Holladay Journal | March 2023

Days appear numbered for Unified Police Department—the second largest police force in the state, which serves nine cities and townships in addition to county-wide services–with the likely passage of HB374, a bill that would dissolve UPD on Jan. 1, 2025.

Bill sponsor Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, says he wants to eliminate the agency over concerns with “double taxation,” and “conflict of interest,” which stem from the County Sheriff’s dual functions as sheriff and CEO of Unified Police, according to Teuscher.

“You have situations where what might be best for the county may not be the best thing for UPD, and what might be the best thing for UPD may not be the best thing for the county. And with that, conflict of interest,” said Rep. Teuscher during a Feb. 15 House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee hearing.

Created in 2009, UPD is an interlocal police agency whose shared services model allows participating municipalities to access specialized public safety services—like K9 units, Forensics, or SWAT—while keeping in place precinct-level autonomy over local enforcement.

The model has won deep devotion from its participating parties.

“Our whole city recognizes the benefits of sharing services within the municipalities. It provides a far more robust police department for our residents than we would have if we started our own police department,” said Millcreek Mayor Jeff Silvestrini, UPD board member, addressing the committee.

Continued page 4

By Zak Sonntag

would dissolve the UPD in 2025. UPD board member and Holladay Mayor, Robert Dahle, expressed anger with the legislative process, which he said tilted favor to the bill sponsor and disregarded people in uniform. (City

Continued from front page

been sheriff…since 2017. We have done numerous things to try to convince people that the UPD is a great organization; we’re very transparent, and there is no conflict. I believe it’s a perceived conflict,” Rivera said during the Feb. 15 hearing.

tions that have not been looked at. I do think it is going to be very costly for our communities,” she said.

UPD 2.0

Although as Teuscher understands it, the entity was created with the intention of growing to serve as a “metro-style” county-wide police force; instead, the entity has seen it’s market share shrink in recent years with the departure of some cities—which he says results in conflicts and unintended misappropriation.

‘Perception is reality’

Opponents of the bill, however, fiercely reject accusations of double taxation, and say Rep. Teuscher is pedaling exaggerated claims he’s failed to provide substantive evidence for.

“The fact that they’re going to destroy the entire police department, the second largest in the state, out of data that doesn’t exist, that’s where it becomes frustrating for me,” said UPD Chair, Midvale Mayor Marcus Stevenson, in an interview with the Journal.

“There is a perception that UPD is subsidized, and while there is no data to back that up, perception is reality,” he said. “We have a legislature that is going to make a pretty big decision with inaccurate information.”

The only data produced includes a county audit, which lawmakers agreed showed no evidence of double taxation.

Although an internal work group assigned by the Sheriff’s Office did bring to light areas for administrative improvement.

The committee determined that a jurisdiction-specific Metro Mental Health initiative—which dispatches social workers alongside officers responding to calls implicating mental illness—received financing from a general fund meant for countywide services, according to Silvestrini, who drafted a report on the findings not yet made public.

Silvestrini said stakeholders nonetheless agreed the organization functioned fairly, legally, and that double taxation and conflicts of interest are not born out.

“With the exception of the mental health unit, we had consensus that all the things that the county was paying for out of the general fund were in fact county wide services,” he said, in an interview with the Journal.

‘Killing our officers mentally’ County Sheriff Rosie Rivera—at the heart of the purported conflict—adamantly defends the integrity of UPD and her functions as its CEO.

“This issue has continually come up the entire time I’ve

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Rivera lamented the sponsor’s unnuanced solution, and said the process has deeply decimated officer morale.

“This disruption over and over is killing our officers mentally. It is taking a huge impact on them and their families and we need to do something to help them,” she said.

Lt. Nate Lord, who spoke on behalf of UPD officers during the committee hearing, confirmed the toll on rank and file servicemembers.

“The declination of our morale is rampant and it’s going fast. We’re not comfortable with constant turmoil and turbulence, because every year someone comes to question our police department,” said Lord, who added that the department was still recovering from “one of the roughest years we’ve had in decades,” referring to a tumultuous period of nationwide protests that followed in the 2020 wake of high profile racial police killings.

‘A lot of this has to do with politics’

UPD board member and Holladay Mayor, Robert Dahle, expressed anger with the legislative process, which he said tilted favor to the bill sponsor and disregarded people in uniform.

“There’s a major amount of frustration because of the legislative process. We had a lot of supporters to speak against the bill, and right out of the gate they said, ‘Five of you can speak. For one minute each,’” said Dahle, during a city meeting the following day. “Then the bill sponsor sat up there for 15 minutes and made claims that we weren’t able to refute.”

“The thing that angers me the most is that what people forget with politics and policy, and a lot of this has to do with politics, they forget that there are human beings on the back end of this—and they have been really damaged,” Dahle said.

“This could have been fixed in a way that was controlled and less damaging to the individual officers serving our communities. It was easily fixable at the county sheriff level. So to have this legislation come in and basically take a hammer to it is awful.”

Dahle also worries that the coming alternatives will fail to replicate the efficiency of the current UPD model. “I still think it’s the best model and the best way to police a community,” he said.

Rivera, too, chided lawmakers for underappreciating the financial burden the bill imposes on local governments.

“There are legal implications and their financial implica-

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Opponents suffered a blow with the unexpected announcement by Sheriff Rosie Rivera that she would no longer oppose the bill, explaining during a February press conference that the writing was on the wall.

“If we were to kill the bill, the sponsor has said he will continue to bring it back. This problem will never go away,” she said, expressing fatigue that the Sheriff’s Office had been backed into a corner by political forces. “I chose not to oppose this bill because I have a responsibility to create long term stability for public safety.”

The announcement caught UPD board members unawares.

“Being that the sheriff is our CEO and the board gave direct policy direction against this, I was shocked and disappointed by her position,” UPD Chair Stevenson said, even while admitting he understands the politics that forced Rivera’s hand, and that the board believes Rivera has the officers interest at heart.

Stevenson said he intends to continue his fight against the bill, but other members have already begun pivoting attention to crafting a new interlocal police force, which Mayor Jeff Silvestrini is calling “Unified 2.0”

HB374 passage at the state legislature would dissolve UPD in 2025. But the UPD board and its officers have pushed back. “I still think it’s the best model and the best way to police a community,” said Mayor Rob Dahle.

(Photo courtesy Utah State Capitol)

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Magician Paul Draper mystifies audience with impossible feats of mentalism and magic

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

Award-winning and internationally acclaimed magician Paul Draper took the stage at Holladay City auditorium Jan. 19 and provided an emotional 90-minute journey of suspense, stop and think moments and never-ending, edge-of-the-seat wonderment and awe.

A deep-rooted Holladay resident, Draper has traveled the world bending the rules of reality through mentalism and magic leaving behind audiences who remain entranced by the mysterious and searching for answers long after the curtain falls to a close.

Draper’s magic show, Mysteries of the Mind, is specifically tailored to fit each audience. He has been performing his show for audiences in Holladay for the last five years free of charge. Due to limited seating in the City Hall auditorium, tickets have been required for the show. Over the years, tickets have continued to be claimed within hours of becoming available to the public. The event is sponsored by Holladay City and the Holladay Arts Council. Sheryl Gillilan, executive director of the Holladay Arts Council, and her committee are responsible for organizing and running the well-attended annual event.

“About five years ago, local artist Jim McGee proposed the Arts Council sponsor a portrait art exhibit in the main foyer of City Hall,” Gillilan said. “Jim proposed to introduce himself to select individuals in Holladay, ask them if they were willing to be interviewed and to share their stories. Following the interview, he planned to complete a portrait of the person.

“Paul Draper was one of the people Jim selected to be included in the portrait art exhibit. On opening night of the exhibit, a reception was held and Paul Draper was in attendance. Because he is a character and a performer, he announced to everyone attending, ‘Hey everybody! I grew up in Holladay. Holladay City Hall at one time was Holladay Elementary. This is where I went to elementary school. When I was in second grade, I performed my first magic show on the stage in the lunchroom. I’d like to do some magic for you.’ He then took a spoon out of his pocket handed it to me and proceeded to bend it while I held the spoon in my hand. It's really funny. I still have the spoon, but I have never been able to unbend it. I asked Paul if he would be willing to do a magic performance at City Hall, and he agreed. People all over the world hire him to perform magic, and we are very lucky he is willing to come back each year.”

Draper opened the Thursday night performance by welcoming the audience, and in mid-sentence he burst into song with an Italian opera melody. Continuing the opening conversation with the audience, he discovered a member of the audience was celebrating her birthday and promptly sang “Happy Birthday” to her in Hebrew.

Draper’s educational background is diverse. He studied opera at the University of Utah, received a bachelor’s degree from Weber State in cultural anthropology and received a master’s degree in political rhetoric at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he also was a faculty member in the Department of Communications.

