Kaysville/Fruit Heights Journal | February 2023

BRIDLE UP HOPE MATCHES YOUNG WOMEN WITH HORSES IN A LIFE-CHANGING PROGRAM

By Peri Kinder

When Rachel Covey passed away in 2012 at the age of 21, she’d been battling the effects of depression for several years. A granddaughter of author and businessman, the late Stephen R. Covey, Rachel had found hope and connection through equestrian training before her death.

After Rachel died, her family wanted to help young women who might be struggling with depression, anxiety and other mental health issues and they started the nonprofit Bridle Up Hope. The organization’s goal is to teach girls ages 12 and up the skills and confidence they need and to develop resilience through equestrian training.

Becky Jensen operates a chapter of Bridle Up Hope in Kaysville where it’s her mission to teach life skills through horsemanship, goal-setting and service. The 14-week program includes riding lessons, caring for horses, developing friendships and building life skills.

“Everybody’s individual but it’s very transforming,” she said. “For exam -

ple, one girl just said to me she had been sneaking out with boys. She decided to break up with her boyfriend and said ‘I’m not going to do that anymore because I found my self-worth.’”

The program is based on Stephen R. Covey's book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” with each week’s itinerary focused on one of the principles: being proactive, focusing on goals, prioritizing, pursuing winning situations, understanding others, seeking synergy and renewal.

It’s a one-on-one equestrian learning experience with one girl and one teacher meeting together each week. The girls also come together weekly to work in the

Continued page 4

Rachel Covey, with her horse Tarzan, is the inspiration for the Bridle Up Hope program that combines horsemanship, creating good habits and service. The Bridle Up Hope chapter in Davis County is located in Kaysville. Photo courtesy of Bridle Up Hope

These mischievous shenanigans end in candy and happiness

By Alisha Copfer | alisha.c@davisjournal.com

At first glance, Raxon “Bubba” Garza is a typical, active 5-yearold. Bubba, who is always smiling and making new friends, likes pizza, ice cream, donuts, candy, clowns and, most of all, eggs. But once he starts talking about all his ideas, people begin to understand his entrepreneurial spirit. “His mind will get him far,” said Denise Garza, Bubba’s mom.

But the story starts with Bubba causing trouble, as most young children do. Bubba’s shenanigans all got started with eggs. The whole family loves eggs, from scrambled to “yolk eggs.” The problem was that Bubba would frequently get into trouble with these eggs, including throwing them off of the balcony. Garza wanted a way to help Bubba understand the cost of his destructive ways. The pair sat down and decided how Bubba could help pay for items that had been broken.

“It started with a 4-year-old boy that wanted to bring laughter to your home,” says Bubba’s website sneakybubba.com. “From his egg cooking skills and breaking item schemes, he needed to figure out how to repay for his skills. He put his ideas to work and started to be good. He wanted to bring joy to others while being one sneaky kid. Things moved quickly, and word got around. Sneaky Bubba started to create things for all ages around.”

The business idea started with hiding eggs for Easter parties around his neighborhood. Bubba, with the help of his family, would fill plastic eggs with toys and candy and then hide them around people’s yards. “I’m sneaky because I sneak around putting eggs in people’s yards,” said Bubba about his nickname Sneaky Bubba.

Soon, however, the egg idea became suckers, cotton candy and candied apples. “We started with the Children’s Market because we didn’t really know what we were doing,” said Garza. Bubba and his family have now branched out into other farmer’s markets around Davis County. In July 2022, Bubba helped with the Love Hard charity market, where he donated half of his earnings to the charity.

Bubba consults with his mom about what he wants to sell, packages the suckers and other candy, puts stickers on merchandise and creates personalized cards. Bubba lets his dad make all the cotton candy while Garza handles scheduling all the events. Garza helps Bubba understand that when he behaves at these shows and helps clean up, he gets a portion of the revenues to buy toys and things he wants.

Garza encourages Bubba to support other businesses that might sell similar products. “If he supports them, they will support him, and there’s no need for anybody to tear anyone else down,” said Garza. “We can be powerful alone but unstoppable together.”

Garza has always helped Bubba with his business; they even have goal and marketing meetings. While these meetings can be challeng-

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ing with a 5-year-old, Bubba has some great ideas. “I want to make $600,000 this year,” said Bubba. His other marketing ideas include purchasing a storefront with a drive through “so busy moms don’t have to get out of the car,” said Bubba. “Oh, and there will be a playground.”

“If people could meet Bubba, their lives would be happier and more joyful; he truly is a one-of-a-kind kid,” said Garza. “He does not miss a beat.” l

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barn, learning the benefits of service. The program has been so successful, Bridle Up Hope has added a women’s program.

