Holladay Journal | July 2022

July 2022 | Vol. 19 Iss. 07

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OLYMPUS STERLING SCHOLAR MILES FAWSON WORKS HARD TO HONE TALENT AND SKILL

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

S

itting at a restaurant on March 17, huddled around a screen, Miles Fawson and his family had a magical moment.

“We went out to dinner together and were watching the KSL live stream of the Sterling Scholar Awards,” Fawson said. An aspiring concert pianist, he represented Olympus High as a finalist in Instrumental Music.

When his category’s overall winner was announced, he saw his picture and name appear on screen.

He had won the top prize.

“It was unbelievable. I just sat there and couldn’t talk for five minutes. My family started cheering—I think everyone at the restaurant thought we were crazy,” Fawson said.

The payoff was years in the making. Fawson has taken lessons since he was 7 years old, and also plays the violin and organ. Early on, he realized that talent would only take him so far.

“I had been taking lessons for

three or four years and honestly I didn’t enjoy it. My mom gave me an ultimatum: either I could manage my practicing, or I had to quit,” Fawson said.

He decided to “go all in.”

“I made it part of my identity. I didn’t have to tell myself to practice anymore because it became part of my routine.”

Serious about his training, Fawson practiced two hours a day.

That increased to four or five hours if he had a performance. In summer, he’d sometimes practice seven hours a day.

Dedication to music is part of the Fawson family’s culture. Miles’s parents Carol and Paul Fawson both play instruments, as do his older siblings Liesl and Graham, and his Continued page 8 Miles Fawson, Olympus class of 2022, has performed at many piano competitions, and played at Carnegie Hall and in St. Petersburg, Russia. (Miles Fawson)

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July 2022 | Page 3

Holladay Arts’ Page to Stage program gives kids a creative performing experience

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

C

hildren from Holladay and other areas performed an original production of “Pirate Stew” on June 10. The performance at Holladay City Hall came after just one week of workshops with director Meighan Smith.

Smith adapted the Neil Gaiman book into an ensemble play.

“Everyone has their go-to art form, and theatre is mine. Kids need all kinds of art, and that’s why I do this. It’s the first time we’ve been able to do it again since the pandemic,” Smith said.

In Smith’s Page to Stage program, she adapts a children’s book into a performance piece. Smith acted as a narrator and every performer had a few lines.

The workshop rehearsals were free and open to children entering first through seventh grades. All 20 openings filled up.

“I encourage creativity. The kids are involved with the staging and their costumes and props. If it’s their first time performing, I want them to realize, ‘This is fun and I can do this,’” Smith said.

Smith chose the 2020 children’s book “Pirate Stew” because it has many equal parts instead of one lead character. The book is written

by English author Neil Gaiman (“Coraline,” “Stardust”) and is illustrated by Chris Riddell.

In the story, two kids are left home while their parents go out for the evening. Their babysitter is pirate Long John Macron, ship’s cook. Soon, a pirate crew is in the house trying to figure out what to feed the kids for dinner.

They make a stew, the house becomes a sailing ship, they eat doughnuts and then return home.

Scout Wilkins loved performing in the show.

“It was fun to think about the book in a different kind of way. We had to be creative.

We were all in charge of getting our own pirate costumes, which we just made up from things around the house,” Scout said.

Journals T H E

“Pirate Stew” director Meighan Smith adapted the book into a short play, which included performers Scout Wilkins and Paisley Stillman. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

Scout’s family members came to watch her in the show. Her mom Rachel Matthews said it’s a good program.

“It’s a fast week of workshops and rehearsals, but it’s fun for the kids to connect especially with kids from other schools. Getting the costumes and props together at home was like extra homework, but it’s nice to see them work together,” Matthews said.

Scout showed off her homemade props. “I made a doughnut from a balloon and a leek out of green paper,” she said.

Many kids know each other from neighborhood, school or church groups, like Scout’s neighborhood friend Paisley Stillman.

“I love acting. I’ve been in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and I’ve taken commu-

The cast of “Pirate Stew” in Holladay takes a bow June 10. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

nity theater classes. I was supposed to be in the Harry Potter play adaptation here two years ago, but it was canceled because of the pandemic,” Paisley said.

The kids were happy to be back in the program and back on stage, even if it did all happen within five short days.

“There were so many kids here and just five days of practice—I’m genuinely shocked we pulled it off,” Paisley said.

Paisley’s pirate costume included her dad’s bandana and her mom’s boots.

“I’m wearing five pairs of socks inside so the boots will fit!”

She also sported a parrot sewn to the shoulder of her shirt by her mom Sarah Stillman.

“She spent forever sewing this on. Everything else I found around the house. They

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didn’t say, ‘Go out and buy this.’ They told us to be creative,” Paisley said.

Paisley proved she was a professional when her ‘lime’ ingredient—a prop made from a small green balloon—didn’t want to go into the stew pot while she delivered her lines. She calmly picked it up and put it in again and the show went on.

Both Scout and Paisley had a great time working with Smith and the other kids. Holladay Arts Council member Natalie Bradley is eager to continue making these great opportunities happen for kids, and Smith is on board to do another show in the future.

“For most kids, this is their first time doing anything like this. The best thing that could come of this is for them to go home and talk to their parents and say, ‘I want to do more theater!’” Smith said. l

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Holladay City Journal

Community rallies to support family of Churchill student Henry Kendell

I

n the past few months, the Kendell family of Millcreek has learned that some events are so shattering they divide your life into a “before” and “after.” They’ve also learned that a community can “rise up and cover them in an overwhelming wave of love” and support.

They learned these things because their son and brother Henry Kendell, an eighth grader at Churchill Jr. High, died in a skiing accident on Feb. 13. Since then, life hasn’t been the same.

“It’s a strange irony that at our time of deepest pain, we also feel the deepest outpouring of love from family, friends, neighbors and strangers,” said Allison Kendell, Henry’s mother.

Henry’s interests were vast. He loved mountain biking, tennis, art, the cello, his dogs, yellow and “Tom Sawyer.” He organized neighborhood night games and cousin sleepovers.

He is the youngest of a tight-knit family: parents Scott and Allison, and their children, Annie, William, Sarah and Henry.

“The two older kids moved back in after Henry died. I think they’re relying on each other to work through it,” Kendell said.

Kendell herself feels stuck. “I don’t want to leave the house, but it’s hard to be here and not have him here.”

The family recently went on a trip to France. “We needed to learn that we can live in this new reality and make memories together,” Kendell said. They took a picture of Henry along so he would be with them.

Allison thought about what Henry would have liked on the trip. “He would have enjoyed the paintings. He was always drawing, doodling. He was getting very good,” Kendell said.

The day of Henry’s accident at Alta, the ski patrol and Life Flight did everything they could to save him, but it all happened so fast. Later, they invited the Kendells to visit the site.

“They took us to where it happened and walked us through the events. It was hard, but helpful to be in the place where his spirit left this life,” Kendell said.

His father Scott got Henry’s phone from the ski patrol. He said they spent hours watching videos he’d made with his friends and laughing.

“My heart is so full of measures of grief and gratitude. Henry was joyful and funny and playful always. We have received so much love and kindness that we cannot possibly begin to catalogue it all,” Scott said at Henry’s service.