In a recent conversation with Draper, he pointed out that young people interested in pursuing a career in magic performance can begin to prepare by taking classes in a variety of disciplines. Draper’s study of anthropology contributed to his success in understanding others—their body language, ideas, thoughts and actions contributing to his success in mentalism performance.

“When I attended high school and college diversity in class selection was always important to me,” Draper said. “I studied theater all through junior high and high school. Also, in high school I competed both on the debate team and in oratory performance winning at the state level yearly. Instead of taking physical education in high school, I elected to study dance. I studied opera performance in college but also completed a degree in anthropology.”

Draper’s educational preparation, skill development and talent has led him along a magical career path as the house magician at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas for seven years and opportunities to appear on numerous television shows including “Entertainment Tonight” and shows on the Hallmark Channel. He continually receives rave reviews about his magical performance from noted media such as the L.A. Times and the New York Times.

Draper performed more magic tricks

and impossible feats of mentalism than a person could shake a magic wand at during the City Hall performance. Everything from pouring water from an inexhaustible water bowl, to guessing who the audience artist was when looking at several different drawings.

Five-year-old Ellie Achter jumped out of her seat at the chance to be on stage with the world-famous magician. Draper selected Ellie out of the audience to participate in a soap bubble magic trick. Ellie climbed the steps up to the stage, hopped up on a chair and gently began to blow soap bubbles from Draper’s magic soap bubble wand. To her amazement and the audiences’, Ellie blew a solid, iridescent soap bubble that Draper caught in his hand leaving the audience in whispering wonderment. “That can’t be pos-

sible. OK, how did he do that?”

Draper handed Ellie the soap bubble bottle and the solid, transparent bubble and said, “Ellie you have been so good. You made this beautiful bubble out of a wish, and so now, the bottle of soap bubbles and the magic, solid soap bubble belong to you.”

Following the performance, Draper met audience members in the hall for a brief reception and photos. Adults and children crowded around Draper hoping he would reveal to them just a few of his secrets and explain the wonderment they had experienced during the show. Unfortunately, Draper, like all magicians, keeps his secrets of mystery tucked securely up his sleeve.

For more information about Paul Draper and his Mysteries of the Mind show visit his website at: www.pauldraper.com. l

The Achter family with Paul Draper. Following the performance, Paul Draper met audience members in the hall for a brief reception and photos. (Collette Hayes/City Journals)

Award-winning and internationally acclaimed magician Paul Draper took the stage at Holladay City auditorium Jan. 19 and provided a night filled with feats of mentalism and magic. (Photo credit Dave Tada)

Olympus High Sterling Scholar finalists compete for top honors in March

TheSterling Scholar candidates at Olympus are consistently described as “the best of the best.” Students who compete for the scholarships are selected to represent their school in one of 14 specialized categories. In addition, they must also have excellent grades, a rigorous class schedule and documented service in the community.

“A Sterling Scholar is a high school senior who is publicly recognized and awarded for the pursuit of excellence in scholarship, leadership and citizenship,” said Olympus High Principal Jennifer Christensen in her Sterling Scholar announcement video in October.

“A candidate presents an all-encompassing portfolio on their work in a specific category and is interviewed by judges in their field. Our Olympus High Sterling Scholars have a rich history of being very

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

successful throughout the semifinals and final levels,” Christensen said.

Christensen’s comments proved to be a good prediction: all 14 of their school candidates moved on to the semifinals for the second year in a row. Of those, four went on to the final round, which means they could be selected as the overall statewide Sterling Scholar in their area.

The finalists are Katherine Kaufman in Science, LilyKate Jones in the Visual Arts, Caroline Pace in Instrumental Music and Sierra Heflin in World Languages (Spanish).

“The semifinal interviews were held on Feb. 9 and we were informed on Feb. 13 which students were selected to go to the final interviews,” said teacher Parley Jacobs. Jacobs is the CTE Coordinator and Sterling Scholar Advisor at Olympus.

“Olympus High School, like our sis-

ter schools, is well represented in the 14 areas of competition. These students have made great preparations and contributions in order to be selected by their teachers to represent Olympus in this prestigious program,” Jacobs said.

The Sterling Scholar program, now in

its 61st year, is sponsored by the Deseret News and KSL News. The final awards night for the statewide competition will be held in March. (Student photos courtesy of Olympus High website) l

Connor McConkie, Business and Marketing

Samuel Bradley, Computer Technology

Sarah Jordan, English

Olivia Yates, Dance

Brynlee Thain, Family and Consumer Science

Caroline Pace, Instrumental Music

Brock Perreca, Mathematics

Katherine Kaufman, Science

Bailee Carlson, Skilled and Technical Sciences

Isabelle Cannon, Social Science

Heidi Thomas, Speech/Theatre/Forensics

LilyKate Jones, Visual Arts

Isaac Fox, Vocal Performance

Sierra Heflin, World Languages

Holladay Artist of the Month finds joy, fulfillment in creating art

Influenced by the Byzantine period, Holladay Artist of the Month Sarah Winegar’s relief printing woodcuts depict the intangible world of spiritual Christianity.

Winegar draws artistic inspiration from her religious background which is evident in many of her artistic pieces. Her relief woodcut prints of “The Last Supper” bring human figures together flowing in unity, each with his own story to tell. The unseen feelings of the individuals are portrayed in the fine, detailed cuts in the wood.

Selected by the Holladay Arts Council as Holladay Artist of the Month, Winegar is an avid, intuitive artist as well as an exceptional athlete.

While attending the University of Utah, Winegar completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in printmaking. While completing her degree in art, Winegar played four years as an outside back on the U of U Pac-12 soccer team.

When Winegar graduated from college, her passion for art and for soccer continued. She played in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) and served as the assistant soccer coach at Copper Hills High School. As she closed the door to the art world at the university, she felt apprehension about navigating the unknown road to a successful career in art.

“When I graduated, I didn’t know if my art career would continue,” Winegar said. “Art brings a lot of joy into my life, and I could see that the art I created in college brought a lot of joy to the lives of others. I create art hoping it will inspire others to discover an interest they want to pursue.”

In college Winegar’s art was influenced by the Byzantine period, by Käthe Kollwitz’ bold black and white woodcuts and by Japanese woodblock prints known as ukiyo-e which translates as “pictures of the floating world.”

“I admire the German expressionistic artist Käthe Kollwitz and her woodcuts,” Winegar said. “Also, in one of my first introduc-

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

tory art courses in college, I was immediately inspired by Japanese woodblock prints and wanted to try to replicate the colorful everyday

According to Winegar, woodcut printing is a process in which an artist selects a block of material, generally wood, and sketches an image directly on to the wood. The artist then seals the wood with varnish or shellac which

vents the drawn image from being smeared. A selection of different knives is used to carve out the image. Ink is rolled across the surface but not in the non-printing grooves of the wood.

The woodcut is then ready to print on paper. Winegar said she completed woodcut commissions for BYU and other entities. She sells up to eight editions of each print. Her art has been shown in museums as well as other venues including the Springville Art Museum and the LDS International Art Show.

Painting with acrylics is another art medium Winegar enjoys. Her expressionistic scenes illustrate the playful day-to-day life of raising a family.

After reading a bedtime story to her children and tucking them into bed, Winegar spends many hours drawing, carving and painting late into the night. When asked what motivates her to create art each day, she responded, “It makes me happy. It makes me feel fulfilled.”

Winegar’s artwork will be on display through March at Holladay City Hall.

If you would like to nominate a Holladay resident for Artist of the Month visit www.holladayarts.org/suggest-an-artist.l

Selected by the Holladay Arts Council as Holladay Artist of the Month, Sarah Winegar is an avid, intuitive artist. She is passionate about relief printing woodcuts as well as acrylic painting. (Photo credit Sarah Winegar)

Sarah Winegar’s expressionistic acrylic scenes illustrate the playful day to day life of raising a family. (Collette Hayes/ City Journals)

Sarah Winegar’s mandala woodcut depicts the intangible world of spiritual Christianity. (Collette Hayes/ City Journals)

Sarah Winegar’s relief woodcut print of “The Last Supper” bring human figures together flowing in unity, each with his own story to tell. (Collette Hayes/City Journals)

Holladay Fine Art Show showcases professional and amateur artists’ works

Afine piece of art is like a four-leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have. The Fine Art Show and Sale, a favorite annual event in the city of Holladay, will once again bring together some of the finest artistic talent in the Salt Lake Valley. The event will provide an opportunity to own a piece of fine art that surely will bring luck to the owner for many years to come.

The annual show, sponsored and organized by the Holladay Arts Council Executive Director Sheryl Gillilan and her committee, begins March 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. at an opening reception at Holladay City Hall. Musicians will set the atmosphere for the event, light refreshments will be served, and Fine Art Show awards will be presented. A $3,000 cash prize will be awarded as determined by a panel of three judges from the community. Also, attendees will be encouraged to vote for their favorite piece of art for the coveted people’s choice award.

