’t do anything but secrete a soothing nacre. It can only hug the irritant and that transforms it into this lustrous gemstone. To me, that’s a perfect example of what humanity needs.”
The Riverton resident sent out a request looking to import quality pearls for jewelry making and got a response from a woman in the Philippines. The woman said if Bird imported jewelry pieces, instead of loose pearls, she would change lives.
Bird jumped on the idea and created information to make necklaces, earrings and bracelets. She emailed the docs to the Philippines and a group of women began making jewelry. Bird would import it back to the States and sell it, giving the women 64% of the profits.
Pearls With Purpose had begun. The social impact organization provides microenterprise training for women in poverty, or women rescued from sex trafficking or abuse, in the Philippines, Kenya, Peru, Dominican Republic, India and Cambodia.
For four years, everything was done through long-distance correspondence; she had never traveled internationally. But then a representative from another nonprofit invited Bird overseas to meet the women working with her.
“I landed and saw for the first time ever, these humble circumstances that the individuals live in and the struggle it was to get to the internet cafe and the cost associated with being able to print out the documents,” she said. “Everything was 10 times worse than what they’d conveyed because I put this American spin on it.”
The obstacles her jewelry makers faced hadn’t registered, even though she had trained more than 70 women at that point. Invited to stay in the home of one of the women, she was shocked at the level of poverty.
“In my head I thought I’m going to stay in a bedroom with my own toilet. No. They showed me this piece of plywood they put on the dirt floor they’d covered with a sheet that had been shipped over in a shipment that I had sent, and it happened to be one of my kid’s sheets,” Bird said. “There was no electricity. I was told to shower under this tree, and it’s mostly private. I realized these people needed more from me than I had been giving.”
That trip changed her mindset. She applied for 501(c) (3) status and started doing in-person trainings to adapt her program to their needs. She trained women in an abandoned school, she helped women living in the jungle and in villages ruled by a king. She adapted to cultural differences and language barriers and learned each woman dealt with their own difficulties.
In a leper colony in India, Bird trained 183 women on a dirt floor in a community center. As untouchables, the women couldn’t sit on chairs because their low caste status meant they couldn't sit higher than anyone else in the village. After months, Bird got permission for the women to sit on mats.
“We’re dealing with individuals who for their entire life had been told you will never go to school, you will never be
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
counted as human, you will never have a job. You will just sit on the sidelines of life and watch it unfold,” she said. “If you’re a woman and you’ve been told a very specific stigma your entire life and all of a sudden you hear that it could be different from what you’ve always known, wouldn’t you show up?”
An orphanage in Cambodia reached out to Bird, asking her to bring Pearls With Purpose to their location, training teens from 15-17 in jewelry making so they would have a skill when they left the orphanage at age 18. Often, those 18-yearolds turned to sex work or drugs, but with a skill to fall back on, they could create a different life.
“A year after that training, we got the first email that [a young man] was going to a university in Australia and because of this program he has the $5,500 to attend this university,” Bird said. “So all of a sudden you can see that it’s working.”
In the Dominican Republic and Kenya, Bird worked with children rescued from sex trafficking through Operation Underground Railroad. She taught them to polish, design and wire-wrap gemstones to allow them to create an income.
Along with jewelry tools, Pearls With Purpose also purchases sewing machines, computers and other items women can use to better their lives. Bird teaches them to meet with wholesalers and negotiate prices.
Right before COVID hit, Bird met with some women in the Philippines. They were talking with her but she couldn’t remember their names. She asked what training session they’d completed.
“One of them said, ‘You didn’t train me. You trained my mom. Because of you, I went to college. My mom put me in school. She had enough money.’ Another said, ‘Hi, I’m Janet’s daughter and this is my baby and I married a good man because I went to this university because you trained my mom.’
“It was this generational break in poverty,” Bird said. “I
just started bawling. It was so unexpected. You sit there and listen to these younger adults and you know because you landed on that plane in 2005, they were the ones running around barefoot in their little tank tops and shorts…and here they are dressed so properly you don’t even recognize them and they’re saying, you trained my mom and my life is different now.”
