Holladay Journal |July 2023

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

Aerial performer and fire dancer Mark Bolyea is beginning to realize his life dream of traveling the world and capturing nature in a unique way through the lens of a camera. The last four years, Bolyea has been navigating a long road to recovery after receiving second- and third-degree burns to his hands and leg while performing a fire dance at Lakeside Casino in Pahrump, Nevada. During his recovery, Bolyea decided it was time to pursue his passion for photography.

A former Holladay resident, Bolyea is known in the local community and across the Wasatch Front for his window cleaning business. After launching his business two decades ago, his name in the area has become synonymous with dependable, reputable and detailed perfection.

In 2011, Bolyea became inspired by the aerial performing arts and fire dancing. Bolyea, an athlete and accomplished musician, took lessons in both artistic disciplines. Within a short period of time, he became skilled at spinning fire, choreographed to drums and music, and aerial acrobatics performed on a hanging rope and a trapeze.

While managing his window cleaning business, Bolyea performed aerial acrobatics at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, Capitol Theatre and Utah Arts Festival. He trav-

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“During the fire dance performance, the person monitoring my safety became distracted and walked away at the moment my legging brushed the fire and went up in flames. By instinct, I tried to brush the fire away with my hands.” (Photo credit Horace Langford Jr./Pahrump Valley Times)

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eled to many locations outside of Salt Lake City, including Las Vegas to light up the stage fire dancing. In June of 2019, while performing a fire dance Bolyea was critically burned.

“The night of the performance, everything went wrong,” Bolyea said. “When fire dancers perform, a safety crew stands by with fire extinguishers and towels. Also, buckets of water are set out around the dance space in the event of an emergency. I was assured my costume leggings were fire resistant. During the performance, the person monitoring my safety became distracted and walked away at the moment my legging brushed the fire and went up in flames. By instinct I brushed the fire away with my hands. Finally, I ran over, grabbed a towel and smothered the flames. I was life flighted to a hospital in Las Vegas. I ended up having second- and third-degree burns on my leg that later became infected. The joints of my hands curled from being burned so badly. For about a week, it was touch and go as to whether I was going to lose my leg. Fortunately, the infection began to clear, and the doctors were able to save my leg.”

A retired army veteran, Bolyea has been housed at the Veterans Administration dorms in Salt Lake City for the last few years while recovering.

“It has been extremely painful trying to heal from being severely burned,” Bolyea said. “My burns were

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scrubbed daily to promote healing and to fight infection. I had to start moving my joints immediately to ensure I would get mobility back. With extreme perseverance, I was successful and have gained back 100% mobility.”

Bolyea’s hands are sufficiently healed now, and he is once again cleaning windows. Photography remains his long-term professional goal, and he is looking to expand from freelance nature scene photography to commercial portrait and events photography.

Bolyea’s photography awards include the coveted people’s choice award and a photography arts grant from Urban Arts Gallery.

Inspired by the photography of Denmark’s award-winning photographer, Mads Peter Iversen, Bolyea’s photos

are varied in composition and range from the peaceful and calm, to the dramatic and dreamy. Like Iversen, Bolyea tries to capture through the lens of a camera the reverence he has for the natural world.

“A couple of things that I think make my photography unique are the way I style my composition and the way I capture light and color,” Bolyea said. “I enjoy my photo originality which often edges on the surreal. My intention is to create art through the medium of my camera.”

To learn more about Bolyea’s photography visit his website at www.markbolyeaphotography.com. l

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A retired army veteran, Mark Bolyea has been housed at the Veterans Administration dorms in Salt Lake City for the last few years while recovering from his severe burns. (Photo credit Mark Bolyea)

Inspired by the photography of Denmark’s award-winning photographer, Mads Peter Iversen, Mark Bolyea’s photos are varied in composition and range from the peaceful and calm to the dramatic. (Photo credit Mark Bolyea)

Oakwood and Spring Lane principals hope their example eases transition

Principals Eric Bailey of Oakwood Elementary and Kip Carlsen of Spring Lane had a crash course in teamwork this year, and they’re hoping they’ve earned an A grade. Late in 2022 they learned Spring Lane would close and Oakwood would absorb most of the student body. They decided for the good of their school communities to work through the transition together.

Carlsen was principal at Spring Lane for just a year, but what a year. “I fell in love with the place really quick. The community here is strong, and I can see why people love this school,” he said.

Carlsen was named principal at the April 2022 board meeting, which was about the same time Granite District announced they’d commissioned population studies for the Cottonwood network.

Bailey had been at Oakwood since the fall of 2021. They’d known of each other because they had both been at secondary schools. “I noticed Kip [Carlsen] because he always had intelligent things to say,” Bailey said.

In his new position, Carlsen relied on Bailey to help him transition to elementary school. “A lot of the programs and terminology in elementary school is different from that in secondary schools. Our schools were only .9 miles apart, so I was always asking him about things,” Carlsen said.

Like the rest of the community, Carlsen and Bailey learned in late 2022 that the district had decided to close three elementary schools, including Spring Lane. Knowing most of the students would be reassigned to Oakwood, the two principals decided to publicly embrace the change together.

“We felt like the district had been open and transparent about the process. So we were grateful to share what

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

we knew with parents and students,” Carlsen said.

He praised Bailey’s decision to welcome the Spring Lane community to PTA and community council meetings beginning in January.

They’ve combined for other activities, too. In April, Oakwood held a Fun Run, and Spring Lane students were bussed over to participate. All the students got a T-shirt with the logos of both schools. The theme of the day was “together we soar.”

“Eric [Bailey] has done an amazing job. He’s gone above and beyond to be welcoming to our community. He’s come over to my faculty meetings. In my opinion, there’s nothing he could have done better to help this community,” Carlsen said.

Carlsen said he knows some people are still disappointed with the change, but he’s looking at the positive side.

“We’ve had a slow decline in population over the

years. Our school has the highest number of kids who permit out to other schools, so a lot of students from our community are already somewhere else. The smaller population made it harder to hire and retain staff.

“I’m excited for the students to be at Oakwood where they have more support staff. It’s also a newer school—it was completed in 2011—and there’s something exciting about being in a newer facility that makes you more engaged in learning,” Carlsen said.

Bailey was happy to welcome the community and address any concerns. Seven teachers, roughly half of the Spring Lane faculty, accepted teaching positions at Oakwood, which he said will help.

Bailey’s tried to reassure parents’ concerns about parking and busses, staffing, and moving the DLI Chinese program to Oakwood.

“Parents from both

schools are just parents and they have the same questions. ‘How will my child be taken care of academically and socially? How will you make sure they succeed?’ That’s what parents want to know,” Bailey said.

Both principals agree that change is hard. By setting the example of working together and going into the transition with a positive attitude, they hope to teach their communities how to successfully navigate change.

“There’s fear of the unknown, but I’m excited for our kids to move over here. There will be a lot of benefits, and I know once the new school year gets going they’ll love Oakwood and be ready to go,” Carlsen said. “It’s been amazing to work with Eric during the year and get our communities ready for this transition.” l

Kip Carlsen, left, and Eric Bailey, right, sport their “Together we SOAR” T-shirts at the April Fun Run for Spring Lane and Oakwood Elementary Schools. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

Opera Appreciation Club of Utah welcomes Michael Ballam

Michael Ballam, opera singer, educator and founding general director of Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, joined the Opera Appreciation Club of Utah for an afternoon filled with stories told through music.