This is a juried art exhibit with artists of all ages across the Salt Lake Valley applying to participate. A juried art show is a competitive event. Exhibiting artists’ submitted work will be reviewed and evaluated for inclusion in the Fine Art Show. This provides an opportunity for the artists to see how competitive their art is compared to that of other entrants. A number of artists will compete to secure a spot in the show, but only 150 will be selected to participate in this year’s event.

Three of Utah’s finest artists, Pamela Robins, Lorna Anderson and Clinton Whiting, have been selected in the past to exhibit their pieces in the Fine Art Show, and all three are considering entering the event again this year.

A retired marketing art director and graphic designer for several local companies, Robins is working on new pieces daily. As the March 5 entry deadline draws closer, she will select the pieces she thinks will secure her entry into the show.

Robins’ art was accepted into the American Impressionist show in 2020, and she has exhibited art at Relics Framemakers & Gallery and the Urban Arts gallery.

A full-time artist now, Robins paints every day and usually late into the night. Painting directly from life, she enjoys still life set ups and children’s portraits. The portraits are done primarily from photos because, as Robins pointed out, children have a hard time sitting still.

“Art enriches our lives much like a concert does for the soul,” Robins said. “Visual arts show the passion people in our community have for creating. It is a testament to the good surrounding us. Having an original piece of art in your home makes a house a home.”

Anderson hasn’t made a firm commitment to enter this year’s Fine Art Show. Although she has sold most of her painting in-

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

ventory and her time has been filled working on commission art, she hopes to be able to submit an entry before the deadline.

According to Anderson there is magic in oil painting, and she has received significant notice for her fine art oil painting pieces. Two years ago, Anderson received first place for amateur oil painting, an honorable mention and the people’s choice award at the 2021 Holladay Fine Art Show. Last year, she did it again and won first place in oil painting in the 2022 Holladay Fine Art Show. Anderson was accepted into the Spring Salon in 2022 at the Springville Museum of Art where her painting “Poolside” was purchased. Anderson received the Florence E. Ware award at the AAUW Utah Women Artist Exhibition in 2022.

“The Holladay Fine Art Show and Sale has changed the way I look at my own work,” Anderson said. “It has given me the confidence to keep painting and showing my work. It is a very friendly and accessible show. I would encourage everyone to take a look.”

Whiting’s paintings are heavily influenced by his life experiences and relationships. While studying at the University of Utah, he began to understand the Abstract Expressionists including Mark Rothko, Franz Kline, Robert Motherwell and Helen Frankenthaler. These artists and their process have heavily influenced Whiting’s painting process. Japanese calligraphy also plays a significant role in how he creates art.

“Creating artwork is how I process the world and my experiences,” Whiting said. “I see and experience things in life, and I take them to the canvas. I have a lot of ideas, some of them turn into finished works of art and others remain in sketchbooks.”

Whiting’s art has been part of many group and solo exhibits and has won first place awards and also best of show awards. His art has been exhibited at The Springville Museum of Art and the Statewide Art Competition with the Salt Lake Arts Council. Whiting’s art has appeared in numerous art shows including events in New York City, New Jersey, Naples, Milan and Rome, Italy. Whiting was honored to have a piece purchased for the permanent collection at the Springville Museum of Art in 2022. Currently, he is putting together a body of work that he can exhibit as a solo show.

Whiting pointed out that in one way or another all of his works deal with connection. He uses the picture plane of the canvas to create compositions that lead the viewer to feel something about the figures presented. Sometimes the composition is easy to understand, and other times it’s an abstract idea.

“Having participated in the Fine Art Show for a few years now, I have noted a steady development of quality among the

participating artists,” Whiting said. “I love being a part of local exhibits that display professional and amateur work together. This is the way an art culture develops and grows—when we all get together to see and chat about art. I would love to see more collectors and patrons at the show.”

The show and sale will run Monday

through Thursday, March 20-23, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday, March 24, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Holladay City Hall, 4580 S. 2300 East. Holladay Arts Council members will be on hand to answer questions and to sell the fine art.

For more information visit: www.holladayarts.org/2023-fine-art-show. l

A retired marketing art director and graphic designer for several local companies, Pamela Robins plans to enter the Holladay Fine Art Show again this year and is working on new pieces daily. As the March 5 entry deadline draws closer, she will select the pieces she thinks will secure her entry into the show.

(Photo credit Pamela Robins)

The Holladay Fine Art Show and Sale will run Monday through Thursday, March 20-23, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday, March 24, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Holladay City Hall, 4580 S. 2300 East. Holladay Arts Council members will be on hand to answer questions and to sell the fine art. (Photo credit Sheryl Gillilan)

Ayear ago, the Olympus High girls lacrosse team defied the lacrosse world’s expectations denying perennial power Park City, and taking the state championship to Holladay.

Head coach Zana Spratling and her squad return off a 16-2 year where their only losses came against 6A runner-up Skyridge in preseason and Park City in region play. That loss to the Miners would cost the Titans a region title, but Olympus avenged that defeat with a dramatic 10-9 victory over Park City in the state championship game at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman.

Olympus returns most of its title-winning group from a year ago including offensive threats like junior Hazel Baker (57 goals, 20 assists), senior Eva Thorn (50 goals, 21 assists), junior Hannah Nelson (48 goals, 16 assists) and sophomore Sarah Anne (34 goals, 22 assists). They also return senior goalie Hope Ward.

The Titans start the season on the road March 6 at Herriman before their home opener on March 14 against Corner Canyon. Non-region play features enticing matchups against 6A finalists from last year Skyridge and 6A state champs Mountain Ridge. Region play starts April 28 at East and ends with senior night May 12 against Highland. l

Defending state champions return

Photo by Justin Adams

2023 SCHEDULE:

March 6 @ Herriman

March 14 vs. Corner Canyon

March 16 @ Skyridge

March 20 @ Mountain Ridge

March 22 @ Lone Peak

April 4 vs. Riverton

April 11 @ Bingham

April 14 vs. Alta

April 19 @ Springville

April 21 vs. Mountain Ridge

April 28 @ East

May 3 vs. Park City

May 5 @ Brighton

May 10 @ Skyline

May 12 vs. Highland

State runners-up a year ago, Titans are back in action

Photo by Travis Barton

TheOlympus High boys lacrosse team finished as state finalists a year ago, losing to Park City in the championship game.

It was the sport’s second year sanctioned in Utah high school athletics and the Titans almost went coast-to-coast on the season going 19-0 before losing a heartbreaker in the finals 10-9 to the Miners.

Olympus was so dominant that it only had two close games all year: a 14-12 victory over Park City in midseason that would effectively wrap up the region championship and the state title game. Its next closest game was a 13-8 win at East. The Titans average score was 16-5 which included a 21-goal win in the first round of playoffs.

The Titans return this year without leader Hutton Murphy, the senior graduated last year leading the team in goals (79) and assists (71). He was voted the 5A player of the year. Also graduating were key players including midfielder Camden Rossi and defenders Tommy Barrus and Jack Wall.

But talented contributors such as Sam Smith, Charlie Droitsch and Gage Phippen (pictured) return along with coach Nick Merrell.

Olympus opens its season at home March 9 against Timpview before going on the road to face Bingham March 14. The Ti-

tans preseason also features a mouthwatering clash at Corner Canyon on April 14, the twotime defending 6A champs.

Region play starts April 21 at home to Skyline with senior night set for May 5 against Brighton. Olympus chance at revenge will have to wait until May 3 for a trip to Park City. l

2023 SCHEDULE

March 9 vs. Timpview

March 14 @ Bingham

March 17 vs. Lone Peak

March 21 @ Bountiful

March 23 @ Davis

April 6 @ Riverton

April 11 @ Herriman

April 14 @ Corner Canyon

April 19 vs. Spanish Fork

April 21 vs Skyline

April 25 @ Highland

April 28 vs. East

May 3 @ Park City

May 5 vs. Brighton

May 12 @ Mountain Ridge

Women have been taught to check for lumps when screening for breast cancer, but what most people don’t know is there are 12 symptoms that could be an indicator of breast cancer.

Utah resident Corrine Ellsworth-Beaumont, MFA, Ph.D., has made it her mission to educate women and girls to help them be informed when it comes to breast health. She created the nonprofit Know Your Lemons to help save lives and educate women around the world.

“People don’t know how to have the conversation,” she said. “We don’t talk about breasts and no one’s really challenged that. As we’re implementing the program in schools, we talk about every part of the body except breasts and there’s this implicit message that there’s nothing to know.”

Ellsworth-Beaumont said everyone should graduate from high school knowing the 12 signs of breast cancer that include skin sores, orange-peel skin, a sunken nipple or a dimple in the breast.