Pearls With Purpose endured through COVID on fumes and held a fundraiser in February to rebuild its accounts. The community can help by purchasing jewelry and books at Pearlswithpurpose.org, donating cash or frequent flier miles, and by spreading awareness on Facebook and Instagram.
Bird’s husband, David, is her biggest cheerleader. As travel opens back up in developing countries, he wants her to get back to doing what she does best: teaching women to build self-reliance and self-worth.
“For years, she has given keynote speeches and had the opportunity to sell the jewelry that these women make,” he said. “My wife is amazing and has dedicated her life to helping hundreds of women in several different developing countries.” l
M ay 2023 | page 25 D raper J ournal . C o M
Riverton resident Wendy Bird (left) created the Pearls With Purpose Foundation to provide jewelry-making training for women in developing countries. The women can create an income while building self-reliance. (Photo courtesy of Pearls With Purpose)
Through Pearls With Purpose, women in developing countries gain self-reliance, self-worth and an income that provides opportunities, education and growth. (Photo courtesy of Pearls With Purpose)
Do you have a bright idea for a new business? May is small business month, and according to Forbes council member, Terry Tateossian, “each year 305 million startups are born…out of them, only 10% are likely to succeed.”
So, how do you start up a business and where do you go after that to ensure you are part of that 10%? Before you give up on that dream, or invest your money aimlessly, you may want to take a look at just some of the practical steps to get your business up and going.
• Do your research. Look at the competition in your area. Perform a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) on the business niche you want to start.
• Name your business. Check out the United States Patent and Trademark Office (www.USPTO.gov) to see if your ideal name is available. A tip here: before choosing a name, check to see if that name is available through promotional avenues such as a website domain and social media handles. You may choose to secure them here, or we’ll cover that a few steps down.
• Decide how your business will be set up (i.e., LLC, nonprofit, joint venture, etc.).
• Register your business with your state and obtain your EIN (employee identification number). This is essentially your tax ID number. This is also a prime opportunity to use a professional business service, a business information service, or even hire an attorney to help you complete this step. This is especially helpful for home-based businesses as often attorney offices will let you use their physical address for your business, therefore protecting your home address information.
• Set up a business financial account and your accounting system. It is important to keep your personal account and your
How to start a business
By Holly Curby | hello@hollycurby.com
business account separate. Your tax adviser will thank you.
• If not done when naming your business, this is the time to secure your website and social media handles. There are many sites to accomplish registering your domain name, but my personal favorite is Squarespace. You may also choose to register an email domain, this often provides added credibility to your business.
• Depending on your type of business, you’ll need to secure pertinent permits, licenses, and insurances. Once again, this is where using a professional service or lawyer may be helpful in completing these final steps to protect your business and ensure you are within all legal requirements.
• Set up your systems. From email databases and newsletters to creating lead magnets and referral programs (i.e., ConvertKit and MailChimp). If applicable, hire your staff and set up payroll and benefits systems too.
• Promote! Promote! Promote! This may include simplicities of business cards and signage, to even joining your local chamber of commerce, Rotary Club, and setting up Yelp and Google Review accounts. Developing your brand and a marketing plan can help keep you on track in meeting goals and evaluating the data of what works for your business and what doesn’t.
Still not sure where to begin? Check with resources within your local community such as financial institutions, your local chamber of commerce, and even colleges and universities for their small business startup classes and trainings. Yes, starting a business can seem like a daunting task. As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right!” So, what are you waiting for? There is no better time to start working on your dreams than right now.
Want to dive in deeper to the ins and outs, tips and tricks of starting a business? Check out the following episodes on Holly’s Highlights podcast:
• How to Start a Business with Holly Curby (Season 1, Episode 2)
• Year-end Finances with Tony Wolff (Season 1, Episode 12)
• Preparing for the Unexpected with David York (Season 2, Episode 11)
Holly’s Highlights podcast is available at www.hollycurby. com, and wherever you listen to podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, and even “Alexa, play Holly’s Highlights podcast.” l
Celebrate Utah Wildlife contest calls for entries
Fromthe bighorn sheep of Zion National Park to the countless shorebirds of the Great Salt Lake to the backyard chickadees, Utah residents encounter wildlife on a regular basis. No matter how each person interacts with wildlife in the state, Celebrate Utah Wildlife wants to hear about it.