The club, an organization formed to foster appreciation of the performing arts, hosted their annual spring luncheon in Sandy at the home of club member Kathie Horman. Ballam engaged an attentive audience through operatic song and musical story. His presentation was followed by a luncheon which included a main course and a dessert selection of homemade deepdish pies.

“The organization began 93 years ago in a woman’s home who taught dance,” said Opera Appreciation Club president Barbara Newman. “Mothers would come to the home and bring their children. While the children were downstairs taking dance lessons, the mothers sat upstairs and visited. During the conversations, the women discovered a common interest and appreciation for opera. This resulted in the founding and organization of the opera club.”

Newman and past president Horman extended a welcome to each club member and visitor creating an intimate com-

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

munity atmosphere. Following her brief remarks, Newman introduced Ballam. Involved in the performing arts for over four decades, Ballam has shared the stage with the world’s greatest singers. His operatic repertoire includes more than 600 performances of over 100 major roles. Although Ballam performed with many national opera houses including the San Francisco, Metropolitan and Washington National, he can be found singing to terminally ill patients or introducing children to the magical world of sharing stories through song.

“Touching people through music has been my goal all my life,” Ballam said. “That is why I love the theatre.”

Reflecting back during his 90-minute presentation, Ballam shared a timeline of his operatic and recital career, conveying his journey through song. Currently, Ballam is founding general director of Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre housed in the Utah Theatre in Logan.

“We will come to life on May 5 when 400 employees will arrive to tell stories through song,” Ballam said. “The best of the best performers from all over the world will come to Logan, Utah, because they know they will have a wonderful experience. They will be surrounded by a nur-

turing environment. Our opera company is about the singers, and our job is to create an environment in which they can feel at ease and perform their best.”

When Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre season comes to a close, Les Misérables will be presented Aug. 12-19 at the Utah Theatre by high school seniors from across Utah.

“We hold a competition throughout the year and present Utah High School Musical Theater Awards,” Ballam said. “This year we visited 42 high schools to watch the high school musical performances and to video record them. We then sent the video recordings to professional judges, who make their living on stage in musical theater and opera. We selected 10 of what we think are the best musicals in the state. Awards are presented to the best actors, best supporting actors, creators of scenery design and the best orchestra. We’ve been presenting high school musical awards for 15 years.”

Ballam also discussed how opera performance is expensive. According to Ballam, a front row seat at the Metropolitan Opera is $2,000, only 18% of its actual cost. A Utah Festival Opera ticket pays 40% of the actual cost of each seat.

“We have to look to foundations, government and friends for donations due to the cost of opera performance. We try to stretch every dollar until it sings,” Ballam said.

The Opera Appreciation Club meets the third Thursday of each month at noon, September through May. Membership is open for those interested in joining. For more information contact Colleen Paddock at tcpaddock@msn.com.

Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre tickets are available by calling 800262-0074 or by visiting their website at Utahfestival.org. Utah Theatre is located at 18 W. Center St. in Logan. l

Singer Michael Ballam’s presentation was followed by a luncheon which included a dessert selection of homemade deep-dish pies. (Photo credit Julie Paull)

The Opera Appreciation Club of Utah hosted their annual spring luncheon in Sandy. Barbara Newman, club president, welcomed renowned guest artist Michael Ballam. (Photo credit Julie Paull)

Holladay Children’s Theatre presents ‘A Unicorn, a Dinosaur, and a Shark Walk into a Book’

Sponsored by the Holladay Arts Council, the Holladay Children’s Theatre brought to life on stage a short theatrical play that possibly was the happiest 15 minutes a person could experience. Adapted from the picture book by Jonathan Feske, “A Unicorn, a Dinosaur, and a Shark Walk into a Book” the production was performed June 9 in the Cottonwood Room at Holladay City Hall.

On a first-come, first-served basis, 12 hours after registration opened, a cast of 24 local children ages 6 through 12 were selected to participate in this year’s production of “A Unicorn, a Dinosaur, and a Shark Walk into a Book.” The entire children’s theatrical production was cast, practiced and presented within a brief one-week time frame.

“Creating a children’s theatre was Natalie Bradley’s idea,” executive director of the Holladay Arts Council, Sheryl Gillilan said. “Natalie had been on the arts council for a year and suggested a play for children. Everyone on the council agreed it was a great idea. The first performance in 2018 was based on the children’s book, ‘The Big Orange Splot,’ by Daniel Manus. Due to Covid, we took a break until 2022 at which time ‘Pirate Stew’ a book by Neil Gaiman was performed. Megan Atterman, a recent member of the arts council, joined with Natalie in this year’s production of ‘A Unicorn, a Dinosaur, and a Shark Walk into a Book.’ Registration for these plays is full approximately 12 hours after we post them, and there is always a waiting list. This year’s play is definitely 15 minutes of ‘Oh, I have faith in the world with these cute, earnest kids enjoying themselves on the stage!’”

Mayor Rob Dahle welcomed the audience to the theatre production and generously thanked the play directors and the arts council for continuously providing events that strengthen and build the Holladay community.

“It’s a great opportunity for young people to get away from their computers and phones and to be exposed to the arts,” Dahle said. “I want to thank the directors of the play, Natalie Bradley and Megan Atterman, for sharing their talents with these young people and for all of the hard work they have invested in this production.”

Atterman wrote the adapted play script and said she enjoyed the theatrics of the book, “A Unicorn, a Dinosaur, and a Shark Walk into a Book,” and the chance for young children to portray fun characters.

According to Atterman, during play practices, the children participated in many drama activities to help them warm up, to bring out their personalities and help them to feel comfortable on stage. The production time schedule was limited. The children met two hours a day for four days to learn their

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

parts and block the scenes of the play.

“I was inspired by the book because my own children enjoyed checking it out from the library,” Atterman said. “When writing the script, it didn’t need a lot of adjustment to make it perfect for the stage. These kids got into it quickly. We began practicing on Monday. The children auditioned for their parts on Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday we had play practice, and then today, the children performed the play.”

Children can practice real-world life skills such as communication, self-confidence, self-evaluation and creative thinking by participating in a theatrical production. During the weeklong experience, children have the opportunity to interact with each other and learn to express themselves using these life skills on stage and then take what they have learned and apply the life skills in real-world settings.

“We have had young performers that suffer from severe anxiety sign up to participate,” Bradley said. “It’s heartwarming to see a child’s confidence grow on stage and to see how proud the parents are when they have previously thought they would never see their child perform in front of an audience. This program provides a safe easy space to learn to explore who you are through theatre.”

Holladay resident Charlotte Cook said her 10-year-old granddaughter Madeline has participated in the plays for the last two years and continuously talks about the experience during the week of preparation and performance.

“What a great opportunity for young people,” Cook said. “Each year Madeline has had such a positive experience participating in the performances. She has absolutely loved being included.”

When the children took their final bows on stage, it was evident they had developed a deep sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

“You see it in that final moment, when the kids finish the play. You can see it in their faces. They are so proud of themselves, and that is the moment you are working for,” Atterman said. “They feel good about what they have accomplished. They have worked so hard, and they have had fun doing it.”l

Children practice real-world life skills such as communication, self-confidence, self-evaluation and creative thinking by participating in a theatrical production.