When a close friend died from breast cancer, Ellsworth-Beaumont was working as a professor in a business school in London. After her friend’s death, she left her job and put all her efforts into the Know Your Lemons nonprofit. She was stunned at the lack of information about breast health, even in the medical community.

Her goal is to educate women in a way to help them get familiar with

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

of breast

their own breasts. That includes understanding breast anatomy like milk ducts and lymph nodes and what a cancerous lump feels like. It’s often hard, like a lemon seed, and doesn’t move.

“We don’t talk about breast anatomy or how breasts change during menstrual cycles,” Ellsworth-Beaumont said. “When we’re told to self-exam and feel for a lump, we’re given no information about anatomy, we don’t understand about breast cycles, you don’t know what that lump feels like.”

She worries misinformation about breast screening will discourage women from scheduling mammograms and doing self-exams. Social media propagates the myth that mammograms are dangerous when the screening actually saves lives. Unfortunately, Utah has one of the lowest screen rates in the country, ranked 50 out of 52 (including Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico).

The Know Your Lemons main image details the 12 signs of breast cancer, displayed on lemons. She wants to get the poster and postcards in as many doctors’ offices, schools and women’s health centers as possible.

Because the image is universally understood across languages and cultures, Ellsworth-Beaumont has partnered with health care systems around the world to bring the information to nearly 60 countries. She often has to explain that talking about breast health is not the same as sex education, or that high school girls are not too young for the information.

“Breasts are not sexual organs. Breasts reproduce nothing but we have linked those two things so concretely that people don’t think breast health is different from sexual health,” she said.

She’s heard numerous stories from women who saw the lemon images and recognized their own breast cancer symptoms. Young women, especially, have a hard time convincing their doctors to screen for cancer, thinking they’re not old enough for breast cancer. The image empowers women to be their own advocates and not back down.

The Know Your Lemons app is a breast health and period tracker but unlike other period tracking apps, this one doesn’t collect data. The app was funded by donations and grants and was named the best women’s health app in the world from The Webby Awards. For more information, visit KnowYourLemons.org.

The foundation is also raising money to fund a $300,000 mammogram machine in the Bahamas by raffling a trip to the Bahamas. Visit the website for more information.

“It’s humbling to know I can help someone change their story,” said Ellsworth-Beaumont. “I don’t think it sinks most of the time, but once in a while I get a moment where I pause and reflect on what’s happening and that keeps me going. So many women have reached out saying the poster or the app helped them recognize the symptoms.”l

This life-saving image, created by Utah resident and Know Your Lemons founder/CEO Corrine Ellsworth-Beaumont, has educated women around the world and saved countless lives from breast cancer. (Photo courtesy of Know Your Lemons)

Mammograms are vitally important in detecting breast cancer and saving women’s lives. At Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, we take great pride in offering advanced technologies like 3D mammograms in a comfortable environment run by caring, well-trained specialists. So whether you have a family history of breast cancer or simply want the peace of mind that early detection provides, you can rely on our personalized treatment and expert services, as well as our easy, convenient online booking. That's

Cottonwood High student honored for leadership, community service

ACottonwood High senior was recently honored for her leadership and service with the University of Utah Equity, Diversity and Inclusion’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Leadership Award.

Ivette Hernandez was one of 12 students across the state who was selected for the honor.

“I got an email that said I won an award; I was excited,” she said.

After Hernandez was nominated by a Salt Lake Community College employee, she and others wrote essays sharing their experiences, advice and actions they chose to love and support nonviolence when encountering intolerance or hate. It fit with the week’s theme, “Choose Love Over Hate.”

“It was easy to write because I just love serving. I wrote about how I’m serving my community with people who would normally be discriminated,” she said.

Hernandez detailed her service with people with special needs. She has partnered with a woman who has Down syndrome and since September, for a couple hours every week, they’ve spent time painting, dancing, playing bingo and doing other activities.

“I love to do this kind of service because I know this is a group that gets discriminated and bullied, but every week, I choose to

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

show them patience, love, and acceptance,” she wrote in her essay.

She also volunteers monthly with the Utah Food Bank.

Her essay included how her family was discriminated against when they moved from California into their neighborhood.

“When I first moved to the area, we were the only Latino family and my house will always get TPed (toilet papered),” she said, adding that it stopped after they mounted a security camera on their house.

Hernandez also knew she could be discriminated at school.

“At middle school, there was a girl, and she asked the vice principal if he was discriminating against her because she was like Latina, and was told yes,” she said.

Her brother has been called discriminating names and “people have said hurtful things to me, have unfairly treated me, or have physically hit or pushed me,” she wrote in her essay. “Even then I cannot say that I hate them. I guess it is because I choose to feel more love for others over hate. I have been raised to be kind by serving and showing love.”

Hernandez wrote that “these incidents make me feel upset and sometimes at a loss of hope.” Yet, she reminds herself to “to stay

positive and hope that a change of heart is always possible.”

Through it all, she has excelled. The National Honors Society member plans to study pre-med in college with hopes of being a pediatrician.

“I just try to find the good side of people,” she said. “It helps to help other people.”

Hernandez has put herself in others’ shoes. When a new student arrived at Cottonwood, “she knew nothing of English so I offered to help translate for her in that class and we became really good friends.”

Her counselor, Amanda Calton, said Hernandez is inspiring.

“Ivette is bright, driven, and consistently challenged herself throughout high school

by taking some of the most rigorous courses Cottonwood High offers,” she said. “AP (advanced placement), CE (concurrent enrollment) and honors classes were constants in her schedule; with a 3.8 GPA, Ivette excelled in these advanced classes and still was able to pursue outside interests beyond school.”

At the awards breakfast at the U’s alumni house, she was honored with a plaque and some swag in front of her parents. A week later, she received an acceptance letter from the U, welcoming her as a student.

This spring, she has a U of U clinic externship with her medical assisting class.

“I’m excited that I get to learn how to help make a difference,” she said. l

Cottonwood High senior Ivette Hernandez recently was honored for her leadership and service with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Leadership Award. (Photo courtesy of Daysi Hernandez)

Q & A Business Spotlight

Richelle’s Spa, an award-winning full-service salon and day spa, has served clients since 1995. With spa treatments, hair and nail services, waxing, a variety of massage options and much more, Richelle’s is a go-to spot for self-care and pampering. Christina Couch is the spa manager and she invites people to visit the salon so they can leave relaxed after having a wonderful experience.

Q: What would like our readers to know about this business?

A: I truly love working at Richelle's. Our service providers always have a smile and want to go above and beyond for an excellent experience. It's always a pleasure to see guests relaxed and refreshed.

Q: What services do you offer?

A: Richelle’s Spa offers several types of massage services, including maternity and couples massage. We provide reflexology, craniosacral and hot stone treatments with enhancements like deep tissue, aromatherapy, CBD oil and cupping. Our hair services range from a child’s haircut to a Brazilian blowout using quality products. There are also hair repair treatments along with our fabulous color options. We do manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing, lashes, tinting and make-up.

Q: Tell me about your spa treatments.

A: Most of our body treatments include the use of our HydroCo Time Capsule. The capsule is a state-of-the-art steam and Vichy shower, using steam and heat to penetrate ingredients deeper into the skin. We offer a body glow exfoliation service using an organic mineral salt scrub with trace minerals and elements from the

Great Salt Lake. We also do back facials, mud wraps and a mango enzyme body treatment that infuses the skin with hydration so it appears toned and smooth.

Q: How do potential clients choose between you or a competitor?

A: Privacy is something our clients come to enjoy. At Richelle’s, we always want our customers to be happy. Our ideal client is someone who is looking to relax and be pampered.

Q: What factors should potential customers base their decision on?

A: Richelle’s Spa has a standard protocol for all of our quality technicians, so every visit is enjoyable. Our service providers have many years of expertise, so you’re in good hands. Whatever

a customer’s needs might be, our elite staff is here to provide you with the best treatments and relaxation that you deserve. From massage therapists to master estheticians to hair and nail technicians, our staff provides top-of-the-line spa experiences.

Q: What is your favorite product/service your company offers?

A: Right now I'm in love with Eminence Coconut moisturizer. Everything gets so dry in the winter but this moisturizer leaves my skin so soft. The Eminence skin care line is all organic and the moisturizer has coconut, shea butter and grape seed oil combined with green apple stem cell technology for amazing results. I also love our hydrafacial service. My skin is just glowing after the treatment. It's more in-depth than other facials I've received and it’s so relaxing.

Q: Are you currently running any specials?

A: If you visit our website, we post specials on a monthly basis. Customers can also subscribe to our monthly newsletter with offers and specials.

All-Star readers meet all-star mascots at Salt Lake County library event

The NBA All-Star events in Salt Lake were the perfect backdrop to celebrate All-Star readers in February. A winter reading event sponsored by the Salt Lake County Library kicked off Jan. 3. Readers who stayed engaged during the program were invited to meet the Jazz Bear and other NBA mascots Feb. 15 at the Viridian Center in West Jordan.