The Utah Wildlife Federation and mural artist Chris Peterson will hold the first Celebrate Utah Wildlife contest this spring with 63 cash prizes for people ranging in age from 4 to 104. It’s as simple as writing a story, taking a picture or making a video.
“There are a lot of ways to celebrate our experiences with wildlife. We want people from across the state to show us how the wild inhabitants of our state inspire you or your family,” Peterson said. “Entries from this contest will become part of an exhibit that will go on tour across the state. It’s all meant to show how we connect with wildlife in Utah.”
More than $10,000 in cash prizes will be handed out in the form of $250 awards for first-place and dozens more for the best submissions across three age groups: children (ages 4-11), teens (ages 12-17) and adults (18 and up). Entries will be judged on four criteria: Utah wildlife-inspired, originality, artistic merit/craftsmanship (in relation to entrant’s age) and artist statement. Only submissions made by current Utah residents are
eligible.
Submissions must be inspired by Utah-wildlife experiences in any of the following categories: handmade art (2D, 3D, mixed media etc.), digital art, writing and stories, photography, videography, music, spoken word, sound, digital storytelling and animation. Entries must be submitted by May 10, 2023 to be considered.
The Celebrate Utah Wildlife contest is
made possible, in part, with funding from the Hansen Sisters Foundation and the Utah STEM Action Center. The digital art and digital storytelling categories are funded through a community impact grant from the center.
“Utah’s wild creatures need to be celebrated for all the wonder, awe and smiles they bring to our faces,” said Brett Prettyman, chair of the Utah Wildlife Federation
board. “We hope by seeing how others celebrate our wildlife that more people will be inspired to get out and create their own experiences.”
The goal of the Utah Wildlife Federation is to bring the diverse voices of this unique state together to create a cohesive goal in securing the future of wildlife and outdoor recreation, while providing the best practices to steward natural resources for generations to come. By crowd-sourcing wildlife content, the Celebrate Utah Wildlife contest will demonstrate the range and diversity of animal life in Utah.
Peterson is working to get wildlife murals displayed in all of Utah’s 29 counties, as part of the Utah Wildlife Walls Project. The project’s goal is to connect residents with Utah’s wildlife through prominent murals in each county. Launched in the fall of 2022, the Utah Wildlife Walls project’s first piece was a 120-foot mural of a Bonneville cutthroat trout, painted on a building in Sugar House.
For more information about the Celebrate Utah Wildlife contest and the Utah Wildlife Walls project, visit CelebrateUtahWildlife.org. l
D raper C ity J ournal page 26 | M ay 2023
South Valley Chamber hosts Business Bootcamp. (Photo courtesy South Valley Chamber)
The Utah Wildlife Federation and mural artist Chris Peterson are holding the first Celebrate Utah Wildlife contest. More than $10,000 will be awarded across categories for children, teens and adults. (Adobe stock photo)
Utahns demonstrate attention span disruption with cell phone usage
It was 2007 when Apple released the iPhone as the first “smartphone.” Since then, consumers have become increasingly attached to their devices, to the point of distraction. Research shows looking at phones gives users a dopamine boost, creating a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction, but at what cost?
In a study conducted by North Star Inbound, for the gaming platform Solitaire Bliss, smartphone users across 38 states submitted information about their cell phone usage. The study showed 41% of Utah residents frequently use their phones while watching TV, 49% of Utahns admit to looking down at their phones as they cross a street and 59% of Utah residents bring their phones to use while on the toilet.
“This study looked at a few ways being distracted by our phones can impact our lives,” said Melissa Stephenson, North Star Inbound media relations associate. “With 49% of Utah residents admitting to looking down at their phones at least a couple times while crossing a street, a personal safety issue is raised.”