The night of the accident, Churchill principal Trent Hendricks called the family. Other staff members and students

HolladayJournal .com

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com reached out. His English teacher Mrs. Gunther had her class write Valentines for the family.

Henry would have started at Skyline in the fall, and one night several Skyline students brought a signed banner to the Kendells.

“They had all written notes to us, even though they didn’t know us or our son.

Each of those messages really touched me.

These are the gestures that help me make it through each day.

“It helps when people acknowledge what you’ve been through, and show that Henry’s life mattered,” Kendell said.

Organizing a funeral for Henry was hard. “We were all so sad, we weren’t sure we could do it,” Kendell said.

But as the memories of Henry poured in, the Kendells realized that a service would be their way to honor him. That gave them a purpose.

Each family member spoke, offered a prayer or played music at the service. They also let his many cousins share their memories.

“Henry was close to all of his cousins, and they shared things with us we didn’t know about him. We learned about his Louis Armstrong impression, and other goofy things he’d do just to make people laugh,” Kendell said.

The Kendells have set up two needsbased scholarships with Henry’s tennis and mountain biking teams, Liberty Hills Tennis and Skyline Mountain Biking.

Coach Spencer Marchant was Henry’s tennis coach for more than seven years.

He said that Henry was a promising tennis player, but more importantly he was just an all-around kind-hearted kid.

“Henry was beloved by all our coaches and team members. He comes from an amazing family. They are the best of the best,” Marchant said.

His mountain biking coach Erik Johnson at Skyline said, “Henry was a beloved member of our team and a light to everyone around him. Donations to our fund made in Henry’s name will be used to help less advantaged riders participate on the team.”

Donations for the tennis scholarship can be made at www.libertyhillstennis. com/donate. For information on donating to the mountain biking team, email coach Johnson at erik@skylinemtb.org.

“Henry lived in the moment. He was playful, kind and a joy to raise. Suddenly, my whole book of life is different. It’s sad and sudden, and I just have to make it through the day,” Kendell said.

The Kendells will have more hard times ahead, like celebrating Henry’s 15th birthday on July 31. But they are buoyed up by loving gestures big and small. Ken-

After the passing of their youngest son Henry this year (center), the Kendell family of Millcreek said the love from their community has meant so much. (Courtesy Kendell family)

Henry Kendell’s mom Allison likes to spend time in Henry’s room remembering all the things that made her son special. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

dell appreciates things like the yellow ribbons tied on the overpass at Churchill and in her neighborhood.

She said one day a painting of Henry and his dog done by a stranger showed up at their house. She hung it in her room because she said it captures him so well and gives her peace that he’s in a happy place.

At the funeral luncheon, someone took the time to bake cello-shaped cookies and decorate the tables with tennis centerpieces.

“What we’ve learned is the power of

a community to lift and support someone is remarkable, and we all have the opportunity and power to do that. I hope in the future I can be in tune to others around me and what they might need,” Kendell said.

“Though this experience is my worst nightmare, I can see that this world is a beautiful place,” Kendell said. “I’m just so sad that Henry’s not here to be a part of it.” l

July 2022 | Page 5

The curious case of concrete: How complications exacerbated Utah’s already dire concrete shortage

By Deb Hafner | d.hafner@mycityjournals.com

W

hen Peter and Allyson Fage purchased land in 2021, they were told it would take one year from excavating the foundation to hanging ornaments on a Christmas tree in their dream home.

The Fages hired an architect, approved home plans, and were on site when the first shovel of dirt was removed. But, when excavation was finished, the Fages were told there was no concrete available to pour their foundation. After waiting for updates and spending another Christmas in their rental house, the Fages decided to postpone construction on their home until 2023.

Of course, the Fages aren’t alone. Residential growth accounts for almost half of all concrete consumption in Utah, and while demand continues to rise, the National Association of Homebuilders cites that in 2021, more than 90% of builders reported delays and materials shortages.

Stephanie Hudson, a real estate agent with Realty One Group Distinction, said many people who were going to build have decided to build later and rent or purchase interim homes so their project doesn’t drag on for two years.

During the beginning of COVID in 2019, plants around the world started closing and laying off employees. From the emergence of COVID in 2019 up to March 2020 when the World Health Organization declared it a pandemic, more than 50,000 workers in the construction industry were laid off in Hong Kong because of a shortage of cement from COVID-related production suspensions across China. Europe faced similar layoffs and slowdowns.

Domestically, cement manufacturers were watching from afar as labor shortages spread across Europe and Asia, and anticipated similar nosedives in the US. Accordingly, they started to manage inventory down, expecting a recession but instead getting a surprise twist with an unprecedented boom in demand that spread across the country.

The concrete shortage that the Fages faced is being felt around the country, as demand has increased and COVID-related supply chain disruptions abound.

But, in Utah, a series of additional unfortunate challenges converged giving rise to a cataclysmic concrete shortage unlike any other in the nation.

Are we talking about cement or concrete?

The process to get concrete for foundations, driveways, pools, decks, walls, roads and other infrastructure starts with giant manufacturing plants that quarry, grind and cook limestone to form a rock-like substance called clinker. The clinker is mixed with gypsum and ground to a fine powder called cement.

Page 6 | July 2022

Left: Holcim’s Devil’s Slide cement plant near Ogden. (Google images) Right: Installers wait in line at 7 a.m. for a chance to get concrete. (Photo contributed)

Cement plants are tremendous—as long as a 40-story building laying on its side— and include quarry, mills and kilns. Cement production is limited by the amount of clinker that has been made. Once ground, the cement powder is so fine that one pound of cement contains 150 billion grains. It is considered gold in the ready-mix industry.

Cement powder is stored in silos, rail cars or tube-like portable containers called guppies. It is sold and transported directly to ready-mix companies who store it in their own silos and rail cars.

When a customer places an order with a ready-mixer, say for the foundation of a house, the cement powder is combined with water to form a paste. The paste is then mixed with aggregates like sand, gravel, or crushed stone, and the end product is concrete. Once the concrete is mixed, it is perishable and has to be used right away.

As Richard Thorn, president and CEO of Associated General Contractors of Utah, says, “Cement is the flour needed to bake the cake.” Without cement, there is no concrete.

Utah is home to two cement manufacturing plants that produce a total combined capacity of two metric tons per year.

Ash Grove, in Leamington, Utah, is owned by public company CRH, an international building materials group.

Holcim’s Devil’s Slide plant near Ogden is owned by publicly-traded Switzerland-based conglomerate Holcim.

Together, Ash Grove and Holcim sell about 80% of their cement to the three main ready-mix concrete suppliers in Utah: privately owned Clyde Companies’ Geneva

Rock and Sunroc; Staker Parson (which happens to be owned by CRH); and public company Summit’s Altaview Concrete.

Receiving the remaining 20% of cement are the small handful of independently owned ready-mix companies spread throughout Utah.

Thrown into the amalgamation of high demand and supply chain issues, a sequence of events that started in 2019 have led the Utah cement market to its shortages today.

Challenge 1: Utah doesn’t make that much cement to begin with.

In addition to Ash Grove and Holcim in Utah, there is one cement manufacturing facility in Nevada, one in New Mexico, one in Wyoming, and three on the eastern side of Colorado. Idaho has no cement production capacity.