“We’re very fortunate to host the NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake County and to be able to offer such a unique prize to our readers,” said County Library Program Manager Nyssa Fleig. “We hope offering a once-in-a-lifetime event like this will help create readers for life.”

The party kicked off just after 6 p.m. when the mascots came in, turned up the music and shot off their confetti cannons. All attendees got to enter through a balloon arch and then made their way to a decorated event room. Two big screen TVs showed NBA All-Star footage. Kids could play cornhole, or life-size chess and connect four while they waited to meet mascots.

The event brought out families from all over the valley, like Salt Lake City’s Aimee Broadbent and her 9-year-old son Deklan.

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

“I like to read…just a bit,” Deklan said, with a joking twinkle in his eye.

“He loves it!” Broadbent said.

His favorite books? “I like scary stories.”

The All-Star Winter Reading wasn’t just about reading—it challenged kids to stay engaged during the winter with different activities and report their progress online.

“I did all the activities. I read, I played basketball, and I colored in every activity,” Deklan said.

Broadbent said they’d participated in and attended the event before. But with the All-Star game happening this weekend, there’s some added excitement.

People had their choice of several mascots to meet, greet and get photos with, starting with Owlexander the library’s owl. Unified Police and the Salt Lake County Sheriff brought their mascots—a dog named Sgt. Siren and a horse named Sgt. Lightning.

Three NBA teams sent their mascots: the Miami Heat’s fireball Burnie, Clutch the bear of the Houston Rockets, and Blaze the Trail Cat of the Portland Trail Blazers. And from the NBA G League (minor league basketball), the SLC Stars were rep-

resented by the Jazz Bear’s cousin, Buster Bear.

But for loyal Utahns like the Waltons of Taylorsville who had played Jr. Jazz and seen lots of Jazz games, meeting the Jazz Bear for the first time was the most exciting thing about the night.

“We participate in the library reading events all the time because the girls love to read,” said Melena Walton of her daughters Ella and Lila. “We did the library’s preschool class when they were younger and came to reading time and puppet shows.”

The girls, now 14 and 10, kept busy during the winter with skiing and Jr. Jazz basketball. They stayed engaged with the other winter challenge activities like being creative, getting outdoors and trying new things.

But they definitely made time to read—Ella in the Star Wars novels, and Lila the Half Upon a Time series. Of course they’ve made their way through the Harry Potter and Fablehaven series. And when it comes to how they read, they’re traditionalists.

“I like the feel of a book in my hands, not an e-reader. I like turning pages in a real book, it’s just different,” Lila said, and Ella agreed. l

Aimee Broadbent of Salt Lake brought her son Deklan to meet the mascots Feb. 15 as a reward for completing the winter reading challenge. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

Holladay Library stressed that winning the right to vote in 1920 gave women a voice in government. This hard-fought right was reached after over 75 years of marches, meetings, and campaigns. The somewhat sparse attendance at this delightful event, however, made me wonder whether people didn’t know about it, weren’t interested in women’s suffrage, or were too busy to come. The answer is undoubtedly all of the above. Of the three reasons listed, not knowing about it is the one thing that can be rectified.

Here are a few suggestions

Have you ever visited the city’s website? It is cityofholladay.com, and the home page always lists upcoming events and activities. For example, you can find out when City Council and Planning Commission meetings will be held and what will be discussed. You can also get information about accessory dwelling units, stormwater fees, or report a traffic concern, just to name a few. And you can sign up to receive updates from the city. As you scroll down on the home page, on the left side is a place to enter your email address to receive notifications that will keep you current on the issues facing Holladay as well as alert you about upcoming events. And we will not overwhelm your inbox—emails from the city are only sent out every week or two. Holladay is currently developing a new website that will offer even more information and make accessing city services, such as renting a City Hall Room or Park Facility, even easier. We expect the roll out of the new website sometime this summer.

And if you use social media, follow the City of Holladay and our committees, like the Holladay Arts Council, Tree Committee, and Holladay Historical Commission on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, which are great ways to discover upcoming events. Here is a list of our social media handles:

Instagram - @cityofholladayutah

Instagram - @holladayartscouncil

Instagram - @holladayhistoricalcommission

Facebook - @cityofholladay

Facebook - @holladayarts

Facebook - @holladaycitytrees

Twitter - @cityofholladay

Since you are reading this article you receive our monthly newsletter found within The Holladay Journal, which always contains lots of interesting and useful information.

The City of Holladay polled its citizens last fall to find out what you like, don’t like, and are concerned about. Many who participated in the survey said that they like the small town feel of our city, including knowing and interacting with their neighbors. Finding out about and attending fun events is a good way to get to know the people in our city. We also welcome interest and questions from our citizens as the City Council makes decisions that affect us all. I encourage you to use these resources to find out what is happening in Holladay, and find your voice by being involved in our great city.

By Drew Quin, City of Holladay Council Member, District 4

Flood Awareness and Preparedness: A Crucial Step for Holladay Residents

By Brad Jewett, Emergency Planner

Holladay is a beautiful city, surrounded by the majestic Wasatch Mountains and the serene beauty of the Great Salt Lake. However, living close to nature comes with its own set of challenges, one of which is the threat of floods. With Holladay’s proximity to the mountain range, it is particularly vulnerable to flash floods during heavy rains, snowmelt, and other weather events.

Floods can have a significant impact on Holladay residents, causing damage to properties, interrupting daily life, and even endangering lives. It is essential for residents to be aware of the risks and take measures to prepare for floods. By doing so, we can reduce the potential impact of floods and ensure our safety and well-being.

Flood Awareness

The first step in flood preparedness is being aware of the risks. Holladay is prone to flash floods that can occur suddenly, with little warning. They are typically caused by heavy rainfall, melting snow, or dam failures. They can be particularly dangerous in areas near steep slopes or canyons, where water can accumulate quickly and cause significant damage. It is crucial for residents to be aware of the flood risk in their area. Additionally, being aware of weather forecasts and staying informed during heavy rainfall events can help residents prepare for potential flooding.

Flood Preparedness

Once residents are aware of the flood risks in their area, they can take steps to prepare for potential floods. The following are some essential flood preparedness tips:

1. Create an Emergency Kit - It is crucial to have an emergency kit that contains essential items like food, water, medications, and first aid supplies. Additionally, it is recommended to include important documents like insurance policies, identification, and bank account information.

2. Know Your Evacuation Routes - Residents should be familiar with the evacuation routes in their area and have a plan in case they need to evacuate quickly. It is recommended to have a designated meeting place in case family members are separated during an evacuation.

3. Protect Your Property - Taking measures to protect your property from flooding can reduce the potential damage. This can include installing flood barriers, elevating appliances and electrical systems, and sealing foundation cracks.

4. Stay Informed - During a flood event, it is crucial to stay informed about the latest updates and instructions from local authorities. Residents should monitor news and weather reports and follow the directions of emergency management officials.

Flood awareness and preparedness are essential for residents of Holladay. By taking these steps, we can reduce the potential impact of floods and ensure our safety and well-being. Remember, floods can occur suddenly and with little warning, so it is crucial to stay vigilant and be prepared.

Aging Resources

By Capt. Dan Brown, Unified Fire Authority/ Holladay Liaison

Recently, I learned that Holladay has the second-highest percentage of citizens over 65 in the State (22%), just behind Washington City (24%). Studies show that adults with a positive outlook on aging are 44% more likely to recover from an illness or disability. Of course, changing one’s outlook is easier said than done. I believe awareness is the first step in someone’s ability to change – checkout these helpful resources. You can also find a list of links to these organizations on the City’s website, www.cityofholladay.com

• Utah Aging Services provides State, regional, and local services to help older adults remain healthy and independent.

• Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services offers a variety of services and programs for the community’s diverse population of older adults and those who care for them.

• Mt. Olympus Senior Center with programs, activities, and lunch options available.

• Salt Lake County Caregiver Support is a short-term respite and education program to those providing care to family and others.

• Utah Commission on Aging convenes expert stakeholders to help Utahns navigate the opportunities and challenges of the aging experience.

• Alzheimer’s Association of Utah is the premier source of information and support for Utahns living with dementia and their families and caregivers.

• AARP has a Family Caregiving section and resource line – plus help available in Spanish.

• Caregiver Support-Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging helps people access quality resources to live independently with assistance at home, remain active and engaged, and secure your financial future.

Holladay Library Happenings

Red Cross Blood Drive

Monday, Mar 27 2pm to 7 pm

Give blood to help others. Schedule your appointment: redcrossblood.org or 1.800.RED.CROSS

Seed Library

While supplies last!

Seed libraries work the same as any library. Pick up some seeds. Grow vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers. Harvest the seeds. Return them for the next person to use. While supplies last.

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

– rst and third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m.