On a first come, first served basis, 12 hours after registration opened, a cast of 24 local children ages 6 through 12 were selected to participate in this year’s production of “A Unicorn, a Dinosaur, and a Shark Walk into a Book.” The entire children’s theatrical production was cast, practiced and presented within a brief, one-week time frame. (Photo credit Natalie Bradley, Holladay Arts Council)

(Photo credit Natalie Bradley, Holladay Arts Council)

Holladay school adapts activities due to high creek waters

Rising creek waters from melting snow pack and frequent spring storms were a concern for Wasatch Charter School during their last month in session. The K-8 school, located at 1458 E. Murray Holladay Road, borders the Big Cottonwood Regional Creekside Park. They use the park grounds for activities and as an alternative pick-up location after school.

Throughout the spring, sandbags were placed along the creek to protect the school and nearby businesses from potential flooding. On May 24, the school’s administration sent out an urgent message to parents informing them that students could not be picked up at the park for the remainder of the school year.

“We are sorry for the short notice,” the message said, “but we have just learned that Creekside Park is being intentionally flooded to mitigate further flooding downstream. The water is already rising at the bottom of the hill on the park side. Students who walk to the park for pickup will not be released to walk today, and need to be picked up at the school.”

As a Waldorf school, students spend a significant amount of time outside. The creek flows through the park and borders the west side of the school grounds. During an eighth-grade graduation party rushing water could be heard during the outdoor ceremony. l

This photo, taken during an eighth-grade graduation party, shows the proximity of the creek to the Wasatch Charter School. Rushing water could be heard during the outdoor ceremony. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

(801) 272-8226

3750 Highland Drive Highlandcoveretirement.com

Facebook: @HighlandCoveRetirement

Highland Cove Retirement in Holladay is a beautiful community located at the site of the old Highland Drive-in movie theater. For 40 years, Highland Cove has provided independent and assisted living for senior citizens who want safety, camaraderie and fun activities. It was recently named by U.S. News and World Report as a Best Assisted and Independent Living Community. Brent Pitts is the Highland Cove sales director and said residents enjoy a high quality of life.

What sets this retirement community apart?

According to Pitts and a recent survey, residents highlighted our beautiful grounds. We have over a mile of walking paths. We have a beautiful, mature park-like setting with rose bushes and different trees.

Plus, all of our units have washers and dryers so you don’t have to go to a community laundromat. But one big thing that differentiates us is our food. Our chefs have been here for over 22 years. They know how to cook and the food is fantastic.

What type of residents live at Highland Cove?

The majority of our residents are independent living with a small percentage of assisted living residents. We also have a lot of veterans here. We love our veterans and we’re proud to support them. We’re very cost efficient. We have options that start as low as $2,480 a month. That includes

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

food, utilities, transportation, housekeeping once a week and activities.

What types of activities do you offer?

We have a very robust activity schedule that includes book and game clubs, exercise classes, health lectures, entertainment, and outings. They’ll go ride the Heber Creeper or ride the tram up to the top of Snowbird or visit the Bingham mine. One day we drove to Brigham City because one of the residents wanted fried chicken from Maddox. There are concerts and guest lectures, trips to the museum, the theater and the symphony. We also do our Home of the Brave luncheon where we invite local police and fire departments to come have lunch with us. It’s a huge hit.

Why is a retirement community important?

The surgeon general released some data where they explained there’s an epidemic of loneliness. There’s a community here, from our residents to everyone working at Highland Cove. It’s a fun, family environment and the people are having a ball, they’re having so much fun. It’s just a really nice place to be. People who move here often say they should have done it years ago. There’s excitement and anticipation for all the things they get to do, the friends they get to make and the beautiful place they get to live.

What makes Highland Cove so successful?

Gary Webster is an amazing executive director. He used to be a director at the Huntsman Cancer Institute for 20 years. Highland Cove is a place where employees feel appreciated, but at the same time, he holds everyone to a very high standard. He leads in a way that makes you want to do your job with a high level of excellence. I honestly think that’s where Highland Cove shines the most. You can talk about features and benefits, but it’s leadership that really makes the difference.

How can people learn more?

They can visit our website (highlandcoveretirement.com), give us a call or swing by and have lunch with us. It’s very low pressure, there’s a great feeling here and I invite anyone to stop by or give us a call at 801.272.8226.

Local micro cut-flower farm holds ribbon cutting to celebrate new beginning

Holladay City officials and community members joined Maylene White, business proprietor of the Dancing Cricket Flower Farm, in a ribbon-cutting ceremonial opening of her already thriving urban micro-cut flower farm business.

Mayor Rob Dahle, Holladay Chamber of Commerce president Jason Woodland and Holladay City Councilman Matt Durham sponsored the event and each congratulated her in their remarks on the successful launch of her small business.

“This is a first for me opening a business in a backyard,” Dahle said. “It’s exciting to participate in this event with Jason and the Holladay Chamber of Commerce because small business is what Holladay is all about. It’s great to have a private flower growing business in someone’s back yard. A small business like this establishes the unique character of Holladay.”

A dance professor at Utah Valley University since 1995, White decided it was time to move on from her highly successful dance career and to explore her interest in growing flowers.

White received her Master Gardner Certification at Utah State University and began volunteering in local community gardens. As her passion grew for growing flowers, White enrolled and graduated from the renowned Floret, an intensive flower growing program where she learned step by step how to grow, harvest and sell cut flowers from her own backyard. Currently, White’s micro cut-flower farm is on one-eighth of an acre, but she does have plans to expand. Frequently, people approach her and offer parts of their yards to help her grow her business.

“I’ve been thinking about starting a flower business for several years,” White said. “As I transitioned from being a professional dancer and educator, I was looking at what my next chapter in life would be. I have always loved growing things especially flowers. The cut flower movement has been growing here in Utah, and it seemed like the right transition at the right time to begin a new chapter in my life. I went to flower farming school and found there was a lot more to learn about the business than I realized.”

Each year 10 to 20 flower farms are established in Utah. The majority of these farms are urban micro farms usually considered to be one-half acre or less. The farms supply fresh flowers to florists, wholesalers or to the public and offer subscription bouquets.

“I decided to do it right from the beginning, to set some parameters for my business,” White said. “I submitted a Conditional Use Permit through the city of Holladay and made sure I followed all of the rules and regulations of starting a home

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

business. Last Mother’s Day, I launched my business and oversold. I was humbled by my neighbors, friends and the Holladay community’s interest and caring shown in support of my cut-flower business.”

As cited in a recent press release, Eric White, marketing director for the Dancing Cricket Flower Farm, mentioned the environmental benefits of micro farming: “These tiny urban farms create a higher and better use of land, with less water, and create a uniquely local service in the community. In our particular case, from a sustainability standpoint, besides the lower water usage than lawn, local cut flowers have a much smaller carbon footprint than most of what you see at a florist or grocery store—much of that stock is imported from places like South America.”

If you would like more information about the Dancing Cricket Flower Farm and weekly cut- flower subscriptions visit www.dancingcricketflowerfarm.com. l

Maylene and Eric White cut ribbon in the ceremonial opening of the Dancing Cricket Flower Farm, an already thriving, popular subscription cut-flower business. (Collette Hayes/City Journals)

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LARKIN MORTUARY HONORS FAMILY PIONEER HERITAGE

Larkin Mortuary is one of the most respected funeral homes in the Salt Lake Valley. Its pioneer founder, George William Larkin, arrived in Utah in 1863, having emigrated from Cambridge, England. He started the Larkin tradition of arranging funerals in 1885. Today, with six generations of history serving Utah families, four mortuaries, cremation facilities and two cemeteries, Larkin Mortuary remains locally owned and family managed.