While men are most guilty of looking at their phones while crossing the street, women reach for their phones while watching TV more often than men. Nearly one-third of Utah residents only last a few minutes before their mind wanders and they reach for their phone,
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
and 45% of Utahns talk to others on their phones while working on a separate task.
Habitual cell phone use has been connected with decreased attention spans. According to the study, it’s not surprising that the Gen Z population, who have grown up with smartphones, has the shortest attention span compared to millennials, Gen X and baby boomers.
The Child Mind Institute found an increase in phone use led to a decrease in connection. As attention spans decrease, effective learning is diminished. This includes the ability to retain information, pay attention to details and create cognitive flexibility, which is a brain’s ability to change and adapt.
“As our study points out areas where attention spans aren’t thriving, we can look at research done by George Washington University for recommendations on improving attention spans,” Stephenson said. “They listed meditation, practicing attentive listening, reading, practicing muscle relaxation techniques, mindful walking, reducing distractions and making time for mental breaks.”
Experts recommend putting phones in a different room where it won’t be visible and easily accessible. Sometimes, just the sight of a phone is a trigger to pick it up and use it. Placing a phone in a drawer at work is a
good way to keep from getting distracted on the job. Users can also set time limits on specific platforms or download apps to track cell phone usage.
The North Star Inbound study showed 76% of those surveyed are distracted by their phones at work and 62% give up when trying something new or difficult. For more on the
study, visit Solitairebliss.com/blog.
“Utah residents ranked the fourth worst at being on their phones while talking to loved ones, raising the issue of not being present in those situations,” Stephenson said. “Being present in moments of our lives has been proven to help with stress management and regulating our moods.”l
M ay 2023 | page 27
A study conducted by North Star Inbound showed 49% of Utahns admit to looking down at their phones as they cross a street. (Stock photo)
DesertStarPlayhouse.com That’s the POWER of LAUGHS!
NEW LOCATION NOW OPEN AT 136 West 12300 South, Draper, UT 84020
Robert Bowen Presitdent, Chief Executive O cer
Over the past 44 years the focus and mission of Brighton Bank has remained unchanged, to provide the communities in which we reside an exceptional banking experience. This comes by o ering sound financial products coupled with the wisdom of friendly, seasoned bankers. As a locally-owned community bank our goal is to help small businesses, families and individuals attain their financial goals with the peace of mind knowing their resources are safe and secure. From the very beginning our success has been dependent upon the success of our customers. Together we grow and prosper.
D raper C ity J ournal page 28 | M ay 2023
—David C
“
Robert and Mark were great! We had pipes burst at night and they were right there to help us get the water shut off and to help us get all the water out and dried. They were both professional, communication was great and they were thorough.I would recommend them to anyone! ”
—Anna D
M ay 2023 | page 29 D raper J ournal . C o M • WATER EXTRACTION • MOLD REMEDIATION • SEWAGE CLEAN UP •STRUCTURAL DRYING 801-754-6315 9500 S 500 West, Suite 104, Sandy, Utah 84070
“ The technician was prompt, worked quickly, and was very professional. They provided outstanding same day service.”
guaranteedrestoration.com 24/7 IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
easiest way to restore your home... the best way to restore your life. GUARANTEED EMERGENCY WATER DAMAGE
The
EVENING SERIES
Season Tickets: $49 Adult, $45 Senior, $29 Child Amphitheater Parking: 495 East 5300 South Ticket Info: 801-264-2614 or www.murray.utah.gov
Amphitheater Parking: 495 East 5300 South
Ticket Information: 801-264-2614 or
www.murray.utah.gov/1959/Tickets
MAY
May 26 The Alapa Family and the Kulturang Pilipino Ensemble of Utah
May 27 Aladdin, Movie Sing-Along
JUNE
June 3 Murray Concert Band
June 9-10, Disney’s High School Musical
12, 15-17
June 24 Murray Symphony Pops
JULY
July 7-8, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
10, 13-15
July 21 Peter Breinholt
July 28-29, Seussical the Musical
31, Aug 3-5
Back to traditional election in 2023, not Ranked Choice Voting
By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
May 1 was the deadline for cities to notify the Lieutenant Governor’s office if they want to run a Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) election this year, a decision that falls to the city council. City Recorder Laura Oscarson broached the subject with the council at their Jan. 17 study meeting. Mike Green, Cal Roberts and Marsha Vawdrey voiced opposition to RCV, and that majority of three of the five councilmembers means Draper will return to a traditional election.