As always, for a full list of library events please visit our website: https://events.slcolibrary.org/events

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

Finance 801-527-2455

Justice Court 801-273-9731

Code Enforcement 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

2022 Citizen Forester of the Year DeeDee Richardson of the Holladay Tree Committee

Congratulations to DeeDee Richardson who was awarded the 2022 Citizen Forester of the Year by the Utah Community Forest Council (UCFC)/Utah Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Each year this organization recognizes residents, professionals, and communities that go out of their way to advance urban forestry and tree preservation.

Left to right: Dennis Roach, DeeDee Richardson, Travis Jones, Mike Bunnell (UCFC/UT-ISA President.

Tri-Canyon trails blueprint starts to take shape

By Zak Sonntag | z.sonntag@mycityjournals.com

TheTri-Canyon Trails Master Plan—a recreation access blueprint for Millcreek, Little Cottonwood and Big Cottonwood canyons, pursued in a partnership with Salt Lake County and the United States Forest Service (USFS)— is taking shape with the help of public input from several recent meetings, where community members have begun to galvanize around a list of priorities for the world class terrain moving into the future.

With a goal to manage trail use and ecosystems, the Tri-Canyon Trails Master Plan (TCMP) comes as the area’s surging outdoor tourism has raised questions about equity, access, and sustainability in the national forest and surrounding foothills—from far ridgelines to scenic meadows and picnic areas.

Data collected in the period from 2019 to 2023 provides insight on recreation habits and shows that high elevation lakes in the central Wasatch experience large levels of foot traffic, according to reports published on the Tri-Canyon website.

Brighton Lakes in Big Cottonwood Canyon, for example, sees an average of 3,700 trips per day in summer months, with White Pine and Cecret Lake in Little Cottonwood Canyon averaging between 1,500 and 3,000 trips per day.

The data was gathered with the use of trail counter boxes emitting infrared beams to measure activity, as well Mobile Location Data, or “digital footprints,” derived from third-party applications installed on user’s mobile phones. USFS also relies on fieldwork inventories and analysis of trail conditions to provide a comprehensive understanding of trail trends.

“We know that visitation is increasing, and we want to meet that challenge so that we still have good, clean water, healthy ecosystems, and high quality sustainable recreation,” said Zinnia Wilson, USFS program manager at the Salt Lake Ranger District, speaking at a public meeting at the Millcreek Community Center in February.

“We don’t think that will just happen by chance if we don’t have a good roadmap for all the partners and participants,” Wilson said.

Beyond the data, TCMP managers are placing high priority on public input and the February meeting in Millcreek revealed that community members have started to unify around a series of concerns and desires.

“Anything we can do to get cars out of the canyon,” said one attendee at the February Millcreek meeting. “And getting people bused or shuttled, like Zion’s canyon, to the trailhead. I’m all for getting the cars out of the canyons.”

Bikes

Users expressed high priority for increased bicycle amenities and lamented the that the few bike racks currently available fail to address worries about weather and theft—an increasing concern for outdoor recreationists.

“One thing that would help with traffic is that if I had a safe place to ditch my bike up

the canyon, I would leave my car every time. And if we had safe storage for bikes that would help get cars off the road, and they take a lot less space than a parking lot,” said one woman, speaking to a shared anxiety about saddle and wheel theft at trail heads.

Other attendees expressed similar sentiments.

“I bike up to Millcreek a lot and I would love secure storage, like bike boxes you see across the country,” said another recreationist. “Also with summer thunderstorms that will increase the need for overhead structures that can shelter from storms.”

Natural landscape over built environment

Wilson said USFS is amenable to additional structures, but explained they nonetheless need to ensure “the overriding experience is of the natural landscape rather than the built environment, and uses the most minimalist structure we can to get the job done.”

To this end the TCMP intends to draw on examples from the National Park Service, which has a reputation for working smartly with natural environments to improve user experience, utilizing clearings and tree canopies, for instance, rather than built structures to help protect against both precipitation and heat.

Broad connectivity

A big concern emerging from stakeholder meetings is not with the trails themselves, but the roadways to get to the trails.

One prerogative of the TCMP is to connect canyons to existing and future multiuse paths in nearby cities, allowing users to find

their way from their front doors to the foothills and beyond without having to get in a car at all.

Despite partnership with the county and regional stakeholders, Wilson explained that designing a comprehensive and contiguous access plan across jurisdictions entails a variety of challenges and potential roadblocks when dealing with private landowners.

“Obviously, we have a few current situations that highlight how complicated land ownership is in the canyons,” Wilson said, explaining that USFS is working on purchasing land or obtaining right-of-way for some proposed trail areas.

“At a minimum, what makes this plan implementable to some extent is that the Forest Service is the majority landowner (of the Tri-Canyon area) and we can make plans on Forest Service land, evaluate them for impact, and implement them.”

Along with competing ownership and jurisdiction, the plan will need to address competing usage modalities, as residents asked for better management of mountain bikers and hikers.

“I’m both a hiker and a mountain biker and I love doing both, but as the trails get more and more crowded there is a need to separate those activities on the trails. If it’s a biking day I don’t want to go for a hike because it’s hard to manage. I think there is a need to look at the multiuse aspect of it,” said an attendee at the Millcreek meeting.

In some Tri-Canyon areas USFS currently allows bikes on even days and dogs off leash on odd days. However, residents complained

that enforcement of those standards are insufficient, a point that Wilson conceded. It was suggested that the TCMP should include robust education component with an emphasis on trailhead signage to help address non-compliance.

So far no consensus has developed on the issue of e-bikes and where or whether they should be allowed on trails.

There was a strong response from residents who said they’d like to see trails for people of all abilities.

“As parents of a physically disabled son, tonight he said just have them make more wheelchair accessible paths. I know it can’t be everywhere, but it would be more than just disabled people who would appreciate that,” said one woman.

Another woman and mother of young children said, “I’d like to see stroller accessible trails in the region. As a mother it’s been a struggle to find a place where you can take a kid for a couple hours.”

The discussions have underscored the challenges of managing public lands in a modern era where wide variety of constituencies with a stake in the game.

They Tri-Canyon Trails Master Plan management team anticipates publishing a first draft for the plan later this year. It will then solicit additional community feedback and reformulate the second draft based on follow-up input. Once a final plan is passed it will be instituted in phases, and each phase will require an environmental impact study. l

Trail users Matt Schiffgen and Taylor Burke clock steps on popular Millcreek Dog Lake trail (Zak Sonntag/City Journals)

Cottonwood students lend a hand to furry critters

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Cottonwood

High student body officers and faculty had a rare opportunity earlier this winter.

Joining them at school were their pets—there at the kickoff assembly to support Cottonwood’s fundraising assembly for animal rescue organizations in Salt Lake City.

“We had a puppy walk where people brought their puppies and walked them across stage,” said student body officers’ adviser Tara Battista. “We supported Best Friends Animal Society and the Humane Society of Utah.”

Student body communications officer Talmage Winward fostered his cat, Violet.

“She’s tiny and precious, but pretty scared; I didn’t bring her in,” he said. “We had a wall where SBOs had pictures with their animals and put them on social media and our website to introduce our fundraiser, so I did that.”

The student leaders decided to support animal organizations because “a lot of us have little friends as pets and we thought it would be a cool way to help out animals. When students heard about it, and there’s a lot of students with strong connections to their animals, they were excited and jumped on board,” he said.

Throughout the weeks of their fundraiser, students held events and activities at lunchtimes and in the evenings or people could donate through Venmo or Apple Pay. Local businesses also earmarked a portion of their proceeds during spirit nights to support the Cottonwood students’ fundraiser.

“One thing that got a lot of people supporting us was our grilled cheese night. We made hundreds of grilled cheese sandwiches and sold meals to students in the span of two hours. We also sold them as a meal (with chips and a drink) to raise even more money. It’s always a favorite night, a huge hit, because everyone says they needed comfort food,” she said, adding that their pancake breakfast was another big seller.

Other favorites were purchasing a Candy Gram, where students could choose a cookie or candy cane to be delivered with a note to a classmate or teacher; a coin war where students donated loose change; and a fun run, that was supported by several sports teams. It was moved inside because of inclement weather.

“It actually was one of my favorite activities,” said Winward, who participated as part of the soccer team. “It was kind of a spur of the moment thing with the weather, but we mapped out a route that was a 5K. We ran around inside the school, in the hallways, and had members of our community running and several brought their dogs. It was just a really fun time running.”

Battista said the fundraiser has been a Cottonwood tradition.

In the past, Cottonwood High students have supported one another through donating to the school’s food pantry. They’ve also helped the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Christmas Box House and several homeless shelters. This year, they raised about $2,000 for the animal shelters.