Larkin’s vertically integrated services also provide a premier floral shop, monument, urn and vault manufacturing facilities, and beautiful memorial meeting and luncheon facilities. Multilingual staff honor and facilitate important traditions of many cultures.

Retiring Holladay area educators have worked a combined 304 years

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

Granite School District published their list of retiring staff for 2023. Together, those from the Holladay area have spent over 300 years of combined teaching experience helping educate students. Is one of your favorites on the list?

Teacher Steve Rossi from Olympus Jr. High retired this year. He spent 30 years with GSD and taught digital literacy and creative coding in a “variety of schools” according to his biography. He was an advisor for the MESA club and the Lego League. Rossi was also in charge of the tech crew that ran morning announcements.

Cottonwood

High English teacher Lynn Taylor retired after 21 years with GSD. Cottonwood High’s Brian Francis also retired. He had spent 22 years on the custodial staff.

Teacher Helen Hurd of Oakwood Elementary spent her 38th and final year teaching kindergarten, with 28 of those years in GSD. Hurd loves the Oakwood community. “I love how supportive and involved the parents are, and of course the students…they are the best!” During retirement she’s looking forward to spending time with her grandkids.

Rosemary Anderson taught for 17 years in GSD and loved being a kindergarten teacher. “Kindergarten is a wonderful and exciting place to be, and a time of much growth and learning,” Anderson said of her time at Crestview Elementary. Anderson delighted in watching her students learn and progress each day.

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Driggs Elementary teacher Cynthia Pearson taught for 36 years. Over that time she taught nearly every grade, and at retirement was teaching first grade. She had several endorsements and won an EXCEL teaching award in 2021. She said she was inspired to have a career in teaching by her second grade teacher.

Olympus High held a party at the end of the year for their four retiring staff members, who together spent over 150 years as educators.

Two core subject teachers retired: Mike Kushlan was a math teacher at Olympus and retires after 30 years with GSD. Dianne Adler taught in the English department and was employed with GSD for 43 years.

Also retiring from Olympus are two veteran members of the performing arts department. Band teacher Evan Bateman started teaching in 1988 and was at Olympus for 35 years. Bateman also played with a local salsa band Orquesta Latino and the Orchestra at Temple Square.

Vocal music teacher Vicki Belnap is retiring after 42 years. She taught at Granite High before coming to Olympus in 1994. During her time at Olympus, she was invited to take students to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York City. She’s worked closely with students as the vocal coach for school musicals. l

Steven Rossi of Olympus Jr. High. (Granite School District) Helen Hurd of Oakwood Elementary. (Granite School District)

Rosemary Anderson of Crestview Elementary. (Granite School District)

Cynthia Pearson of Howard R. Driggs Elementary. (Granite School District)

COUNCIL CORNER

FY 2023-24 Budget update

For those that are not aware, Holladay runs on a fiscal calendar beginning July 1st and ending on June 30th. Our City Council approved the FY 2023-24 budget on June 15th. The budget is 107 pages long, so I won’t bore you with details but do want to point out some of the high points as we begin a new fiscal year.

The city supports a population of 32,000, 11,170 households, with a diversified locally influenced commercial tax base. In other words, we do not rely on sales tax revenue from big boxes and auto dealerships, as do many of our counterparts. This impacts our ability to raise large amounts of revenue through sales tax distributions, but we feel the unique character of a locally based business community is worth the trade-off.

PROJECTED

PROJECTED EXPENSES--- $20,960,000

The entire budget through the city website, or you can reach out to your Council Representative if you have questions. A more complete budget message will be provided in the August issue.

There are a few items worthy of further note. First, the primary responsibility of local government is public safety. We contract with both Unified Fire and Police to deliver these critical first responder services. We feel strongly that a shared services model attracts and retains the best and brightest in these respective fields and justifies the 48% budget allocation the Council approved.

Second, I want to shine a light on the significant investments we have and continue to make in city road and storm drain infrastructure. You’ll recall the 3-year process we followed to justify a city property tax increase and to assess a storm drain fee on both residential and commercial property. I’m sure you have noticed the significant road work taking place throughout the city. The additional property tax revenue being generated not only enabled us to address critical road needs, but will also allow us to continue this work over the coming years. Our attention will now turn to critical storm drain repairs and installations. Lack of past investment has resulted in 4 collapses(sinkholes) over the past 3 years. Investment is long past due, and we thank you for supporting this much-needed effort. I want to emphasize our commitment to prioritizing the new revenue you approved for critical infrastructure needs throughout the city.

Finally, I want the citizens of Holladay to know that the state of the city is strong. We make every effort to manage your tax dollars responsibly, and to spend your money wisely. Our balance sheet and fund balances (rainy day fund) are healthy. We feel Holladay is positioned to be a destination community for new residents, and the place past residents always want to return to.

Hope to see you at the free summer concerts, concert #1 kicks off July 8th!

**Bonding revenue supports storm water improvements. Bond payments are made with storm water fee collections.

I-215 Shared Use Path Feasibility Study

—Rob Dahle, Mayor

The City of Holladay, in partnership with the Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), is initiating a feasibility study for a shared use path (SUP) along I-215 between Highland Drive and Holladay Boulevard. The study will explore design elements, aesthetics and construction feasibility of the path.

The path will connect Knudsen Park to the existing trail network. It will improve connectivity and accessibility for people who walk and bike in the community.

TAKE THE SURVEY TODAY

We want to hear from you! Use the QR code or visit surveymonkey. com/r/I-215sharedusepath to complete the study survey and provide your feedback. The survey will remain open through Aug. 15, 2023. Questions? Reach out to the study team at (385) 446-8887.

Holladay Library Happenings

Online Safety and Searching for Seniors

Saturday, July 08 • 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

How to guard your privacy, not get scammed, find good information, stay safe on the internet, and find all the best resources available to you. Come have a snack and learn with us.

July 8th: Finding good information online: Learn with a librarian how to use Google to your advantage and tell when you have found reliable information.

Seed Saving 101

Saturday, July 29 • 11:30-12:30

Learn from a local expert how to save seeds from the things you grow so that you can use those seeds next season.

PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE

Help us shape the future of Big Cottonwood Regional Park slco.org/planning

DATE: Wednesday, August 2 TIME: 6 pm–7:30 pm

PLACE: Creekside Park Pavilion 1592 E Murray Holladay Rd

Protect Your Pet from Summer Fun

Salt Lake County Animal Services

More pets go missing in the summer months than at any other time of year. Make sure they always have on a collar with an ID tag with up-to-date info, and take note of which events could increase the probability of your dog getting out.

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS:

Rob Dahle, Mayor rdahle@cityofholladay.com

801-580-3056

Ty Brewer, District 1 tbrewer@cityofholladay.com

801-550-8747

Matt Durham, District 2 mdurham@cityofholladay.com

801-999-0781

Paul Fotheringham, District 3 pfotheringham@cityofholladay.com

801-424-3058

Drew Quinn, District 4 dquinn@cityofholladay.com

801-272-6526

Dan Gibbons, District 5 dgibbons@cityofholladay.com

If guests are going to be coming in and out of the front door or back gate, keep your pets in a secure area or put them in their crates. An unsecured gate or open door is the perfect opportunity for your pet to take themselves on an adventure without you. Keep in mind that many human foods, beverages, and seasonings are extremely toxic to dogs, so make sure to keep the tempting treats out of your dog’s reach.