According to industry experts, cement capacity and production in Utah is already traditionally low as it is only home to two cement plants producing 2 metric tons (California, for example, has the capacity to produce over 13 metric tons per year).

Facing growing demand, geographically situated in the middle of other states also with relatively low capacity, all of which are seeing higher demand than in the past, Utah might just be the trickiest place to get cement in the United States right now, according to one industry expert.

Challenge 2: Reserves were already at the low end of capacity, and demand didn’t slow.

During the winter, cement manufacturers normally face a lull and use that time to shut down production for a month to perform

routine maintenance. Once maintenance is complete, and the lull continues, they start to build reserves.

In Utah, a mild winter and a housing boom raised demand, and the reserves were drawn down instead of being replenished.

According to Patrick Cleary, vice president of Cement Sales at Holcim, when Covid delays started ransacking Europe and Asia, Holcim started to manage inventory but then saw a boom in construction instead.

Data shows a steady increase in Utah cement consumption over the last 10 years, but the most rapid growth peaked in 2020, at a time when experts thought that consumption would weaken because of the pandemic.

There may be some relief in the future, says Ed Sullivan, chief economist at the Portland Cement Association, if residential construction demand decreases as interest rates go up.

Challenge 3: Utah can’t rely on imports to build reserves.

Depleted reserves and unprecedented demand in an already low-capacity environment saw manufacturers looking elsewhere to meet customer needs. Sullivan reports that total maritime imports to the entire U.S. West Coast from Asia in 2021 reached 5.73 metric tons, a staggering 54% increase from 3.71 metric tons in 2019.

An independent ready-mix company in Salt Lake City that has gotten cement from Ash Grove since the early 1990s said a few years ago, Ash Grove switched their supply from cement made at the Ash Grove plant to cement imported by Ash Grove from Vietnam.

Holladay City Journal

Most domestic cement manufacturers rely on imported powder to build reserves or to sell to smaller ready-mixers, saving the domestic powder for continuity for their larger customers.

According to Sullivan, about 85% of U.S. cement imports are from six countries: Canada and Mexico account for 40%; China and South Korea around 20%; and the remaining 40% comes from Greece and Turkey.

To further complicate depleting domestic cement reserves, Turkish cement exports are being disrupted by the war in Ukraine.

As cement imports increased to meet domestic demand, a drastic rise in shipping rates, the global labor shortage, and a national truck driver shortage are making it difficult to get the imported powder to Utah from ports on the West Coast.

(Many will recall recent news cycles about the ships sitting in California ports with no one to unload them.)

Thorn is optimistic that Utah does not have any truck driver shortages, and indeed the Utah unemployment rate is at 1.9%, one of the lowest in the country. But that doesn’t mean the state doesn’t feel the squeeze from national truck driver shortages, labor shortages and related shipping issues.

For Holcim, truck driver shortages have impacted the ability to transport cement domestically, according to Cleary, making borrowing reserves from other Holcim plants throughout the U.S. take a little longer.

Challenge 4: Nor can it rely on neighbors to help out.

In addition to foreign imports, cement manufacturers purchase powder domestically from other states. But when demand skyrocketed, states that would regularly share powder across borders halted exports.

A cement producer in Arizona reported they are selling to that state’s market only, and that they and their competitors are similarly sold out and can’t meet their own state’s demands. If Utah had previously been receiving cement from Arizona, that channel is now cut off.

The largest cement producer across the U.S. and Mexico is Cemex, a Mexican multinational building materials company. Cemex has 15 plants located in the U.S. West. To address shortages in the U.S., it has reopened two cement plants in northern Mexico that were previously shuttered.

However, the two newly reopened plants will not be operational until the fall.

Challenge 5: There are some additives for concrete that decrease the percentage of cement mix, but those channels dried up.

Another piece of the puzzle has to do with a coal plant smoke stack byproduct called fly ash. Fly ash is a pozzolan, an ingredient that has no value on its own but adds value when used as an additive in another material.

When fly ash is mixed into concrete, the concrete becomes more dense and remains stronger over time. In some instances, adding fly ash is required by engineers on large infrastructure projects, like bridges.

Ready-mixers love fly ash as a cement extender because it can be used to replace a significant percentage of cement in concrete, decreasing costs and using less cement. Anytime a ready-mixer can replace some cement with fly ash, they do.

However, operation of one of the largest coal-fired power plants and fly ash suppliers in the Southwest ended in November 2019, when Salt River Project permanently shut down the Navajo Generating Station located on the Navajo Nation just east of Page, Arizona.

The fly ash supply was cut off for Utah and surrounding states and ready-mixers had to increase cement in their concrete mixture.

Further impact on fly ash came when the EPA considered classifying it as a hazardous material instead of byproduct, affecting buyer confidence, for who wants a hazardous material in their driveway or pool?

HolladayJournal .com

As channels to procure fly ash shut down, Clyde Companies (the owner of Geneva Rock and Sunroc) established Bridgesource in 2020, a fly ash company that has exclusive rights to ash from the Jim Bridger Power Plant in Wyoming.

Almost overnight in Ogden, according to residents who jokingly thought aliens had landed, two giant spheres, each 120-foot-tall fly ash silos, appeared. And though Geneva Rock and Sunroc would seem to be the natural beneficiaries of the pozzolan, Bridgesource opened distribution channels to other ready-mix companies, and fly ash sources came back online.

The pause in pozzolan availability, however, did not help an already drastic situation.

Challenge 6: On top of everything else, broken equipment and maintenance issues cause major setbacks.

The nail in the coffin for the Utah cement market was equipment issues at the Ash Grove plant. A gear box in its clinker mill was sent out for maintenance, and a temporary replacement installed, and that part quickly malfunctioned.

Ash Grove had the original part returned before it was repaired, and removed the replacement part, but in the meantime cement production was offline.

In addition, regular maintenance required Ash Grove to rebrick one of the kilns, grinding production to a full stop.

Ash Grove is just now ramping back up, and has told ready mixers they are going to have production to 65% by midsummer. (At the time of publication, representatives from Ash Grove hadn’t returned phone calls or emails for comments.)

Holcim’s Devil’s Slide plant didn’t have any issues with maintenance, but its Colorado plant, from which it relies on reserves, had some unplanned outages, and combined with the truck driver shortage, it was a little more difficult to ship plant-to-plant.

As far as equipment goes, in the current climate, when something breaks or requires maintenance, the supply chain and labor shortage disruptions once again burden the cement industry, as parts, shipping of parts, and service on those parts is hindered.

Challenge 7: Allocations don’t help the small readymix companies.

For independent concrete installers, it’s increasingly hard to get concrete, with no end to the shortage in sight.

“I ordered concrete for a project two weeks ago,” says one installer who did not want to be named, partly in fear of upsetting suppliers, “and they allocated 60% of what I ordered, and I am still waiting to get that.”

With reserves and production issues vexing the two cement manufacturers in Utah, and maintenance problems afflicting one, Holcim and Ash Grove put all customers on allocation in 2021.

In some instances, by the time installers ordered from ready-mix companies, they were getting 250 square feet of concrete at a time, spread out over weeks, when they were used to getting over 1,000 square feet within a day.