“We polled the public and the majority didn’t like it (RCV), so they (the council) were being responsive to what the citizens want,” said Mayor Troy Walker.
In theory, RCV should cost less because it’s one election rather than a primary and a November general election. According to Oscarson, Draper’s first RCV cost $33,000. Salt Lake County contracted with Draper City to run that election and the city paid what the county had bid. But post-election, the Salt Lake County clerk’s office realized they’d undercharged the cities and municipalities who tried RCV, meaning that future RCV elections will likely cost more.
Retired Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen was in charge of the 2021 elections. She indicated that while the county’s first time administering RCV elections was successful, it proved to be a learning curve
when it came to cost. Swensen said some ballots were several pages long by the time they listed all the candidates, and multiple-page ballots could cost more in postage. RCV ballots required more paper and space for printed instructions for the new format, and a great deal of time was spent on layout of the ballots themselves. Cities that participated in RCV for the first time also spent time and money educating the public on the new format prior to the election.
Lannie Chapman, who previously served as Swensen’s Chief Deputy, was elected Salt Lake County Clerk last year. Chapman said RCV isn’t necessarily less expensive. “It depends. If a city opted to do a traditional election with a primary and a general, that would cost more than RCV. But if they don’t have enough candidates to require a primary, then that cost savings isn’t there.”
Chapman explained that a primary is only required if more candidates file than double the number of seats available. This year, Draper will elect three at-large city
council positions (each for four-year terms), so a primary will only be needed if seven or more people declare candidacy.
Countywide, Chapman said the election format for 2023 is going to be a mix of both traditional and RCV, something she considers positive. “So far, two cities have affirmatively said they’d like to do RCV again…Salt Lake City and Millcreek. We’re still waiting to hear formally from other cities. I think a lot of cities are contemplating what’s best for their towns and putting deep thought into whether or not RCV is best for their constituents,” she said.
Current councilmembers Fred Lowry and Roberts confirmed they plan to run for re-election. Vawdrey said she’s considering it but hasn’t made a final decision. Interested persons must file a Declaration of Candidacy with Oscarson June 1,2,5,6 or 7 during regular office hours at Draper City Hall, 1020 Pioneer Road. A primary (if necessary) is scheduled for Aug. 15 with the general election Nov. 7. l
AUGUST
Aug 12 Thurl Bailey with Marvin Goldstein
Aug 18-19 A Celtic Summer’s Night
Aug 25 Ryan Shupe & the Rubberband
Aug 26 Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four
SEPTEMBER
Sept 1 4 HIMS
Sept 9 Trio Los Charros
This program has received funding support from residents of Salt Lake County, SL County Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP), Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, Utah Humanities, and National Endowment for the Arts.
D raper C ity J ournal page 30 | M ay 2023
Draper contracts with Salt Lake County to run the city’s elections. In 2021, the county purchased new touchscreen machines that are capable of running both traditional and RCV elections. Leslie Bruce used one of the new machines to vote at City Hall in November 2021. (File Photo Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
Polish your teapots, iron your doilies and butter your crumpets. For the first time in 70 years, an English monarch will be crowned and the whole world will tune in to see if King Charles III, Prince William and Prince Harry bust each other up at Westminster Abbey.
Whether or not the coronation turns into a fistfight, there will be plenty of spectacle, pomp, circumstance, tradition, snobbery and a reminder that England adores fluffy hats.
King Charles will be 74 on the day of his coronation, code-named Operation Golden Orb (not even kidding). He’s much older than his mother was when she was enthroned. Queen Elizabeth was crowned at the age of 27 and reigned for 156 years.
The coronation is based on traditions going back centuries. In fact, for nearly 1,000 years, the Archbishop of Canterbury has conducted the ceremony. You’d think, at some point, people would start asking how he’s been alive for so long.