According to the ASPCA, 1 in 5 pets goes missing after being scared by loud noises. Be sure to bring your pet indoors and keep them away from open windows when summer storms roll into your area. It can also be helpful to give them their favorite toy or an easily digested chew to help them alleviate stress from anxiety-causing noises.

The loud noise of firework displays, big or small, are scary and disorienting to pets. Leave them at home and inside with a loud fan or calming music. If the fireworks display is in your driveway, be sure to clean up the leftover firework debris. Never underestimate what your dog may stick in its mouth.

All pets in Salt Lake County can receive a free microchip at Salt Lake County Animal Services, pet licensing may be required depending on your city. Email animal@slco.org or come to Animal Services at 511 W 3900 S, Tue – Fri, 10-6 to get your pet microchipped. Contact your local animal control!

The first-place pet owners look for a lost pet is the local shelter. How you can help: post a photo of them where you found them and what shelter they went to on the NextDoor App or Utah Lost & Found Pets Facebook Group. All pets at Salt Lake County Animal Services can be seen online at AdoptUtahPets.org.

385-215-0622

Gina Chamness, City Manager gchamness@cityofholladay.com

PUBLIC MEETINGS:

City Council – rst and third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. Planning Commission – rst and third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.

CITY OFFICES: Mon-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. • 801-272-9450 4580 South 2300 East • Holladay, UT 84117 Community Development 801-527-3890

NUMBERS TO KNOW: Emergency 911 UPD Dispatch (Police) 801-840-4000 UFA Dispatch (Fire) 801-840-4000 Animal Control 385-468-7387

Garbage/Sanitation 385-468-6325

Holladay Library 801-944-7627

Holladay Lions Club 385-468-1700

Mt. Olympus Sr. Center 385-468-3130

Holladay Post O ce 801-278-9942

Cottonwood Post O ce 801-453-1991

Holliday Water 801-277-2893

Experience the Walk With Ease Program

Arthritis Foundation Certified. Doctor Recommended

Benefits

• Walk safely and comfortably

• Improve flexibility, strength & stamina

• Reduce pain and stiffness

• Feel confident in managing arthritis

• Meet new people and gain social support

• Go at your own pace, all walking abilities welcome!

Workshop Components

• Learn about arthritis, fitness & managing pain

• 5-step walking pattern each session

• Slowly increase walking time each week

Classes held at: Holladay-Lions Rec. Center 1661 E. Murray-Holladay Rd, 84117

Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays

August 21st - Sept. 29th

10:00 am - 11:00 am

Space is limited, sign up today! call 385-468-3132

Firework Restrictions & Recreational Fires

By Capt. Dan Brown, UFA

With July here, I just wanted to remind you of the fireworks restrictions here in Holladay. It remains the same, with fireworks being banned East of 1300 East. Although we aren’t as dry this year as in years past, the heavy foliage and tree canopy always present significant risks. For the areas in Salt Lake County you are able to discharge fireworks, you can find those at unifiedfire.org.

Please use extreme caution when using fireworks during the season. If high winds, precipitation, or other adverse weather conditions prevail, fireworks discharge should be postponed or discontinued until weather conditions improve.

Holladay will be having their own awesome fireworks show on July 4th at 10 PM at the City Hall Park with a concert starting at 8 PM.

Recreational fire guidelines:

The fire code allows residents to have small recreational fires at their residences. The fuel area cannot exceed 3ft in diameter by 2ft in height. Burning is limited to dry, clean, natural materials... no garbage, plastics, rubber, oils or construction waste.

• Verify that it is a green burn day by checking the air quality forecast.

• Keep open fires 25 feet away from structures or combustible materials. Fires contained in improved barbecue pits or portable outdoor fireplaces require a minimum of 15 feet of clearance. LP or natural gas fire pits or grills require 10 feet of clearance.

• Have a method of extinguishment readily available. Keep a garden hose or bucket of water close by.

• Fires must be constantly attended until fully extinguished.

O2 Utah promotes cleaner air through elections and policy

House Bill 220, constructed and proposed by environmental nonprofit O2 Utah, passed unanimously in both chambers and was signed into law on March 14 with sponsorship from Sen. Kirk Cullimore and Rep. Andrew Stoddard, developing legislation to begin reducing the unfettered dumping of toxic halogens into our airshed.

O2 Utah’s mission is to “clean our state’s air and eliminate our contributions to climate change through elections and policy,” according to their website.

“I thought we needed an organization that followed a three-step plan,” said David Garbett, the director and founder of O2 Utah. “Step one, getting involved in elections; two, building relationships with policymakers; and three, giving them policy.”

Once an attorney with public lands groups, Garbett’s legal focus centered on air quality. “I didn’t see anybody putting forward a plan that said follow these steps if we want to get clean air,” Garbett said. “Before was a lot of telling legislators to do better, but not telling them how to do better.” Thus, the genesis of O2 Utah.

“I think that campaigns are really where policy starts, it’s the best opportunity for us to start influencing decision makers and helping build relationships,” Garbett said.

Although a nonprofit, O2 Utah is also a 501(c)(4), an organization that can endorse candidates, campaign and make donations. The organization campaigned to support Cullimore and Stoddard during their reelection in 2022, communicating with voters that these two candidates were going to work toward solving air quality issues in Utah. A messaging experiment they ran during that time found that swing voters are 16% more likely to support a pro-air quality candidate.

With legal backgrounds, Garbett and his team of five others have the capacity to write legal proposals that actually have weight, translating science concepts into legislative language and programs. “It’s one thing to have science on paper, but that is not going to get policy itself.”

“It’s a part of our theory that we need to give legislators a roadmap to get clean air, and we call that road map Prosperity 2030,” Garbett said. This “northstar” of theirs aims to cut emissions by 50% along the Wasatch Front by 2030. Those emissions reduced from the three main local polluters they’ve identified: transportation, homes and buildings and industrial sources.

HB 220 is one section working toward Prosperity 2030, focusing solely on industrial sources like halogens released as byproducts, like bromine. The bill conclusively requires the Division of Air Quality (DAQ) to make a recommendation to the legislature on a state halogen emissions limit by the end of 2024. In the meantime, DAQ must set a tech-based standard for bromine and other halogen emissions, requiring companies to use certain tools to limit

By Genevieve Vahl | g.vahl@mycityjournals.com

emissions. DAQ must identify and quantify all industrial sources of halogens. And, halogen emissions must be controlled no later than 2026. This compromised bill quickly passed through the House and Senate floors before Gov. Spencer Cox signed it into law on March 14.

Bromine can be found on the periodic table in the only element group that can exist as solid, liquid and gas. “The main polluter here are particles, sometimes called soot particles, that are typically measured as PM2.5, particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller,” Garbett said. “These are really, really tiny particles that are damaging because if you breathe them in, they cause all kinds of problems.”

These particles come out of tailpipes, smokestacks, vents in homes and buildings. Anytime there is combustion. But that only accounts for 25 to 30% of the particles in the air during bad inversions. The majority of the particles come from chemical reactions that change gasses into these tiny particles. “Because we have that condition where the air is really still and there is sunlight at the top of that inversion, it causes chemical reactions that change gasses into tiny particles. That’s where bromine comes in,” Garbett said.