Even big infrastructure projects in the state were put on allocation. John Gleason, UDOT spokesperson, says the big projects that require concrete, the I-80 and I-215 Renewed project, the West Davis Corridor project, and the U.S. Route 89 reconstruction in Davis County, are being affected by the cement shortage.

Gleason said that UDOT employees have had to be flexible and ready to work when materials are finally available. Sometimes that means doing work during times they wouldn’t normally work. For example, early in June, the crews had to start laying concrete on the U.S. 89 project during the morning commute, work that would normally take place at night or early morning.

“Overall, we've dealt with challenges for the past several years like many industries, and we've come through it

A foundation sits waiting for concrete. (Deb Hafner/City Journals)

with minimal delays. This is a new challenge, and we have to make sure we schedule activities around availability to make sure we can keep our projects moving.”

After a while, UDOT could wait no longer, and received approval to purchase cement from manufacturers in Iowa and South Dakota.

There is an end in sight, but maybe hold off on that pool.

Holcim transitioned 100% production to a product that adds additional limestone to extend the powder portion of cement, and they are beginning to rollout their “eco planet product,” a natural pozzolan (not fly ash) that extends clinker (and comes with the added benefit of 30% reduction in CO2 emissions).

“Expanding what we have and reducing our footprint at the same time is a double positive for us,” Cleary said.

Paul Phillips, the owner of Ready Made Concrete, said, “I am the little guy in all of this, but it has been a battle for even the big corporations. We are all approaching the cement shortage differently during these challenging times, and it is a learning experience for us, and a way to become a better company. Some companies had to lay people off and we didn’t, and as a small company we were able to show our appreciation to our employees.” But, he added, “It took a catastrophic event to realize we rely on a single source, and now we see how vulnerable we are.”

Supply chain shortages and disruptions have been framed as part of the disturbance caused by the pandemic, with the federal government hinting that supply chains will go back to normal when COVID goes away, but that has not been the case, and the rebuilding of supply chains is slow going.

Facing an unprecedented demand with already low reserves, limited access to substitute materials, equipment failure and maintenance issues, global supply chain and labor shortages, problems with imports, and Utah’s geographic location in a cement desert, coalesced, not to form a perfect batch of soupy gray concrete, but instead a cement calamity, from which Utah may not emerge until 2023. l

July 2022 | Page 7

Continued from front page younger sister Julia.

“My dad is an incredible support to us all. He plays the guitar and sings. But it’s my mom who had the formal training. She is an accomplished pianist and violinist. She had all her kids take lessons, and now we all play and some of us teach,” Fawson said.

Music has given Fawson unique opportunities. In addition to playing with his family and at church and school, he’s competed internationally. He played at Carnegie Hall in New York at 10 years old and in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Fawson faced another challenge when the family moved to Holladay from Arizona in 2020. He started his junior year at a new high school and had to find his music community.

“I didn’t know anyone. We were all wearing masks and it was during COVID, so it was hard to get to know people.

“By senior year I had made friends and was more well-known. I accompanied the choir and played for the theater department.

I joined the orchestra and played in Concerto Night. Olympus turned into a home for me,” Fawson said.

His focus had been classical piano, but since graduation he started branching out.

“I had been playing just what my teacher assigned me, but I’m not taking lessons right now and I’ve been playing more pop and jazz.

“Now that I don’t have set pieces to learn, if I’m sitting down at the piano I’ll be improvising something. I was definitely trained to read music precisely from the page and make it my own with interpretation, but I have shifted to more playing by ear and free form,” Fawson said.

Academics are important to Fawson, and he plans to attend BYU and study piano performance. He also loves getting outside to mountain bike or hike with his friends and family. But he’s got a new goal now: learn Spanish.

“I am serving a Spanish-speaking mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” Fawson said. He’s never studied Spanish, so this will be a new challenge. His mission service assignment is in Eugene, Oregon.

Whatever his future holds, Fawson said music taught him that talent can only get you so far: at some point you need to take responsibility for your goals and progress.

“I think you can get to a certain point with talent and people guiding you along the way. When you make a goal like I did with music, eventually there will be resistance and challenges.

“You make a decision for yourself whether to run with it,” Fawson said. “Passion, drive, motivation; if you don’t have those things, no amount of talent is going to turn into anything great.” l

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Beyond the byline: Writer for Sandy and Holladay loves visiting London

By Sarah Morton Taggart | s.taggart@mycityjournals.com

Editor’s note: this series highlights the writers behind the stories found here every month. eather Lawrence began writing for The City Journals in 2018 and has written more than 200 stories for the Sandy and Holladay papers in the education and local life sections. This writer sat down with Heather to learn more about her.

What did you study in college?

I studied English at the University of Utah. I went to Dixie State University first.

Is that where you met your husband?

Yes, Ben and I met at the University of Utah. We did a study abroad trip to London together. I had always wanted to go and I didn’t know anyone else in the group. I met Ben through the planning meetings. We started meeting four or five months before the trip. We first dated in London.

When we got home, another student on the trip asked him to write a story about the trip for the student newspaper. He wrote the story and got one paycheck for like $20, which made him an employee of the university. So when we got married the next summer and we wanted our wedding reception at Rice-Eccles Stadium, we got a $300 discount on the venue rental. We graduated in 2003, the same year we got married.

What was your first job out of college?

I worked for Intermountain Healthcare from 1998 to 2018. After graduation I became a teacher at a private school, teaching seventh through 12th grades. There were a lot of international students, which I loved. There were kids from Korea, Japan, Brazil. I taught ESL (English as a Second Language) and English literature. Ben started teaching there a couple years later. I taught for five years.

Did you ever visit London again?

Yes! I loved London. I always wanted to go to grad school in London.

While I was teaching, an opportunity came up to take some students. Ben and I took seven high school students with us. We went for two weeks. While we were there, we found a school we could both do graduate programs at.

H

Heather Lawrence had the chance to sneak around the Globe Theatre in London when her husband worked there in 2008. (Photo courtesy Heather Lawrence)

We both got accepted and lived there for a year. My degree is in Education Policy and Society.

So being an education writer is a good fit?

Yes! And writing for Sandy is a good fit because I grew up there. So, I still have a lot of connections there and my sister still lives there. (Heather currently lives in Midvale, near the Sandy City boundary).

What advice would you give to a younger version of you, if you could?

It’s a funny thing to have published writing. For years I was mortified to let people read what I wrote. I couldn’t handle the critique or questions. I wanted it to come out fully formed without needing edits or feedback. Getting used to that earlier would have been good. I had a really good teacher who drilled into me the editing process. For one assignment we had to write a piece, then they said, “OK, now get rid of half of what you wrote.”

I did like writing letters to friends.

After scientific writing, journalism was probably the last kind of writing I thought I’d do. It just seemed too technical. I was trained more to write essays and get an opinion across. My inclination is to write in a more romantic style. It was a learning curve, learning the journalistic style. I want to consider things from all angles and have all the information.

Holladay City Journal

Holladay joins clean energy goal

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

H

olladay, along with multiple other cities, joined the Community Renewable Energy Agency before the May 31 deadline that aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.

Eighteen cities joined the effort to launch a default renewable electricity option for Rocky Mountain Power customers in their communities.