“Basically, it’s for anyone who’s lost hope and they’re looking for something,” Jensen said. “After each lesson you sit down and go over the habit again. There’s journaling and service where you give back. There’s goal setting and art classes and yoga. The mission is to inspire hope, confidence and resilience in women.”

Bridle Up Hope has a goal of opening 1,000 training locations throughout the world. Headquartered in Alpine, Utah, the organization has worked with more than 800 young women since 2013 and has chapters in places like The Netherlands and the Caribbean. Jensen’s chapter is the only one in Davis County. For more information visit Bridleuphopedc.com or BridleUpHope.org.

The program’s success is based on research that demonstrates riding and working with horses brings significant benefits to participants. Additionally, practicing the 7 Habits has been shown to develop whole-person wellness. The service component is a way to build safe friendships, a strong protection against self-harm.

There is a cost involved, but every girl gets a scholarship based on family income and ability to pay. Donations are always welcome to help keep the program running.

“What I have found is that everyone comes to the program at the right time and in the right way. It’s really amazing,” Jensen said. “You come at a time with other girls going through the program and have some social interaction. You’re cleaning corrals and cleaning tack and giving back.” l

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Bubba sits with his mom, Denise Garza, reading the internet about his current favorite thing: clowns. Photo by Alisha Copfer

New school board members make students number one priority

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

FARMINGTON—As 2023 began, four new Davis Education School Board members took their seats at the Jan. 17 meeting. Emily Price, Julie Powell, Kristen Hogan and Derek Lamb will fill the positions left by Julie Tanner, Marie Stevenson, Cheryl Phipps and Gordon Eckersley. The new board members were sworn in on Jan. 4.

Lamb is from Layton and will be representing District 5 that covers Layton, Clearfield, Sunset and a small part of Kaysville. “There’s a lot of diversity there,” he said. “I want to have more town hall meetings to find out what the issues are in the community and with parents. I want to hear everybody out and not just make decisions. I want to give back if I can.”

Lamb grew up in a small Utah town. “I had 15 kids in my graduating class,” he said. “My father was killed when I was six and school teachers made a big impact in my life. That perspective allows you to process things and keep your eye on the ball to make sure the students can be the best they can be in the school system.”

The ability to communicate, listen and be patient are the skills Lamb believes he brings to the table. “I like to look at the third side,” he said. “We (the board) might be disagreed with or not liked sometimes but they’ll know we did the best we could and worked through the challenges. I’m not the sharpest tool but I know where the sharpener is. We need to collaborate and mold everyone together to make decisions.”

“I’ve lived in Syracuse for 18 years,” said Hogan, who represents District 6 that encompasses Syracuse, west Layton and a little bit of Clearfield. “I was heavily involved in the PTA and a couple of times I was president. It was through that service I got to the point of running for school board.”

Last January and February it kept coming up in conversation with people that Marie wasn’t going to run, she said.

“I started the process of running because I had an interest in Davis schools because my kids are there. I’ve always had an interest in education and government. This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up in this way.”

Hogan said there’s always a few things as a parent that she is concerned about. “Screen time and learning platforms that aren’t working for kids that we should be looking at closer. We should be making things easier for teachers and simplifying, really focusing on the education aspect of school so that things run smoothly.”

There needs to be a parental voice on the board as well, she said. “There should not be such a divide of parents versus teachers. Sometimes ideas between two groups are in opposition but we have the same goals.”

Hogan said she’s willing to listen to anybody. “I’ll hear all different sides. I want people to know that I’m accessible and they’re heard even if they don’t like the decision we make.”

Powell has been following the school board for many years. She will represent District 3 that covers Farmington, Kaysville and Fruit Heights. “I’ve been on community councils and served as a volunteer in schools. I’ve been super involved. I’m interested in the academic success of schools overall.”

Powell said she never planned to run for school board. “There was just something in me that made me decide to run. I’m an attorney and I think board legal issues intersect with the district and I hope my legal background will be helpful.”

Ironically, Powell wanted to be a teacher. “I wanted to teach math,” she said. “It was just a fluke that I ended up being an attorney. I love learning – period. I want students to achieve success and have the highest quality of education.”

The Davis School District is a large district, said Powell. “I want to improve the decision making process and make it more

balanced, thorough and objective. We need to look at what’s being proposed and do outreach to get a perspective on how the community feels and take that into account in the decision making.”

“My Davis County roots run deep,” said Price, who will represent District 7. “I was raised in Davis County and went to Davis County schools. My children have all gone to school here. I’ve been a parent volunteer since my oldest was in kindergarten.”