Combustion adds particulate matter, tiny soot particles, to the air. Combustion also produces gasses, which react in chemical reactions that change those gasses into more particulate matter in the air—a secondary formation. Creating a vicious cycle of reacting in those two ways, where bromine is a hypercharged producer of particulate matter.

“It’s a super reactant that when combining bromine during inversion with gasses that are already in the air, it makes a lot more particles form than you’d have otherwise.” But it’s not something the state nor the EPA have previously regulated.

US Magnesium is the main producer of magnesium in the country, located here because magnesium is extracted from salt deposits, also the only place bromine is found naturally. “It’s either the ocean or the Great Salt Lake,” Garbett said. So when processing these salts to extract magnesium, bromine is a byproduct. “Which they basically have been dumping into the airshed. Finding that it’s making our inversions anywhere from 10 to 25% worse,” Garbett said.

HB 220 evolved as it moved through the House and the Senate, with heavy opposition from industry. They got as far as amending the legislation to a “toothless study bill,” claiming they wanted more information before being sanctioned with limits and restrictions, taking a page from the “big tobacco playbook.” But thanks to the sponsors Cullimore and Stoddard, they amended the bill back to having teeth, successfully passing through the Senate. “Most of the coverage didn’t understand or appreciate that it went from a study to real action demanding bill because of the Senate,” Garbett said. Eventually garnering enough support, the bill passed unanimously in both chambers.

“The legislature took a great step,” Garbett said. “I want to commend them for that, it was a really big deal.”

Garbett and his team at O2 Utah are so adamant about improving the quality of air we breathe because of the capacity at which the poor air impacts our lives so negatively. “The best research says that we’re dying here in Utah two to five years earlier because of our bad air,” Garbett said, “and that has so many different health impacts and is a big drag on our economy.”

From employees calling out sick when the inversion is really bad, asthma flaring up

and needing medical attention, to people dying from heart attacks because the lungs have to work harder that ultimately puts more stress on the heart, the health impacts lead to economic impact, stunting the potential of this place. “Those sorts of impacts add up and it’s estimated to cost our economy, on a conservative estimate, about $2 billion annually.”

“Take US Magnesium for example, one cost of their product should be dealing with the pollution that makes people sick,” Garbett said. “They’re just offloading costs onto the public and that doesn’t get priced into the goods they’re producing.”

Developing science into direct legislative action to begin mitigating these negative impacts on our community in the Salt Lake Valley is exactly O2 Utah’s goals when passing important legislation like HB 220. “We can’t just have unfettered dumping of bromine into the air,” Garbett said.

Now the organization is going to continue following the path of their Prosperity 2030 goal, looking for any and all opportunities to do that.

“To see industry lose on an issue was really exciting. The people won here, clean air won. Thanks to hard work from legislators and sticking with that,” Garbett said. And the work of his small team working to improve the quality of life here in the Salt Lake Valley.

“The most important thing the public does is set priorities. The public doesn’t have to know the science, they don’t have to know the details,” Garbett said. “What they do know is that they hate our dirty air. That’s what should be conveyed to legislators, to help them understand this needs to be a higher priority.” l

Clear blue skies up Little Cottonwood Canyon in the fall. (Genevieve Vahl/City Journals)

A view from the foothills overlooking the valley with a layer of inversion looming over. (Genevieve Vahl/City Journals)

Local nonprofit launches fundraiser to reduce food waste and feed those in need

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

WasteLess Solutions, a Holladay-based nonprofit organization, launched a GoFundMe fundraising campaign May 15 to continue their efforts to reduce food waste and to feed those in need in Utah.

The organization, which is dedicated to the education, prevention and diversion of food waste in Utah, has seen exponential growth since its official founding in 2018. The demand for services is far exceeding the nonprofits capacity to deliver services.

“I launched Waste Less Solutions as a way to make the planet, and Utah, better for my daughter,” said Dana Williamson, founder and president. “But this movement has grown so much bigger than us. We’ve fed thousands of people and saved millions of pounds of fresh food from going into the landfill. The GoFundMe campaign will help us feed even more Utahns. We do not lack food; we lack the ability to distribute the excess food we produce. Waste Less Solutions is dedicated to solving this problem.”

According to Williamson, in Utah there is approximately 600,000 tons of fresh food that goes uneaten every year and approximately 400,000 people going hungry. If surplus edible food were distributed to those in need, it would provide three meals a day for food insecure individuals and families for 18 months. There are environmental benefits as well for keeping

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5010 S Highland Dr in Salt Lake City 801-278-3875

Waste

Less Solutions has been creative in finding ways to use collected perishable food items. The organization rents kitchen space from Southeast Christian Church and uses it to provide community cooking classes and to prepare meals to be delivered to nonprofit organizations. (Photo credit Dana Williamson, Waste Less Solutions)

edible food out of our landfills. Reducing and preventing food waste is crucial in keeping methane gas out of the environment. Food loss and waste exacerbates the climate change crisis with its significant greenhouse gas footprint.

“I have always been passionate about our environment, food and education,” Williamson said. “I began to research ways I could make a positive difference in these areas. It was then I realized how bad food waste is for the environment. We are all talking about how harmful plastic and carbon dioxide from our cars is for the environment when there should be more conversation going on about food waste. To date we have rescued and distributed over 1.6-million pounds of food—the equivalent of 1.4-million meals to 70 Utah nonprofit partners.”

Waste Less Solutions is a 100% volunteer-based organization. Over 600 volunteers use their own cars and are provided with an app, already developed and shared by other food rescue organizations, to track and document food rescue. The volunteer rescues edible food from donors such as cafeterias, restaurants, food distributors, grocery stores, farmers markets and gardens and then delivers the food to agencies that will distribute the food to those with food insecurities.

“What I love about our organization is we are able to save perishable food that a lot of organizations struggle to save,” Williamson said. “We are providing healthy food to individuals that typically can’t afford it and also to those reliant on food donations. Our rescued food goes to 100 local nonprofits, which helps them support interpersonal, violence survivors and their children, low-income families, Utahns experiencing medical crises, and much more.”

Waste Less Solutions has been creative in finding ways to use collected perishable food items. The organization rents kitchen space from Southeast Christian Church and uses it to

provide community cooking classes on how to

Waste Less Solutions, a Holladay-based nonprofit organization, launched a GoFundMe fundraising campaign May 15 to continue their efforts to reduce food waste and to feed those in need in Utah. (Photo credit Dana Williamson, Waste Less Solutions)

efficiently use meal leftovers. Also, food donations such as dairy and meat products are made into prepared meals at the location and then delivered to nonprofit organizations.

Garden Share is a community garden program sponsored by Waste Less Solutions to reduce food waste in home gardens. Arrangements can be made through the organizations website to donate excess garden produce. A food rescuer will come to the share site for pick up and then deliver it to a nonprofit for distribution. Garden Share site volunteer opportunities are also available for those that would like to sign up to host a garden share cooler.

For more information about available volunteer opportunities or to make a donation to Waste Less Solutions visit: www.wastelesssolutions.org.l

Waste Less Solutions, a nonprofit organization based in Holladay, is dedicated to the education, prevention and diversion of food waste in Utah. The organization has seen exponential growth since its official founding in 2018. The demand for services is far exceeding the nonprofits capacity to deliver services. (Photo credit Dana Williamson, Waste Less Solutions)

Titans finish magical run in semifinals

Photos by Justin Adams

Jiyitharan Arumagarasa brings the ball downfield against Alta during the 5A semifinals at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman. Olympus would fall in overtime to Alta after multiple weather delays affected the timing of the day.