“Last year, we collected money for fabric, and students tied about 350 blankets and donated those. That was meaningful because that they got to deliver an item that they could see was directly impacting somebody where with money, there’s sort of this removal of that they don’t physically get to see what happens,” she said. “For us, we have this balance where we encourage donations, but we under-

stand there’s a lot of kids who benefit from the donations themselves. So, everyone can be involved in supporting and participating in activities and service like making the blankets.”

Winward said he got involved in student government because he loves being part of the activities and planning.

“I have a ton of pride for our school through sports and events and it seemed like a win-win for everyone and to me to help people feel the same way. Doing this has been a lot of fun and it’s doing a lot of good,” he said.

Battista said it’s a way students can look beyond the school walls.

Cottonwood High student leader Carley Stephens and other students helped raise funds for the Best Friends Animal Society and Humane Society of Utah. (Tara Battista/Cottonwood High)

events and initiatives. By reaching out to different organizations around the state each year, it gives them a chance to give back to people who have also supported them,” she said. “Part of their education is learning that we are in this together, and they get a chance to give back to people who have maybe helped them. It builds this sense of empathy in the kids. When they stop to give back to the community, to help each other, to be a positive effect on somebody else, that really does something to the kids as well.”l

•

Cottonwood High students made and sold grilled cheese sandwiches as part of their winter fundraiser. (Tara Battista/Cottonwood High)

Brian Shelley officially cements legacy among Utah basketball community

By Daniel Olsen | d.olsen@mycityjournals.com

TheUtah Sports Hall of Fame Foundation has inducted Brian Shelley into the Utah Officials Hall of Honor, joining the UHSAA (Utah High School Athletics Association) in recognizing someone who has dedicated over two decades of their life to being involved as a basketball referee.

“I played high school basketball at American Fork and graduated in 1993,” Shelley said. “I volunteered to be a ref because they paid 13 bucks to ref an hour of basketball.”

Shelley, a Holladay resident, would serve a two-year Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission and would later go on to be the youngest referee to officiate in the UHSAA 5A playoffs. He has worked in the high school, collegiate and professional levels and now works on training the next generation to handle this high pressure role.

“You obviously need to have some tolerance and patience,” Shelley said. “When I was younger, people told me to be patient and knowledgeable. I tried to incorporate those two values. I always take the approach of being open and honest. I tell them what I see. If they know I am working hard then there’s a certain level of respect. I’ve been able to gain respect from players and coaches. I find out that there is a level of respect. I might say I didn’t have a great view on the play.”

While it isn’t an easy job, there are ways Shelley has been able to set himself apart as he’s been able to ref at all levels.

“You need to understand the game of basketball,” Shelley said. “After patience, it’s just a desire and a commitment to try and improve. I tell people that the game is about the players and coaches who put in a lot of time, and it also includes officials. We are stakeholders in the game of basketball. We are there to adjudicate and administer the game.”

Technology has enabled Shelley and other refs to analyze and improve officiating through training.

“I’ve worked with the PAC-12, Mountain West, WAC and other NCAA conferences along the West Coast. We focus on the rule book and then analyze video clips. Patience and knowledge are important, but commitment is what makes someone a good official.”

One of the toughest calls to make is a technical foul as it is determined by whether the person is displaying unsporting behavior instead of breaking the rules on the field of play.

“A technical foul is an unsportsmanlike act,” Shelley said. “When somebody crosses the line then that’s a personal attack or clearly unsportsmanlike behavior. I didn’t give technical fouls because I felt good communication was necessary, but I wasn’t afraid to give one if it was warranted. It’s just another call in the game like a blocking or charging foul.”

A few years ago, Shelley decided to piv-

ot his focus as a referee in a way that would allow him to balance his work and family life that includes three sons who attend Skyline High.

“I came off the floor as a ref years ago and was hired to be the leader of the UBOA (Utah Basketball Officials Association),” Shelley said. “I’ve been able to teach many officials throughout my career. I use in-season training tools to improve officiating performance through technology. I felt the need to continue contributing to the game of basketball. With my knowledge, I was able to still add something to the game. That’s allowed me to be involved with recruiting referees. I have three sons who are growing up. I decided that traveling wasn’t something I wanted to do at this stage of my life. That’s when I got into administration. I’m able to stay involved in the game of basketball that I love.”

While it is tough for fans to feel that refs are biased toward their team, Shelley strives to focus on being in the moment.

“I look at every call as it happens,” Shelley said. “Whether the reaction from fans and teams is positive or negative, it doesn’t affect the next play. I try to give them the best call. We are only as good as our last call so I tell the officials to just make the next call a good one. We need the ability to communicate properly to coaches/players. It’s important to listen and give short responses. When officials acknowledge what they are saying then it goes over better. Good refs and coaches move on. Every official who puts on a shirt needs to have the mindset that they

are impartial. I always strive to live by those principles.”

While Shelley has accomplished a great amount in his career, he is quick to point out how blessed he is.

“I was fortunate enough to start when I was in college,” Shelley said. “I was the youngest official at the time and moved on quickly from high school basketball. I am currently a CFO and owner of a company and

I have a work life balance which is important to me. I am still involved on a leadership team of six conferences.”

Shelley is also quick to point out how many people helped him get to this level he is at now.

“Many mentors have contributed to my success,” Shelley said. “Without them, I wouldn’t be able to have the knowledge or skill set that I have.”l

From left to right: Fred Thompson, Brian Shelley and Rob Cuff at a banquet at Little America on Jan. 23 when Shelley received his award. (Photo courtesy Solhee Shelley)

Kim Nelson and Brian Shelley on March 4, 2000 at the 5A Boys State High School basketball championship between Copper Hills and Brighton. Copper Hills won 45-39. (Photo courtesy Solhee Shelley)

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Intermountain Health performed a record-breaking number of organ transplants in 2022

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Kristine Fogarty didn’t even hesitate.

When she learned her friend and coworker Carrie Riggs needed a life-saving liver transplant, Fogarty went online to register as a living organ donor. No one in Riggs’ family could donate, but Fogarty’s bloodwork came back as a potential match.

“I told her, if you need someone to match you, I’ll do this because it’s important and it will save your life,” she said.

Fogarty was one of only 13 living liver donation transplants performed at Intermountain Health during 2022, a year when the facility performed a record-breaking 300 adult transplants, thanks to the generosity of organ donors, their families and a team of transplant caregivers.

The Intermountain Transplant Program performed a total of 104 liver, 159 kidney, 29 heart, and eight kidney/pancreas adult transplants last year, the fourth consecutive record-breaking year for the program.

“Living donors are incredible people,” said Diane Alonso, MD, transplant surgeon and former medical director of Intermountain Health’s abdominal transplant program. “They are often undergoing major surgery to give new life to their aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, neighbors—and sometimes to someone they don’t even know. They truly are giving the gift of life and we do our best to be great stewards of that gift.”

The uptick in transplants is due to generous donors, an increase in donor organ availability and advancements in technology and medicine. Liver transplants at Intermountain Health exceed the national average because they are able to match a wider range of donor organs to recipients.

Live transplantation saw the largest increase, with 32 living kidney transplants and 13 living liver transplants.

“Intermountain has created the environment and provided us the necessary tools and medical team to be successful,” said Jean Botha, MD, transplant surgeon and medical director of Intermountain Health’s abdominal transplant program. “I couldn’t be prouder and more honored to be working side-by-side with these caregivers who are changing lives in our communities.”

Within a couple of months, Fogarty passed all the screening tests and was approved to be a living liver donor for Riggs. The transplant was performed in October 2022 and both women are doing well. Riggs said she doesn’t know how to adequately thank Fogarty for saving her life.

“I thought I had to wait for someone to die and that scared me,” Riggs said. “Kristine was my lifeline. She saved my life. We are now closer than ever.”

The success of Intermountain’s transplant program, which serves patients throughout the nation, is the result of caregiver teams across the Intermountain system and community partners working together. The addition of an Intermountain Life Flight long-range medical jet in 2022 enhances organ transplantation by retrieving donor organs from across the United States.

Intermountain also launched a new platform called iReferral with InVita Healthcare Technologies and DonorConnect, the organ procurement agency for the Intermountain West. iReferral streamlines the organ donor referral process and automates the identification of potential donors.

To learn more about organ donation or register to become an organ donor, go to intermountainhealthcare.org/donatelife.

Fogarty said although her experience was scary, she’d do it again if she could. She challenges others to look into becoming a living donor to give another person the opportunity to live.

“Do it. Save a life. Get this feeling of purpose in life that you helped be part of a miracle. There are so many people out there waiting,” she said. “Living donors are very rare. There were only 13 living donors for livers last year. There’s more people dying than 13. That’s why that number needs to change.”l

Kristine Fogarty (left) donated a portion of her liver to her friend and coworker Carrie Riggs as part of Intermountain Health’s living organ donation program. (Photo courtesy of Kristine Fogarty)

Locals celebrate the life of Martha Hughes Cannon

an. 11 has been officially designated in the State of Utah by Congress as Martha Hughes Cannon Day, a day to recognize the suffrage movement, women’s voting rights and to honor the life and work of the first female state senator, Martha Hughes Cannon.