Public education is important, she said. “We have to keep it. It’s good for our children so they can learn, grow and succeed. It’s wonderful that everybody gets a chance to participate.”

Price said she knew Cheryl’s (Phipps) spot was up. “I thought ‘we need to find somebody good.’ I didn’t even think about

running. I talked to people in the community and the Syracuse High principal suggested it. I want what’s best for students and I want them to succeed and I’ve had a good experience with Davis School District.”

The board’s biggest responsibility is to make informed decisions, she said. “We need the information to find what’s best and most beneficial to students and understand teacher and parent perspectives. I want to work together to find what’s best for the district and make sure everybody has a seat at the table and their voices are heard.”

Price is very optimistic about the district. “I recognize things aren’t perfect but it’s important as board members to work together with unity and respect,” she said. “What’s best for the students is the bottom line. They’re the number one priority.” l

Davis School District Business Administrator Craig Carter gives the Oath of Office to the four new board members at a special meeting on Jan. 4. Photo by Becky Ginos

Derek Lamb Kristen Hogan

Julie Powell Emily Price

The Davis Collective: Bringing small businesses together

By Megan Gleason | m.gleason@mycityjournals.com

In recent years Utah has bloomed with innovation and new exciting attractions. It’s a time where just about anything is accessible at the push of a button. However, in this age of convenience, it is often challenging for small businesses to keep up with the market. Utah has long been a place full of wonderful craftsmen and artisans, small business owners striving to maintain the charm and character of their hometowns.

One such business owner, Tayler Swensen, has created an opportunity and space for small businesses to shine. The Davis Collective is a pop-up community that hosts events throughout Davis County. Created at the end of 2020, the Davis Collective held its first official pop-up event Jan. 4, 2021 and has been bringing together unique and interesting small business owners ever since.

“Being an independent business owner can be really lonely at times,” Swensen said about why she decided to create the Davis Collective. “So, I wanted to create a space where small businesses can not only find a great customer base, but also make friends with like-minded small business owners.”

Pop-up events are usually one day, a few hours long, and hosted within a temporary retail or community space. Each pop-up event hosts 15 independent vendors for customers to browse through. These vendors typically include artists, craftsmen, jewelry makers, home goods, and children’s items. For each event, Swensen carefully selects vendors so that there will be a wide variety of categories for shoppers to browse through. The ever-changing list of vendors and

limited roster makes not only every event special but also allows individual businesses the chance to shine without heavy competition.

“The goal of Davis County Collective is to help small businesses get that face-to-face interaction with their customers and with other small business owners,” Swenson said. “In this time of online shops, you miss out on that in-person interaction with your customers and this gives us all an opportunity to join together and help each other grow!”

It is important to feature local business owners, she said. “When people buy from these small businesses, they’re supporting actual people and their dreams and passions, rather than throwing money at a huge corporation that’s already successful.”

In 2023, the Davis Collective plans to continue bringing together small businesses with their first pop-up of the year being a Valentine’s Day themed event on Feb. 4 at the Vibe Dance studio in Layton. The pop-up will feature vendors with handmade treats, a soda bar, and a selection of gifts perfect for the upcoming holiday. l

Shoppers stop at one of the booths at a Davis Collective pop-up event. The Davis Collective hosts the events throughout the county. Courtesy photo

The real reason behind blinding headlights

By Alisha Copfer | alisha.c@davisjournal.com

Complaints keep circulating about the lights coming on at night. No, it isn’t about just any lights; it’s about headlights. It seems that vehicle headlights, year after year, get brighter and brighter. And many people are asking what can be done to dim these lights.

There are three types of headlights: standard halogen (which are most common), high-intensity discharge or HID (which came in around the 90s) and LED (light emitting diode) highlights (which are found in a lot of newer vehicles). Each lighting type is measured by candlepower and lumens. They each measure different light qualities, and one candlepower equals 12.57 lumens. When measuring lumens, it refers to the light illuminated in a one-square-foot area one foot away from a single candle.

Utah Code states, “A lighted lamp or illuminating device on a vehicle, which projects a beam of light of an intensity greater than 300 candlepower, shall be directed so that no part of the high intensity portion of the beam will strike the level of the roadway on which the vehicle stands at a distance of more than 75 feet from the vehicle.”