The agency formed after the legislature passed HB 411, called the Utah Community Renewable Energy Act, in 2019 to create a pathway for communities served by Rocky Mountain Power to generate a renewable electricity program.

How to design the program is currently being negotiated between the agency and Rocky Mountain Power. RMP is potentially looking to match 100% of participating customers’ annual electricity consumption with renewable generation supplied to customers’ grid, no later than 2030.

“Holladay is fortunate to be involved in crafting this new program that will increase the amount of renewable energy used by our state,” said City of Holladay City Council Member Drew Quinn in a press release.

Quinn was appointed to serve as the primary Holladay representative on the Community Renewable Energy Agency Board.

“Now more than ever, the conservation

of our natural resources and diversification of power supplies and fuels is critical in preserving our high quality of life in a responsible way for generations to come,” Quinn said.

The deadline to participate for cities was originally given until the end of 2020 to opt in to the agreement. It was then extended to May 31 this year.

Other nearby participating cities include Cottonwood Heights, Millcreek and Salt Lake City. Other cities voted not to participate, such as West Valley City, who opted to follow their own plan to achieve net-zero emissions tailored to their own city. City officials didn’t have enough confidence in the agency’s plan to include it in their own plan.

The agency hired local law firm James Dodge Russell & Stephens as outside counsel last October, conducting regular negotiations with RMP. In coming months, further negotiations will take place with state regulators to estimate how much it will cost for customers to participate in the new net-100% renewable electricity program.

The press release stated the agency is staffed by elected officials and staff from participating communities, aimed to be a cooperative effort.

According to the press release several communities conducted surveys of their res-

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Holladay, along with multiple other cities, joined the Community Renewable Energy Agency before the May 31 deadline that aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. (Stock photo)

idents with positive responses toward renewable energy.

Salt Lake City residents showed 88% of residents are supportive of an option to source all of their electricity from renewable energy sources that do not produce air pollution.

The agency hopes RMP will file an application with the Utah Public Service Commis-

sion later this year. Should that application be approved, interested communities will each need to adopt ordinances to finalize their participation. The new renewable electricity program could launch as soon as 2023 or 2024.

To learn more, visit www.utah100communities.org. l

WHERE THERE IS GRIEF, THERE IS GREAT LOVE Grief is an individual journey with a path as unique as each one of us. To offer support and hope, we provide various Grief Support Services for those who are mourning a recent or past loss.

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July 2022 | Page 9

Early Holladay settlers were mostly Southerners

By Sona Schmidt-Harris | s.schmidtharris@mycityjournals.com

T

hough it is believed that Jedediah Smith was the first white man to lay eyes on what today is known as Salt Lake County, it was primarily Southerners who were the first whites to settle in Holladay.

A group of early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints converts, many of them from Monroe County, Mississippi and Alabama were organized into The Mississippi Company, which later made its way to Utah.

The company consisted of 24 men some of whom brought their families with them. The original captain of the group was William Crosby. Robert Crow of Perry County, Illinois and John D. Holladay, Sr. from Marion County, Alabama were his counselors. Later, Holladay, Sr. became captain. The company made its way along The Oregon Trail to Utah.

Though most of the early Holladay settlers were from The Mississippi Company, some were from the Mormon Battalion and a few from the Nauvoo Group.

The Mississippi Company arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 29, 1847, just a few days after the first group of pioneers.

The company first stayed in Salt Lake and then were later asked to settle the Holladay area, which later became known as “Holladay’s Settlement” or “Holladay’s Burgh”

even though the church branch was actually called “Big Cottonwood.”

John D. Holladay, Sr. was born March 10, 1798, in Camden, South Carolina. He later moved to Alabama where he ran a large and profitable plantation. Upon his conversion to the church, he freed his enslaved people and sold his plantation. When he emigrated to Utah, six of his 10 children came with him along with some of his former enslaved people.

Holladay, generally known as “Jack,” gave his son, John D. Holladay, Jr. “a wagon, two oxen, a cabin, stew pot, frying pan, two knives, forks and tin plates, one iron spoon, a bedstead and some food” for a wedding present. This was considered a treasure trove to those living in the American West.

Unfortunately, there is no known photograph of John D. Holladay, Sr. In addition to what they farmed, the early Holladay settlers supplemented their diet with trout, venison, small game, sego lily bulbs, native watercress and other greens.

The average price for an acre of land in Holladay in 1855 is thought to have been around $4.50 per acre.

In 1851, major changes took place and John D. Holladay, Sr. and his son John Hol-

Though most of the early white Holladay settlers were from The Mississippi Company (a group of 24 families primarily from Mississippi and Alabama), some were from the Mormon Battalion and a few from the Nauvoo Group, another Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ pioneer company. (Sona Schmidt-Harris/City Journals)

laday, Jr. along with several other former Southern cotton farmers migrated to California and settled in San Bernardino. They were asked to settle there by church leadership.

John Holladay, Sr. later returned to Utah, but did not resettle in Holladay’s Burgh. Instead, he settled for good in Santaquin, Utah where

he died on December 31, 1862.

All information for this article was gleaned from the book, “Holladay-Cottonwood Places and Faces” edited by Stephen L. Carr. The book may be purchased from the Holladay Historical Commission on the City of Holladay website. l

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Holladay City Journal

JULY 2022

COUNCIL CORNER

Keeping Our Community Safe It’s summertime in Holladay, a time to get out and enjoy the beautiful outdoor amenities this state has to offer. But as with many things in life, the privilege is not without cost. Increased travel means increased chance of auto/pedestrian related accidents. We are in the middle of the 100 deadliest days of summer. Many of these fatalities are directly tied to excessive speed. In a county-wide effort, spearheaded by Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski, local elected officials have joined together to ask their residents to—PLEASE SLOW DOWN!!!

The timing of her message aligns with a building trend we are experiencing in Holladay and throughout the county. Complaints of increased speeding, distracted driving and vehicle noise are escalating. Over the last few months residents have reached out to Council Representatives and/or Chief Hoyal to report excessive speeding on Lincoln Lane, 4500 South, Spring Lane, Lakewood Drive, Wander Lane, Highland Drive, 6200 South, Casto Lane, Holladay Blvd. and Wasatch Blvd., to name just a few. Most recently, and at the request of the Canyon Cove HOA, Holladay Precinct officers executed a direct enforcement effort on Wasatch Blvd. and 6200 South. They issued 24 citations and 16 warnings in a 4-hour period on a Friday evening. These targeted enforcement operations are ongoing.

Our officers do a wonderful job, but they cannot be everywhere at once---we need your help! Speak with members inside your personal network. Encourage constant vigilance, especially when traveling through your local neighborhoods. I’m confident we can reverse this trend through proactive enforcement and a heightened sense of personal responsibility.

Your City Council recently approved the addition of six digital speed monitors. They have been an effective tool in deterring speeding at various locations throughout the city. We will target future placement in areas presenting the highest level of safety concern. We also installed pedestrian activated crosswalks on Highland Drive, 3900 South, 5600 South and Holladay Blvd., with another scheduled for Murray-Holladay Road near the Wasatch Waldorf School.

The safety of our citizens is a primary responsibility we share as elected officials. We take the input we receive very seriously.

We will continue to do all we can to deter the inherent dangers associated with excessive speeding and distracted driving.