In partnership with the Holladay Arts Council and Better Days 2020, a nonprofit organization dedicated to popularizing Utah women’s history, two evening events were held at the Holladay Library to celebrate the life of Cannon and her accomplishments.

By the time Cannon was 25, she had earned four degrees: a chemistry degree at the University of Utah (then the University of Deseret) and a medical degree from the University of Michigan in 1880. Cannon completed a degree in pharmaceuticals at the University of Pennsylvania and also a degree from the National School of Elocution and Oratory in Philadelphia. Cannon had a plan to make life better in Utah by getting the medical training, the public speaking and other skills she would need to affect change in the Utah Territory.

The choice Cannon made to enter a polygamous marriage and become the fourth wife of Angus Cannon was an intentional one. She was a well-educated person and a doctor at the Deseret Hospital (now LDS Hospital/ IHC) who had means of her own. She saw her marriage as a love match and also something that was part of her religion.

Sheryl Gillilan, executive director of the Holladay Arts Council, and her committee created and organized the two-night event including storytelling with Holladay Political Women and Cocoa with Cannon, an opportunity to meet Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon, portrayed by historical storyteller Cassie Ashton. A traveling exhibit created by Better Days 2020 featured a model statue of Cannon. Informative posters about her efforts to gain equal rights for women were displayed as the backdrop for the event.

Better Days 2020 and the Utah Division

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

of State History promote the traveling exhibit to educate Utahns about Cannon’s story before her statue, which now stands in the Utah State Capitol, is moved to Washington, D.C. Every state is allowed two statues in The National Statuary Hall Collection in the U.S. Capitol. The Cannon statue will be replacing the statue of Philo Farnsworth.

Katherine Kitterman, former historical director for Better Days 2020, continues to hold a small role in the organization and has recently accepted a position with the Utah Women’s History Initiative. Kitterman holds a Ph.D. in U.S. history from American University, where she completed a dissertation on Utah women’s suffrage petitions.

“One of the things I think is so remarkable about Martha Cannon is she is pretty representative of many Utah women,” Kitterman said. “She is part of this generation of Utahns who had ideas of what she could do and what problems she could address in the world if she received training. She is part of a large cadre of women working in Utah to make Utah a better place.”

While Cannon is remarkable, she is representative of three local present-day women in Utah, City of Holladay Councilmember Drew Quinn, former State Sen. Jani Iwamoto and State Rep. Carol Spackman Moss. Each of these women participated in the Cannon celebratory event reading women’s suffrage historical fiction. During their lifetime these three women have continued the Cannon legacy of using their interests and skills to improve their community.

Moss taught English at Olympus High school for 33 years. She is a strong advocate up on the Hill for families and education. She was first elected as a state representative in 2000 and is the longest serving woman state representative in the history of Utah. Moss read the book “Marching with Aunt Susan” by Claire Rudolf Murphy, a children’s picture book reminding readers of the women’s

rights movement and the courage it takes to speak up and take a stand to create change. Moss commented that when she was given the book to practice for the reading, she was so impressed with the book that she ended up buying her own copy.

Councilmember Quinn is currently the only woman sitting on the Holladay City Council. She is a mother, a grandmother and a retired attorney.

Iwamoto, now retired, was the first Asian-American woman to serve in the Utah State Legislature and was elected as the Assistant Minority Whip by the Democrats in the Utah Senate. She has practiced law and also has served on the Salt Lake County Council.

Quinn and Iwamoto shared the books “The Voice that Won the Vote—How One Woman’s Words Made History” by Elisa Boxer and “Equality’s Call—The Story of Voting Rights in America” by Deborah Diesen. Both books emphasized the theme of history voting rights and the suffrage movement.

In a recent conversation, Kitterman spoke extensively about Cannon and the women’s suffrage movement. She provided an outline of historical events leading up to Cannon becoming the first woman to serve in the Utah State Senate and the passing of the 19th Amendment giving voting rights to all women.

Utah women were the first women to cast a vote in the United States under an equal suffrage law. Wyoming was the first place to pass women’s suffrage in 1869 but Utah followed about six weeks later in 1870. Due to Utah’s elections being held before Wyoming, Utah women became the first women to vote in the nation. With the controversy over polygamy that affected Utah’s suffrage, Congress took away women’s right to vote in 1887 with the Edmunds-Tucker Act. Utah was the only place ever to be disenfranchised in that way. Utah was a territory at that time so Congress had the power to enforce the Act. In 1896, Utah women regained the right to vote and joined the union as the third suffrage state. Leading up to this time, Cannon

had become involved in the Democratic party. She was nominated for state senator and won the 1896 vote defeating her husband, Angus Cannon, who just happened to be one of the Republican party candidates on the ballot. Cannon became the first female state senator in the country. In 1920, the 19th Amendment became law extending voting rights to women.

In Kitterman’s book, “Thinking Women: A Timeline of Suffrage in Utah,” coauthored with Rebekah Clark, Kitterman quotes Cannon who calls for a wider sphere for women.

“You give me a woman who thinks about something besides cook stoves and wash tubs and baby flannels, and I’ll show you, nine times out of 10, a successful mother.”

If you are interested in scheduling the Martha Hughes Cannon exhibit or signing up for a free digital tool kit, visit: www.utahwomenshistory.org/2022/03/mhctoolkits/.l

Martha Hughes Cannon with Utah Suffrage leaders and Susan B. Anthony. This 1895 photo was taken in May just after the constitutional convention when Susan B. Anthony was in Utah for a Rocky Mountain Suffrage Convention. (Photo credit LDS Church History Library public domain)

Lt. Gov. Deidre M. Henderson with students standing in front of the Martha Hughes Cannon statue at the Utah State Capitol. The statue will be moving to the National Statuary Hall Collection in the Nation’s Capital. (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor)

By the time Cannon was 25 she had earned four degrees in chemistry, medicine, pharmaceuticals and elocution and oratory. (Photo credit LDS Church History Library public domain)

When I was a kid, I worried about four things: my Halloween candy being stolen by siblings, missing a spelling word on a test, accidentally eating mayonnaise and nuclear war. In that order.

While those four things were the main cause of concern, I also worried about rainy days because stupid boys would throw earthworms down my shirt. I worried about wearing dresses to school because stupid boys would look up my skirt.

I worried about running out of books to read because I couldn’t imagine that apocalyptic scenario. I worried about earthquakes because we were constantly told The Big One would happen when we least suspected.

I guess I worried a lot, but I’m pretty sure our state legislators at the time didn’t give a rat’s behind about my mental health. In fact, children in the 1970s weren’t really considered people until they had a job and started paying taxes.

But now, our illustrious leaders say they are really concerned about the mental health of Utah’s youth, but only in select situations. There is talk to ban social media for kids under 16 because of the harmful impact it has on their mental wellness.

However, representatives don’t seem

A Mental Health Day

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

society. Even though teens with access to these treatments have demonstrated better mental health.

This is a “problem” our leaders don’t have to “solve” because, hear me out, it isn’t a “problem.”

On a related note, I found it interesting Utah will still permit cisgender female teens to get breast implants. Because Utah.

Do you know what else affects a child’s mental health? The fear they’ll be shot at school. The fear that climate change will eliminate elephants and polar bears. The fear their overworked teachers will quit because public money has been siphoned off to private and home schools.

I won’t clump all our elected officials into this bunch of wackadoodles because there are many people working to help trans youth, create sensible gun laws and reduce the load of our poor public school teachers who get beat up each year during the legislative session.

milla introduced a bill that would legalize psilocybin in Utah under strict controls. Because this is Utah, this mushroom therapy bill will probably go down in hallucinogenic flames, but hopefully it gets the conversation started.

Another way to help our youth develop better mental health? Stop passing harmful bills. Start passing bills that help our children and grandchildren deal with the everyday pressures of living in this world that feels like it’s gone bananas.

I agree social media causes great harm to our teens through cyberbullying, shaming and creating a comparison mindset. But there are additional issues we could tackle to help our children sleep better at night.

concerned about the mental health of transgender youth since our state leaders banned gender-affirming care for minors. Even though suicide rates skyrocket for trans youth who often feel stigmatized in

I vote that each educator be given a 10-day trip to Hawaii, paid for by the record-breaking state liquor sales. Of which they’ve heartily contributed, I’m sure.

Speaking of addressing mental health, Senate Minority Leader Luz Esca -

I never had to worry about cyberbullying as a kid, although actual physical bullying was definitely a thing. I worried about being pushed off the monkey bars onto the hard concrete. I worried about kids laughing at my homemade polyester pantsuits.

What I worry about now is how to create an inclusive and safe environment for our youth. I also still worry about accidentally eating mayonnaise, and nuclear war. In that order. l