A technical report from 2004 titled “Drivers’ Perceptions of Headlight Glare from Oncoming and Following Vehicles” gives some perspective. The report reads as follows:

“Recently, U.S. drivers have been expressing concern over the discomfort and reduced visibility that they experience from headlight glare from other vehicles. Drivers have focused their concern on the relatively new high intensity discharge lights, high mounted lights and various auxiliary lights. In order to better understand this glare problem, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration collected data on drivers’ percep-

tion of glare from a representative sample of U.S. drivers. The survey was conducted through Omnibus Survey of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The present study is based on the information (data) collected on two types of glare: glare from oncoming and following vehicles.

“The survey data were analyzed to find out how U.S. drivers perceive the two types of glare and if glare perception is associated with respondents’ age and gender. Contingency analysis was conducted to establish these associations. The statistics showed that a sizable number of respondents feel that glare was ‘disturbing.’ It was found that the age group 35 to 44 had the highest percentage of night drivers as well as among those who felt glare ‘disturbing.’”

Basically, the survey found that 88% of drivers noticed headlight glare, with 31% saying the glare is “disturbing.” While headlight intensity may extend the visibility of objects ahead of drivers, the glare also seems to increase the discomfort of other drivers and pedestrians. This glare can also reduce visibility by reducing contrast or causing drivers to turn away from the roadway to avoid any eye discomfort.

Science explains why LED lights seem so much brighter than halogen. This phenomenon is called color temperature. While many may think lights are clear, each light has a spectrum ranging from orange-yellow to blue-white. The brighter the light, the bluer the light. LEDs and HIDs hit on the blue-white spectrum where the halogen is closer to the orange-yellow.

Studies have found that these blue-white lights tend to hit people’s eyes harder, especially in the dark. Those cooler color temperatures can be blinding but are also helpful when behind the wheel as they illuminate farther distances. And, when it

comes right down to the science, these bluer lights are not actually brighter than the yellow spectrum.

Some auto repair shops say factory lights are typically brighter than after-market. These after-market lights have simply been changed from the original factory model. The most common cause of visually brighter lights is that they have not been appropriately adjusted for that vehicle. They are also difficult to calibrate due to not having an environment in which to adjust (not dark enough or long enough spaces to test them). The worst part? Enforcement is difficult as there are no reliable ways to measure these lumens. l

Getting to Know Dr. Heaton

Jared Heaton is an attentive and thorough dermatologist, serving his patients in Davis County. Dr. Heaton is Board-certified in dermatology, and he is currently a member of the American Society of MOHS Surgeons.

Dr. Heaton prides himself in serving all patient populations and treating all areas of dermatology from children through retirement age. He places a strong empahsis on catering to the retirement population in his community as skin cancer is more prevalent in this age group.

Dr. Heaton earned an undergraduate degree in International Relations with a minor in Asian Studies from Brigham Young University (BYU). His medical degree is from Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM). He completed both his internship and medical residency in Tampa, Florida.

In his spare time, Dr. Heaton enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, parafoil kite flying, and spending time with his wife and three children.

Dr. Jared R. Heaton Board Certified Dermatologist

Shalise Owens DNP, FNP-C

Bright headlights can be distracting and “disturbing” to drivers and pedestrians at night. Courtesy photo

Kaysville RAMP Tax Applications now live

By Cindi Mansell | c.mansell@mycityjournals.com

In November 2021, Kaysville residents approved a Recreation, Arts, Museum & Parks (RAMP) Tax Initiative. The RAMP tax equals $0.01 per $10 spent on non-essential purchases (not grocery, food items or gas) within Kaysville City. All RAMP funds collected will be devoted to fund recreation, arts, museum, and parks improvements, facilities, and organizations for the city.

The Mayor and City Council formed a RAMP Tax Advisory Board to administer the program. The Board collects, reviews, and prioritizes all requests received and makes a yearly recommendation to the City Council on how to expend the funds received. The council has the ultimate authority in the allocation of funds. This board is comprised of residents, with the support of the city staff and Council members.

The 2023 Grant Application window is set from Jan. 3, 2023, to Feb. 17, 2023. In March 2023, the RAMP Committee will forward award recommendations to the City Manager and City Council. These will be adopted by the City Council in May 2023 and award letters will be sent to successful applicants in June 2023. RAMP funding will be available to successful applicants as of July 2023.

As used in the RAMP Grant application process, and in RAMP funding, a program is defined as an activity or experience that is offered to the public by a nonprofit organization or institution. It must have a defined time frame, an agenda, and be financially accounted for as a separate cost center or line item by the governing non-profit organization or institution.

The RAMP grant categories are outlined as follows:

Major Project Grants are for requests of $100,000 and above. These funds are for City owned recreational, arts, museum, and parks facilities, and improvements to existing city owned facili-

ties.