Christian Kercher takes a shot against Alta. Olympus finished the year 10-8 and 6-6 in region earning the No. 15 seed for the 5A state tournament where the Titans beat Cedar Valley (4-1), upset second-seeded Orem (1-0) and defeated Park City (3-2) in the quarterfinals.

Uber talented boys lacrosse comes up just short, finishes second at state

(left) Longstick middie Sam Smith brings the ball downfield during Olympus final region game against Brighton. The junior led the team in groundballs and takeaways. The Olympus High boys lacrosse team finished the year runner-up at state falling to Park City 11-6 in the final. The playoffs featured a trouncing of rival Skyline 17-2 before dropping Maple Mountain (13-5) in the quarterfinals and Northridge (19-4) in the semifinals. Olympus talent-stacked team featured stars such as seniors Ethan Hartsfield and Gage Phippen, and juniors Andrew Clayton, Charlie Droitch, Cole Cummings, Weston Holtby, Aydric Burleigh, Elliot Peterson, Grey Petersen and Caleb Johnson.

(right) The Olympus High boys lacrosse team celebrates one of its 319 goals on the year. The Titans capped a memorable year with a 17-2 record. In those 17 wins, they never saw a team get within seven goals by the final score, including a win over Corner Canyon 14-7, the Chargers only loss in state in three years. Olympus outscored its opponents 319-90 on the year with an average score of 17-5. Its dominance saw the squad start the year 13-0. Six players scored at least 22 goals with seven capturing at least 23 points on the season.

Photos by Travis Barton

Olympus tennis shows consistency after state finish

When the Olympus Titans started under coach Mark Allen, he was told that it would be hard for them to be competitive at the state level. After placing in the top five in his first year, they followed it up with a sixth finish this year at the UHSAA 5A Boys Tennis Championships. They were still in the upper echelon of teams at the 5A level.

“It’s inspiring to see that chip on shoulder mentality,” Allen said. “That differentiates us. We don’t think we have the most talent at the top. We are grittier and put in work 365 days a year. For my system, you have to fully commit. I come from a background of junior and collegiate level tennis.”

The coaching staff at Olympus has certainly incorporated something that has worked at those higher levels they have competed at previously.

“Even though we dropped a few spots I would say we still improved our performance this year,” Allen said. “I know it sounds contradictory, but I think our competition improved significantly. We have built this program on sustained success and dedication to honing one’s craft. I don’t assume that when the season comes that we can come in and place in the top five. In year two we had guys playing early in the morning and late at night. Guys were going to academies in the summer. It has been a culture change. It reflects how we are able to compete with the rest of the state.”

Many memories highlight this successful season for the Titans, but a few in particular stand out for team captain Barrett Jeppsen.

“My favorite memory was probably going down to St. George, did a couple of tournaments because that was a ton of fun,” Jeppsen said. “My biggest accomplishment this year would be taking state with Isaac (Fox).”

The Olympus coaching staff was impressed with their doubles title as well.

“These two seniors achieved our goal of winning the state bracket,” Allen said. “That is the first individual Olympus tennis title in the 21st century. We’ve made significant progress at the individual level. It’s also been great to see improvement for our talent that didn’t compete at the varsity level, but made our JV teams formidable. The junior varsity came second in region. Our program is all about development of tennis in the Salt Lake area. There is significant room for growth for tennis in Utah at the high school level and beyond. I encourage family members to go out and promote tennis. On the court it’s amazing to see a team that was average refuse to be average. Growth is the ultimate goal. I think that goes at the high school and junior level and talent level and coaching side. We can all come together to promote tennis at the Salt Lake level to be on par with the other states.”

While the team has high aspirations for the future, their roster will look a bit different next year.

By Daniel Olsen | d.olsen@mycityjournals.com

“We are losing a lot of top contributors,” Allen said. “Our seniors played well last year and now the next generation is ready to step up. They’ve been playing all summer individually as well as at academies. I am coaching at IMG Academy in Florida. I am improving my craft and coaching ability. We don’t want to have a drop off from losing significant contributions from the older guys who are leaving.”

While there are goals that the tennis team has for themselves, they are aiming for something bigger.

“I always emphasize our drive to encourage youth in Utah to play more tennis like you see in other regions of the country,” Allen said. “That is the big thing I am pushing as our team experiences more growth and success.”

Owen Linthorst, one of the doubles state champions for Olympus this year, had some memorable moments on his journey to the championship.

“My favorite memory about this year’s season was the Ashton Tournament that we participated in,” Linthorst said. “I was able to play No. 1 doubles with my brother Spencer and performed pretty well.”

That wasn’t his most impressive accomplishment though.

“My greatest accomplishment was in the Jordan Invitational,” Linthorst said. “I did not lose a single game and won all three matches (8-0, 8-0, 8,0) and I went on to help Olympus win the tournament.”

While it’s tough to predict the future, the coaching staff and players know what their goals are.

“Our goal is consistent top five finishes until we break through and win it all which we haven’t done since 1994,” Allen said. “Olympus tennis has the most state championships in the history of school athletics. It’s been a while since they’ve won though. To build a successful program, it starts with consistency. After winning one championship, it builds upon itself. Towards the end of the season, we had a team meeting and spoke about our bigger goals in life and were able to understand how important sports can be. When we came

together and the varsity team hashed out their frustrations and things they felt great about, then we got on the same page and went into

the state tournament with our best foot forward.” l

Olympus tennis coach Mark Allen and sophomore Owen Linthorst after a region meet at Brighton High School. (Photo courtesy Mark Allen)

State champion double teams Barrett Jeppsen and Isaac Fox at the Salt Lake Tennis Club. (Photo courtesy Mark Allen)

Twenty-nine years is an important milestone for any business. In fact, only 20 percent of all businesses will survive to see their 20th anniversary. At Replenish, we believe our business model of providing top quality landscape materials, at a fair price, together with exceptional customer service, has provided the foundation of our success for these 29 years.

Beautiful gardens, lawns, and landscapes all start with the foundation of quality, nutrient-rich soil. While that is easy to say, it is much more complicated to sort through the numerous companies that all claim to sell the best. Whether you are starting a new flower garden or growing your own fruits and vegetables, Replenish Landscape Garden Products is here to help make your gardening goals a reality.

Replenish (the compost) and Replenish the Earth Products (the company) were created by Connie Cannon in 1994 in the driveway of her home. She wanted to create a compost mulch that would be high in nutrients, low in salts, as well as dark and rich in appearance. After seeking counsel from Peter Lassig, who had been the head landscape architect at Temple Square for over 40 years, she came up with the superior formula and blend for Replenish Compost. Mixing it together in her driveway, she would have her children put the compost in bags and sell it in their neighborhood.

“Whether you are picking up material at our yard, or having us deliver or install material in your yard, the service is always outstanding and to your satisfaction. As our customer, we have your best interest in mind,” said Mike Nitz, the current co-owner.

The Cannons sold the company 10 years later to the current owners, Mike Nitz and Greg Bettinson. After purchasing the company in 2004, Mike and Greg gave it a new name – Replenish Landscape Garden Products – to better describe what the business was all about. They also moved the business from West Valley City to its current location in Murray, at 4600 S. 200 West. Over the past 19 years, they have grown the business by expanding the variety of landscape materials offered and expanding their customer base to cover the entire Wasatch Front.