Receiving a report that there has been a vehicle related injury is the call none of us want to take. We’re asking all of you to keep this important issue top of mind this summer season and as the 2022 school session approaches. Let’s all do our part to Keep Holladay Safe.

—Rob Dahle, Mayor

Holladay Achieves AA+ S&P Rating and Makes Progress on Neighborhood Roadways

By Gina Chamness, City Manager Over the past year, the City of Holladay approved its first-ever property tax increase, implemented a new stormwater fee and recently issued a bond for larger projects. The majority of additional revenue generated from both the stormwater fee and the property tax increase will be used for debt service, allowing Holladay to address a long list of previously unmet project needs.

As part of the bond issuance process in Spring 2022, Holladay underwent a Standard & Poor’s (S&P) evaluation. The S&P rating is an important credit score that describes the general creditworthiness of a city. Holladay has worked hard to keep a high letter grade, so we can save money by issuing bonds with low-interest rates. On May 25, 2022, S&P Global Ratings assigned its ‘AA+’ long-term rating to Holladay City bonds. The rating reflects S & P’s assessment that the economic fundamentals of our city are very strong, and anticipated volatility is low. S & P summarizes their assessment this way: “We consider Holladay City’s economy to be very strong based on income levels and market value.

The City’s budgetary performance is also strong, which reflects both increasing sales tax revenue and stable property tax revenue.”

Armed with the bond proceeds, additional property tax and stormwater fee revenue, residents can expect to see a number of projects in the works over the next 3-5 years – providing enhanced stormwater facilities, repairing bridges, and improving roadways, among other undertakings.

The neighborhood roadway improvement program is well underway, and the City’s 3 contractors have already added asphalt (mill and overlay) on several neighborhood roads throughout the community. To see the map visit www.cityofholladay.com. By the end of this construction season, about 15% of the City-owned neighborhood roads will be improved!

If your street isn’t on the list for this year, know that more road projects are coming in subsequent years.

The projects funded by the property tax increase, stormwater fee, and bond support a high quality of life for all of us in Holladay. Watch for more updates this summer as work continues. Sign-up for direct email updates at cityofholladay.com/ departments/administration/stay-informed/.

Historical Commission Commission Historical SPEAKER SERIES SERIES SPEAKER

JUL 18 18 @ @7 7 PM PM JUL HOLLADAY CITY HALL HOLLADAY CITY HALL

Featuring Allen Roberts Featuring Allen Roberts

Allen Roberts, FAIA, co-founded Cooper/Roberts Architects (now CRSA) the first architectural in Utah to specialize in historic building documentation, Allen Roberts,firm FAIA, co-founded Cooper/Roberts Architects (now CRSA) renovation, the first restoration and preservation. has written scores ofbuilding articles and ten books of renovation, community architectural firm in Utah toHe specialize in historic documentation, history, biography and architectural restoration and preservation.

He has history. written scores of articles and ten books of community history, biography and architectural history.

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2022-23 Speaker Series Season Bimonthly at 7 pm at Holladay City Hall 2022-23 Speaker Series Season Bimonthly at 7 pm at Holladay City Hall

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JULY 2022

CITY INFORMATION

Protect Your Pet from Summer Fun

Salt Lake County Animal Services More pets go missing in the summer months than any other time of year. Make sure they always have on a collar with an ID tag with up-to-date info. Watch out for these sounds of summer.

Barbecues: 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 crate.

An unsecured gate or door left open is the perfect opportunity for your pet to take themselves on an adventure without you.

Thunderstorms: 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.

Fireworks: The loud noise of firework displays, big or small, are scary and disorienting to pets. Leave them at home, 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.

Fireworks are poisonous to pets.

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.

Find a lost pet? 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.

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 385-215-0622 Gina Chamness, City Manager gchamness@cityofholladay.com

PUBLIC MEETINGS: City Council – first and third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m.

Planning Commission – first 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 Finance Justice Court Code Enforcement

NUMBERS TO KNOW:

801-527-3890 801-527-2455 801-273-9731 801-527-3890

Emergency 911 UPD Dispatch (Police) 801-743-7000 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 Office 801-278-9947 Cottonwood Post Office 801-453-1991 Holliday Water 801-277-2893 Watermaster - Big Cottonwood Tanner Ditch system - Art Quayle 801 867-1247

Protect Yourself from Mosquitoes

The City of Holladay is happy to announce the reestablishment of our Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). This team along with other CERT team members from around the county prepare citizens to respond effectively in disaster. CERT trains residents to prepare their families and neighborhoods to mitigate, respond to and recover from disaster.

Our goal is to strengthen our community and make it more resilient, neighborhood by neighborhood.

We will be hosting a CERT training session September 17th, 2022, and October 1st, 2022, from 9:00am to 6:00Pm in the John Holladay room at City Hall. Both days are needed to complete the training. Prior to the first day of call All attendees must complete the on-line CERT training. These courses can be found at https://medicine.utah.org, clink on online courses then search for CERT 2021 the online portion will take 8-10 hours to complete. If you are interested in CERT or have further questions, please email us at holladaycerttrain@gmail.com.

There’s nothing better than beating the summer heat with water — from pool parties to boating. But do you know who else likes water? Mosquitos.

Standing water is the perfect place for mosquitos to lay eggs and gather. It’s their version of a pool party. Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, or trash containers. Check for water-holding containers both indoors and outdoors.

Additionally, the following suggestions can help you avoid being bitten by mosquitoes: • Use mosquito repellents approved by the Environmental Protection Agency according to instructions printed on the product label.

• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing that covers as much skin as possible when outdoors.

• Avoid outdoor activities during times of peak mosquito activity (between dusk and dawn for several species of mosquitoes including disease vectors known to occur in Utah).

For additional information about mosquitoes and mosquito control or to submit a request for service, please visit the website: www.sslvmad.org.

Protect yourself and others this summer from the West Nile Vius and enjoy the sunshine bug-bite-free.

Wasatch Front Waste & Recycling’s SEASONAL CONTAINER RESERVATION PROGRAM Holladay residents will be able to reserve their containers in the month of June for delivery in August. Seasonal Container Reservation Program postcards will be sent out on these dates: Zone 1: June 17, 2022 for Aug. 4-10 Zone 2: June 24, 2022 for Aug. 11-17 Zone 3: July 8, 2022 for Aug. 18-25 Reservations will be available on the WFWRD website the following Monday at 7:00 am after you receive your postcard . Reserve your containers on the website https://wasatchfrontwaste.org/seasonalcontainer-reservation-program/ Don’t know what zone you’re in? Check out this map or give WFWRD a call at (385) 468-6325.

Fire sense is common sense.

The trick is just using it. You already know heat or sparks plus dry grass equals a whole lot of trouble, so the next time you’re camping or shooting or otherwise enjoying the great outdoors in this great state of ours, use your brain before things get too hot to handle.

Olympus lacrosse claims state championship Photos by Justin Adams

Olympus celebrates the eventual game-winning goal by Hazel Baker in the final minutes to claim the 5A state championship over juggernaut Park City 10-9.

The squad will return most of its major contributors such as Hazel Baker, Hannah Nelson, Eva Thorn and Hope Ward.

The Olympus High girls lacrosse team went 16-2 on the year en route to its state title.