Our country has a bit of history with England, but we're still infatuated with royalty. American royalty just isn’t the same. It’s either the Kardashians or the Kennedys, depending on who you ask. When we elect a new president, we don’t
METAL ROOFING
Metal Man Roofing LONGEVITY, DURABILITY SAFETY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, LIFE-TIME WARRANTY
Call Today for a Free Estimate! 801-509-9007
The Royal Treatment
coronation. King Charles and Queen Camilla will leave Buckingham Palace in a four-ton Gold State Coach that’s been used in coronations since 1830 and is notoriously uncomfortable. It’s covered in gilded statues and painted panels and will be pulled by eight dragons through the streets of London.
The procession travels from the palace, past Isengard at the southern end of the Misty Mountains, along Trafalgar Square, through Hogwarts to Westminster Abbey where the king will be anointed with holy oil using the Coronation Spoon. I don’t know if there’s a knife and fork. Wikipedia didn’t mention any other coronation utensils.
King Charles will then stand next to a really old chair (and it’s not even made out of swords pulled from the hands of his dead enemies), and given things to hold like the Royal Orb, a couple of scepters, gold spurs, a jeweled sword, gold bracelets and a ring. No wonder it’s hard to be king. That’s a lot to carry.
follow centuries of history and tradition. We do a swearing-in ceremony followed by four years of smack talk on social media.
But England knows how to stage a
GUTTER
Then the Archbishop (who HAS to be a vampire, I mean come on!) places the five-pound crown on the king’s head. Saint Edwards Crown has a solid gold frame and is bedazzled with rubies, ame-
thysts, sapphires and other jewels, making the crown worth more than my entire lifetime income.
Everyone yells, “God save the king!” and trumpets blare and, Bob’s your uncle, England has a new king.
Then the fun starts. Concerts will feature new musical pieces commissioned by the king himself, including an anthem written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and I can only hope it’s performed by the cast of “Cats.” A refugee choir and an LGBTQ+ ensemble will perform, because we all know how much the royal family loves diversity.
There’s even a Coronation Quiche consisting of spinach, broad beans, cheese, tarragon and lard, to celebrate the country’s devotion to bland food. You can get the recipe online and make it for your family as you watch the celebration.
Leaders from around the world will attend the coronation, except some countries who are afraid if they send leaders to the event, England will colonize them while they’re gone. But this is a historical moment you won’t want to miss, especially if the royal family starts throwing the crown jewels at each other.
BOOKS AND MORE
www.letsreadfunbooks.com
Educational, interactive and fun From activity books, to neat fiction series, to internet-linked science and history encyclopedias
Buy Books and More NOW
Contact Independent Consultant: Lauren Casper @ letsreadfunbooks.com
NobleOne Professional Painting
25 Years of Experience
Call: 801-750-0977
www.nobleonepropainting.com
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING PERMANENT LIGHTING
SUGARHOUSE
HEATING & AIR
Trimlight Permanent Lighting
Waterproof, programable energy efficient
SERVICE & REPAIR
Residential and Light Commercial Call Jeff at 801-347-1150
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
24 Hour Emergency: 801-484-0506
Lifetime Warranty of all Parts
Call today for 20% off peak season pricing! 801-890-3381
DECKS & HANDRAILS
Utah’s Best Decks
Building Utah’s BEST Decks for over 25 years with quality & integrity. Call John today for a FREE estimate. Get your dream deck done this spring! 801-205-5999 • BestDecksInUtah.com
PLUMBING THE DRAIN BOYZ FREE ESTIMATES
Plumbing,Piping, Installations Drain Cleaning Service and Repair, Large and Small Remodeling Call or Text - Steve or Lea 801.637.1543 or 385.253.0412