“There are a number of options when it

comes to landscape materials, but they are not all created equal,” explained Greg. “We believe that in Replenish Compost, we have the finest and most versatile compost available, period! To complement our signature Replenish Compost product, we have made it our focus to develop, or find, the very best soil blends, barks, wood mulches certified playground chips and soilless mixes specifically formulated for growing vegetables and flowers in containers or box gardens. Quality is what we sell.”

Any of Replenish’s products can be picked up at their Murray yard, in either bulk or bag.

They also deliver in bag, bulk, or in the 1-cubic-yard Super Big Bag to homes and businesses from Brigham City to Price. One of the unique services Replenish offers is their “Blower Truck” service. With this truck, they have the ability to install through a hose any of their products (except the rock and sand) directly into gardens, lawns or playgrounds.

Make your garden and yard work a successful, rewarding, and enjoyable experience. Call Replenish Landscape Garden Products at (801) 252-5962 for any question you might have or for a free quote.

Holladay City welcomes community to its annual July Fourth celebration

Holladay City’s annual July

Fourth celebration will be a funfilled day highlighting spectacular events for the entire family.

Holladay City Special Events Coordinator Chrystal Nichols and Holladay Arts Council Executive Director Sheryl Gillilan have organized this year’s Fourth of July festivities which include breakfast, a bike parade, live music and fireworks.

According to Nichols, the celebration will begin at Holladay City Park located in the back of City Hall with breakfast catered by Isabella’s. The breakfast is $5 per person and will be available from 8-10:30 a.m.

At 9 a.m., a bike parade will begin at Pines Park, 2120 E. 4500 South, and finish its route at Holladay City Hall.

“Registration is not required to participate in the bike parade,” Nichols said. “Everyone who would like to be included in the parade is welcome to participate with a push scooter or pedal bike only.”

Live music will start at 8 p.m. when country western singer Charley Jenkins takes the stage at Holla-

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

day City Hall. Jenkins will kick off the Holladay Arts Council’s Summer Concert Series with two hours of music. He has opened shows for many top musical artists including Alan Jackson, Taylor Swift and Josh Turner.

“We’re excited to present our free summer concert series again this summer,” Gillilan said. “We’ve got some popular bands returning from other years: Charley Jenkins, Joe Muscolino Band, Peter Breinholt, Will Baxter Band and The Strawberry Fields Band as well as some new ones: Mary Kaye Holt, The Soulistics, Rumba Libre Band, Randal Clark, and Discographers Class Rock Daredevils. I think there’s music for everyone’s tastes, especially if you love the songs of the ’60’s and ’70’s. We’re still able to provide these awesome concerts for free thanks to our generous sponsors and donors, especially Holladay Bank and Trust, Utah Arts and Museums, and Zoo, Arts and Parks (ZAP). Come join us to sing and dance along with great Utah talent.”

The day’s festivities will lead up

to the grand finale at 10 p.m. with a firework display set to music.

The use of personal fireworks including sparklers, smoke bombs, Pop-Its and firecrackers is prohibited during the day’s events.

For more information about the July Fourth event contact Holladay City Hall at 801-272-9450.

For more information about the Summer Concert Series visit the Holladay Arts Council website at www. holladayarts.org. l

Holladay City Special Events Coordinator Chrystal Nichols and Holladay Arts Council Executive Director Sheryl Gillilan have organized this year’s Fourth of July festivities which include breakfast, a bike parade, live music and fireworks. (Photo credit Sheryl Gillilan, Holladay Arts Council)

Do You Have a Chronic Wound?

If you have a wound that has been open for more than 4 weeks, then something in your body is not allowing that wound to heal properly. Chronic wounds are defined as wounds that fail to proceed through the normal phases of wound healing in an orderly and timely manner. Often, chronic wounds stall in the inflammatory phase of healing.

How do you heal a wound that will not heal?

Debridement (removal of dead tissue) is the most common treatment for stubborn wounds, and involves the removal of unhealthy tissue within a chronic wound to promote the growth of healthy tissue, reduce complications of infection, and speed up the healing process.

Your care team may also suggest the following treatments:

• Antibiotics

• Skin substitute grafts

• Laser Treatments

• X-rays to assess for bone infection

• Scans to ensure proper blood flow is getting to the wound to promote healing

Visit Innovation Medical Group today to get a wound care specialist to help guide your care plan and to get your life back without a chronic wound present. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 801-758-2091. We are located at 4624 Holladay Blvd on the second floor in Suite 201 right above Olympus Family Medicine. We accept all major insurances and look forward to being able to enhance your quality of life.

Grief is an individual journey with a path as unique as each one of us. To o er support and hope, we provide various Grief Support Services for those who are mourning a recent or past loss.

Although I don’t like crowds, parades or people, in general, when my husband suggested we attend the Pride Parade last month in Salt Lake, I painted a rainbow on my face, donned my “More Love” shirt and jumped in the car.

After a year of devastating anti-gay and anti-trans legislation across the country, we wanted to show our support for the LGBTQ+ community, even if that meant standing in a crowd of more than 50,000 parade attendees singing at the top of their lungs.

Because how do you fight hate? With a celebration of love.

The theme was “Queer Pride is Unapologetic” and that message rang throughout the parade. When the crowd saw the first rainbow banners a block away, it burst into applause and continued cheering for two hours. I sang out loud to every Lizzo anthem. I chanted until I lost my voice. I clapped until my shoulders hurt. I danced in ways that completely embarrassed my husband. I smiled until my face was sore.

Love was palpable. It brought me to tears more than once as I watched the support, kindness and joy being showered on this parade by thousands of people, of all ages, faiths, races and gender identities.

It was an event of unrestrained joy with enough sequins, bright colors, sky-high wigs, hella high heels and drag queens to

Take pride in love

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

bring a smile to RuPaul’s face. Couples were holding hands, hugging, kissing, smiling, dancing and lifting a big middle finger to oppression and hate.

It was great to see nearly 200 businesses and organizations put on their rainbow best to spread the love. Entries included Delta Airlines, Westminster University, Intermountain Health, the Cougar Pride Center and ABC4 Utah.

The Salt Lake City Public Library had a large group of participants, because librarians are on the front lines, defending free speech every day and fighting book bans with humor and flair.

I’ve never been to a better parade. I’ve never celebrated a better message. With suicide rates rising for LGBTQ+ youth, hate is not acceptable. Intolerance is not acceptable. The only thing that’s acceptable is inclusion, joy, kindness, grace and love.

After the parade, we walked through

the festival, talking with vendors, enjoying live music and eating tasty foods. We learned about drag queen bingo at a local church, chatted with a BYU student who wrote a book about coming out as gay and took pictures for lots of happy couples.

We watched people get tattoos, we bought new T-shirts, we smiled at strangers, we stood in line for lukewarm BBQ. We visited with friends. We saw bravery. We saw community. We saw free mom hugs. We saw compassion. We saw gay Darth Vader. We saw celebration. We saw dogs in tutus. We saw love.

Threats against the LGBTQ+ communi-

ty have quadrupled over the last few years, and organizers spent extra money for heightened security at the parade and festival. State leaders, churches, communities and individuals should be careful about comments, rules and legislation that contribute to these dangers. Be careful who you exclude, it could be someone you love.

For the LGBTQ+ community, continue living unapologetic. The world needs more dancing, more sequins, more hella high heels, more bright colors, more sky-high wigs, more connection, more dogs in tutus, more rainbow T-shirts and more love.