Three Ways Rising Interest Rates May Impact Your Personal Finances

By Robert Spendlove

T

he Federal Reserve has been aggressively ramping up interest rates over the past several months to try to rein in inflation, which is at a 40-year high. After three years of near-zero interest rates, the Fed raised rates a quarter percentage point in March, a half point in May, and three-quarters of a point in June — the largest rate hike since 1994. The Fed has also indicated that it will continue significantly raising rates, by as much as an additional two percent, over the next year.

Today’s borrowing costs are back to 2019 pre-pandemic levels, and they are expected to keep going up. Here’s what rising

Page 14 | July 2022

interest rates could mean for Utah consumers: Tackling credit card debt. If you carry a balance on your credit card, paying off that debt could become more difficult. That’s because most credit cards have variable interest rates, which typically rise and fall with market rates. The average credit card interest rate hit a two-year high in June, topping 16.75%.

As rates continue to rise, carrying a credit card balance will likely get more expensive.

Today’s consumer has extra incentive to pay down credit card debt and other high-interest debt, or consider other strategies to offset rising interest rates, such as a credit card balance

transfer.

Buying or selling a house. While mortgage rates have shot up over the past few months, Utah’s hot housing market has shown little sign of cooling. That could change as rates climb further, pricing more Utahns out of the housing market. With every 1% increase in the mortgage rate, a homebuyer pays about $300 more per month on a $500,000 mortgage. However, the Beehive State’s housing shortage will likely keep demand strong and prices rising, albeit at a slower pace.

Building savings. Higher interest rates are welcome news for people who like to

save. Though there isn’t a direct link between the federal funds rate and deposit rates, financial institutions generally increase the annual percentage yield that is paid on money market accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit after the central bank raises rates.

As the federal funds rate increases, consumers should start seeing a better return on their deposits, including savings accounts, money markets and CDs. Robert Spendlove is senior economist for Zions Bank, a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. l

Holladay City Journal

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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.

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Holladay City Journal

Olympus baseball takes region title, finishes runner up at state Photos by Travis Barton

Ashton Johnson led the Titans from the mound and the plate. The senior led the team in batting average, hits and RBIs while also serving as the team’s day one starter.

The Olympus High baseball team had a memorable 2022 season where the team went 23-10, won another Region 6 title and finished second at state. After a close call against region rival Brighton in the super regional, the Titans reeled off three straight wins over Salem Hills, Wasatch and Salem Hills again to reach the championship series. Olympus lost two heartbreakers to Lehi to take home the second-place trophy.

JD Olson and the Titans stole over 100 bases on the season. Olson was part of a potent senior class.

Matthew Thomas was part of a formidable pitching staff with Johnson, Same Creer and Jackson Park.

HolladayJournal .com

July 2022 | Page 17

Children under 5 are now eligible for a COVID vaccine. The FDA approved the vaccines created by Moderna and Pfizer that are now available in pediatrician offices, pharmacies and health departments. (Stock photo)

FDA approval provides COVID vaccines for children between 6 months and 5 years old

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

W

ith COVID now the fourth leading cause of death for children under the age of 1 and the fifth leading cause of death for children ages 5 and under, medical professionals believe the approval of a new COVID vaccine for children is a glimmer of hope.

Dr. Andrew Pavia, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Utah and director of epidemiology at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, discussed the new vaccine approved by the FDA in June.

“This is really a big step,” Pavia said.

“We’ve had several months now in which there’s been a lot of disease out there and younger children have not had any vaccine availability to provide them protection. It’s caused a lot of heartache for parents.”

The FDA reviewed scientific evidence submitted for vaccines by Moderna, for children ages 6 months to 5 years, and Pfizer-BioNTech, for children ages 6 months to 4 years. The advisory panel of outside experts unanimously voted for approval of both vaccines for this age group 21-0.

Pavia understands many parents have vaccine hesitancy in regard to COVID. He suggests parents talk with a trusted healthcare provider to get reliable information about the vaccine and how it can help keep their children safe.

“I think you should do it,” he said. “I would vaccinate my grandkids if I had any, but I think it’s really a decision every parent needs to make.”

This age group is the last to be approved for a COVID vaccine, which can now be found at pediatrician offices, pharmacies, the Salt Lake County Health Department and other health departments.

“It’s a myth that children don’t get sick with COVID because they do and it’s been pretty tragic,” he said.

At the beginning of the pandemic, COVID

Page 18 | July 2022

targeted older people but with the Delta and Omicron variants, the number of children infected is rising. More than 570,000 children under the age of 1 and nearly 2 million between the ages of 1 and 4 have been diagnosed with COVID since March 2020, with the numbers rising significantly since the beginning of the year.

Numbers are expected to spike this fall and winter as kids return to school and daycare, and as new variants appear on the scene.

“With Omicron, it really hit kids hard,” Pavia said. “During Omicron, 15% of all visits of children to the emergency department were due to COVID. This represented several million emergency department visits…Once Omicron hit, it was actually kids 6 months to 4 years old who had the highest hospitalization rates.”

The vaccine is formulated for small children, with Pfizer suggesting three doses to provide optimal protection, and Moderna recommending two, although the company said three would be better. Infants under 6 months don’t need a vaccine if their mothers were vaccinated during pregnancy. In that case, the antibodies pass to the baby, offering immunity for the first six months of life.

As with other COVID vaccines, side effects include soreness and redness at the injection site, possible swelling in the lymph nodes, fever and irritability. He said getting kids vaccinated for COVID can help slow the disease and keep small children safer.

“Talk it over with someone who really knows and that means your provider,” Pavia said. “Not a friend on Facebook, not a Reddit thread, and think it through because it’s important that you make that decision for yourself.

However, if you compare it to other things we vaccinate our kids for, the vaccine is at least as safe, based on everything we know to date.” l

Holladay City Journal

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Wednesday at 1 p.m. in Murray Park Pavilion #5, FREE July 6 ..............................................................................................Scales & Tails, Reptile Show July 13 ............................................................................................Scariff Irish School of Dance July 20 ...........................................................................................Monroe’s Mountain Melodies, with Puppets July 27............................................................................................Longwings, Bird Show

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Every Tues/Wed/Thurs at 11:15 a.m. in Murray Park White Gazebo, FREE Murray City Library sponsored outdoor story time full of books, songs and action rhymes for kids ages 2-7 and their families. Bring your blanket or lawn chair.

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.

July 2022 | Page 19

Titans finish second in state Photos by Travis Barton Gage Phippen finished the year with 28 goals and 11 assists. The Titans earned a region title and the No. 1 seed for the playoffs on the year. Olympus downed Salem Hills, Viewmont and Alta to reach the championship game.

Hutton Murphy finished with 79 goals and 71 assists to lead the potent Titans. Murphy was voted by coaches as the 5A player of the year.

Edison Cutler unloads a shot against Alta in the semifinals at Westminster’s Dumke Field. After defeating Alta 12-5 in the semis, the team’s special season was spoiled in the finals against Park City with a 10-9 defeat. The loss halted a perfect season for Olympus who finished 19-1.

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Beyond the byline: The person is the ‘first focus’ says writer Sona Schmidt-Harris

By Deb Schoenberg Hafner | d.hafner@mycityjournals.com Editor’s note: this series highlights the writers behind the stories found here every month.