M ay 2023 | page 31 D raper J ournal . C o M
Peri Kinder Life and Laughter
Draper ROOFING 801-272-7000 All types of roofs $650 OFF any reroof over 2,000 sq. ft. VEHICLES WANTED We’ll buy your running & non-running, wrecked or broken car, truck or van. (801) 506-6098 CarSoldForCash.com A Local Utah Company TREE SERVICES INTERMOUNTAIN TREE EXPERTS Removals . Trimming . Pruning Licensed and Insured / 30+ Yrs Experience 801-244-3542 FREE ESTIMATES WATER SOFTENER RELIABLE SOFT WATER without the typical water softener problems • Zero maintenance • No breakdowns • 2/3 LESS salt For free in-home estimate: visit www.KineticoUtah.com or call 801-890-5344 LEAFGUARD RAIN GUTTERS Guaranteed not to clog for as long as you own your home. If it clogs, LeafGuard will come out and clean it for you. One-Piece System, Professional Installation CALL AND RECEIVE A $200 VISA GIFT CARD WITH YOUR LEAFGUARD PURCHASE! Free Estimate - 385-300-0869 METAL EXTERIORS ASPEN ROOFING Specializing in metal roofs, wall panels, and exterior window treatments. 801-882-2332 www.aspen-roofing.com Call for a FREE estimate today CONCRETE T3 Concrete LLC Specializes in Driveways, Walkways, Patios, Foundations, Retaining Walls, Basement Entrances Stamp & Color Concrete Call Mate’ for a FREE Estimate 801-918-8843 HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING Apex Clean Air Installations & Repairs Call today for a free in home estimate. 801-449-1939 YARD SERVICES Affordable Yard Care / Tree Trimming & Removal Flower Beds, Hedges, Railroad Ties, Mulching, Sod, Mowing, Concrete Senior
WORK Reasonable Prices, Quality Work, Prompt Service
work, Driveways, Patios, RV Pads, Sidwalks, Etc. Call Dan: 801.518.7365
Discounts Call Dan: 801-518-7365 CONCRETE
Flat
REPAIR Jack’s Pro Gutter and Cleaning 85% of gutters are repairable! 21 years experience - licensed and insured SENIOR DISCOUNTS De-icing and leaf protectors Call or text Jack 801-865-6382
BUSINESS 42 YEARS! Spring Aerations, Weekly Lawn Maintenance Spring Clean-ups FREE Estimates (801) 550-6813 OR (801) 661-5685 LANDSCAPE MATERIALS REPLENISH LANDSCAPE
Colored Mulch, Compost, Soil Blends, Playground Chips, Sand-Gravel, Landscape Fabric & More 801-252-5962
S 200 W Murray Mention this ad for 10% Off PROFESSIONAL PAINTING Residential, Commercial, Interior, Exterior Reliable, Dependable, and CLEAN
LAWN MAINTENANCE PRO LAWN MAINTENANCE IN
Barks,
4660
Retiring? Given the current political & economic environment, many retirees are worried about their future. Bring your financial, tax and estate plans into one comprehensive plan Avoid being forced to sell your assets or surrender your money to Medicaid. Copyright © 2010-2023 Wealth Management CPAs. All rights reserved. Retire comfortably by learning how to help… Kelly G. Purser CPA Advisory services are offered through Wealth Management CPAs, LLC an SEC Investment Advisor. Kelly Purser is not securities l icensed. Tax services offered through Wealth Management Tax Solutions, LLC, an affiliated company. Insurance products and services offered through Wealth Management Insurance Solutions, LLC, an affiliated company. Two complimentary consultations and a personalized retirement plan ($1,000 Value) Call Today! (801) 797-2954 WealthCPAs.com Robert J. Beck CPA Tamra O. Williams “Be kind. Be competent.” Navigate high inflation, rising interest rates and market volatility. Decrease the tax on your IRA or 401(k) for a more comfortable retirement. Protect your estate from long-term care expenses while remaining in your own home. Understand why a living trust may be more effective than a regular will and why you may need one. Discover the pitfalls of probate and the steps you can take to avoid it. Realize when you should not put your children on your bank accounts and property titles. Minimize taxes on your social security benefits. Spend more time with loved ones. Too many retirees are “on call” – stressing over the markets and tax code changes. Avoid wasting your golden years. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10