35+ Years of Helping People... ...SELL their current home and BUY the new home of their DREAMS.

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ward-winning journalist Sona Schmidt-Harris is poised, elegant, and gracious—gracious for agreeing to spend part of her afternoon riding horses with me and then conducting an interview in my dusty, dirty stable, and self-possessed of a poise and elegance that one would think she was attending high tea with royalty instead of sitting on a rickety chair at a table littered with horse treats and remnants of hay.

We were recently teamed up to interview and write about one another in a “get to know your friendly neighborhood reporter” assignment, which was an intimidating task since I’ve never done a profile, and Sona’s favorite thing is to write profiles.

After we put the horses away and sat down with Coke Zeros at the dusty table in my barn, we quickly discovered we have much more in common than writing for City Journals. Sona lived and worked in New York City at a large law firm in the early 2000s (I was there, also working for a large law firm, at the exact same time). Sona majored in English literature (same) and loves her little dog, Schpilker (animal lover here).

But the similarities end there, as Sona has had a long, prolific career as a professional writer and editor, with her first work, "Little Alfie," published in the third grade in her California school district's "Short and Long and Even a Song." She wrote in high school at Olympus High in Holladay, and earned a bachelor’s in English literature as well as a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Utah.

After college, Sona went on to work as a journalist, blogger, magazine writer, and travel writer. Sona attended Westminster College for paralegal certification and began working in the legal industry—good writers are vital to lawyers, and many fine writers who appreciate precision, accuracy and research find themselves involved in one way or another in the legal profession.

Sona wrote a children's book in 2018, "Schpilker the Terrier Puppy," the eponymous favorite pet, whose

Sona Schmidt-Harris astride Gracie in a recent outing.

Yiddish name means “ants in one’s pants or nervous energy.” The story is a sweet message for children to accept and love themselves and is told through the relatable antics of Schpilker, who has problems learning new things and sometimes makes mistakes.

Sona has been a reporter for City Journals for three years, writing about local life for the Holladay Journal, and turning out thoughtful, charming stories about colorful residents and artists, such as “Meet former Latvian resident Edgar Pavars: he dyes hair and discusses Tolstoy,” and a famous Beatles animator in “Dive into the animated world of Ron Campbell.”

Her favorite interviews include one with retired surgeon Andy Hines, who opened up to her with myriad surgical war stories in “Meet longtime Holladay resident Dr. Wirt (Andy) Hines, retired plastic surgeon,” and a piece she did about the work and lives of snow plow operators in “Snow plow operators keep Holladay streets moving in the winter, repaired in the summer.”

Sona paints the people she interviews with dazzling clarity that captures perfectly their intrinsic qualities and unique personalities. To create her beautifully crafted profiles, Sona’s approach is part earnestness, part preparedness, with “the person as the first focus.” She smiles recalling the snow plow employee interviews that clearly delighted her, and it is obvious that she is enthralled with the authentic presentation of the human narrative.

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ince 1992, the Utah Interpreter Program has ensured that American Sign Language interpreters throughout the state meet the highest standards through certification and professional development as well as maintaining a statewide interpreter directory.

This year marks UIP’s 30th anniversary of working directly with sign language interpreters and members of the Deaf, hard-ofhearing and DeafBlind communities.

“Utah was 20 to 30 years ahead of many other states in its recognition and protection of the communication rights of Deaf, hardof-hearing and DeafBlind citizens,” said Trenton Marsh, director of the Utah Interpreter Program. “As early as 1975, the Utah Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, in collaboration with local Deaf leaders, created a certification process for sign language interpreters, 20 years before it became state law.”

After the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, the provision of interpreting services changed. Community organizations such as URID and the Utah Association of the Deaf asked the Division of Services of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to take on the responsibility of certifying in-

terpreters and educating the public regarding communication access issues. This led to the creation of UIP. In 1993, Utah passed legislation requiring certification of sign language interpreters.

“This is incredible since many states still do not have a similar law today,” Marsh said.

Currently, UIP focuses on providing certification exams and oversees annual certification and professional development status for all sign language interpreters in Utah. It also educates the public about state interpreting laws and policies, and provides interpreting services for DSDHH and vocational rehabilitation staff, as well as for the Utah governor’s press conferences.

UIP recognizes nearly 600 certified interpreters in the state. Interpreters can be certified after demonstrating skills, knowledge and judgment to be able to facilitate communication, including complex, technical or specialized situations. To learn more about the program, or to become a certified interpreter, visit jobs.utah.gov/usor/uip. l

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Holladay City Journal

Teed Off

I

t was the height of COVID. We were trying to figure out Zoom meetings and DoorDash and online grocery shopping. I’d been laid off. The world was topsy-turvy.

Stress levels were off the charts.

My husband decided we weren’t fighting enough, so he thought he’d teach me to golf.

I was young and naive and thought it would give us a break from the COVID lockdowns and Netflix binging. But two years later, it’s become the most infuriating part of my life. A sport with an uppity dress code should have been the first clue.

We got to the golf arena and rented a cart, which is really the only reason to golf.

Tom gave me the scorecard like I understood “par” or colors or numbers. We drove to the starting line and he proceeded to give me my first golf lesson.

“What club are you going to use?” he asked.

“How should I know? Sandwich?

Soda? Strip?”

Tom swore, handed me a club and instructed, “Widen your stance, get closer to the ball, shoulders up, head down, knees together, thumbs out, straighten the arms but bend the elbows. Twist, but don’t move your hips. Watch the ball. Watch the ball!”

After getting me in peak form, I took a swing. I totally missed the ball and sprained

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

several unused muscles in my back.

“You’re pulling up,” he said, unhelpfully.

“Pulling up what?”

“Just pulling up.”

“I don’t understand the words you’re using,” I replied. I considered throwing a ball at his head.

“You know, just don’t pull up.”

I glanced around the course, certain a divorce lawyer had to be within range.

“Watch,” he said. “This is what you’re doing.”

Tom then proceeded to reenact my swing, which, according to him, looks like I’m trying to kill a spider with a baseball bat.

“Don’t do that,” he said. “Understand?”

“Do you understand alimony?” I mumbled.

It’s gone downhill from there, but at least now I’ve learned golf etiquette, like how driving the cart through those fun sand dunes is frowned upon. And I should whisper on the golf field unless I miss a shot, and then I’m supposed to yell a swear word and throw my golf bat in the lake.

I also learned I shouldn’t shout “Fore!” every time I take a swing, and kicking the ball onto the fairway is a cool golf-pro trick. And the drink cart is like an ice-cream truck for grown-ups.

After watching Tom’s conniption when he hit a ball into the creek, I asked him, “You do this to relax? Is it working?”

He gritted his teeth and drove to the next hole. I sat back and watched the beautiful scenery. I’ve seen deer, squirrels, ducks and bunnies romping near the “greens,” which is a lazy name if I’ve ever heard one.

Maybe during the next pandemic, Tom can teach me how to pole vault or we could join a curling team or maybe we could do a DIY extension to our house. There are just so many ways to start a fight.

Peri Kinder is an award-winning humor writer and hosts the Life & Laughter podcast. She’s also a yoga/meditation instructor and life coach.

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