Tier I Grants are for requests for $10,000 to $99,999. These funds are for city owned recreational, arts, museum, and park facilities and improvements to existing city owned facilities or funds for recreation, art, museum, and park programs that benefit Kaysville City residents. These grants that fund programs cannot exceed one-fourth of the applying entity’s annual yearly operating budget as averaged over the prior three (3) years, excluding any past RAMP grant funds. Tier I grants cannot fund the General Operations of any organization.

Tier II Grants are for requests for $500 to $9,999. These funds are for city owned recreational, arts, museum, and park facilities and improvements to existing City owned facilities or funds for recreation, art, museum, and park programs that benefit Kaysville City residents. These grants that fund programs cannot exceed one-fourth of the applying entity’s prior year’s operating budget. Tier II Grants cannot fund the General Operations of any organization.

For any questions about the application, please contact the Kaysville City Parks and Recreation office at 801-544-1788. Digital applications are available on the city website. l

Kids tell tall tales at the Davis School District Storytelling Festival

By Megan Gleason | m.gleason@mycityjournals.com

The art of storytelling is alive and thriving in Davis School District. On Jan 19, Davis County schools held their annual Storytelling Festival at Shoreline Junior High School. This year nine different elementary schools participated in the event, each school holding its competition prior, before sending the winners on to the district festival. A total of 22 students presented and performed their stories for the audience.

“The Davis Storytelling Festival provides opportunities for student creativity and connection to the value of stories,” K-12 Library Supervisor, Selena Campbell said. The stories performed were each three – five minutes long and could be either an original creation, a true story, or a favorite book. Each student was encouraged to tell their story in the way they felt most comfortable with an emphasis on performance and vocal clarity. Preparations for the festival began in November 2022 and students had a little over two months to choose their story and begin practicing for it.

Students didn’t have to prepare for this alone. Across the school district was a team of volunteer coaches to guide students in the art of storytelling consisting of teachers, librarians, parents, and staff members.

“The Storytelling Festival is made possible by our coaches,” Campbell said. Before every reading, each student was asked to mention who their coach was and most added a special thanks to their introductions for their mentors.

“I didn’t like stories in third grade,” Titan Moser, a fourth grader said, “but I do now.”

Moser performed an original story titled “The Family Secret” which was about suddenly discovering that he and his family had superpowers. Moser said his favorite part about participating in the Storytelling Festival was “unlocking imagination.”

“This also provides students to be a part of a unique extracurricular program,” said Campbell. “Youth storytellers are taught that true storytelling does not equate to recitation, but that engaging the audience in the story is a vital part of the experience.”

“Fat and Thin,” performed by Jackson Dibb, a third grader, was a retelling of a story his grandfather told him and had many in the audience laughing along to the antics of the two main characters Fat and Thin.

The two-hour event was not only a celebration of stories and the students who told them but also the final step before the chance to move on to perform at the Weber State University Storytelling Festival held Feb. 27 – March 1. Every year Weber

State University partners with local school districts and provides a platform for youth storytellers to perform at the same level as professional tellers. Eight students from the Davis School District Storytelling Festival will be chosen based on their performance to move on to the university stage. Titan Moser said he had mixed emotions about the possibility of performing at the

university festival.

Whether participants move on to the university festival or not, the Davis School District Storytelling Festival was a celebration of stories and the art of storytelling. l

Students perform during the Storytelling Festival held at Davis High in January. Winners will move on to the Weber State University Storytelling Festival held Feb. 27 – March 1. Photos by Megan Gleason

Pup provides emotional support for Farmington Police Department

FARMINGTON—There’s a new officer snooping around the Farmington Police Station. He has a wet nose and is prone to licking anyone’s face who will let him. Snoop is the newest addition to the police force. The Bernedoodle arrived on Christmas Day and has been keeping everyone happy ever since.

“We hadn’t talked in depth about getting a dog but I’d floated the idea,” said Farmington Police Chief Eric Johnsen. “The records ladies were all for it. I was with the command staff sitting around chit chatting and someone said ‘what do you think about getting a dog like for emotional support?’”

Johnsen said his own children had been wanting to get a dog. “That sped up the process because that conversation was going on at my house.”

He started looking at KSL. But Bernedoodles are an expensive breed,” said Johnsen. “I found one in Tremonton for $600. I decided to take a flier and I texted him (Jeffery Poulton) and told him who I was and asked if he’d be interested in donating a dog.”

Johnsen said he wanted a dog big enough and hearty enough to withstand police department roughhousing. “It also had to be non shedder and hypoallergenic. His dog was perfect.”

It was Christmas Eve morning when they talked so Johnsen didn’t expect to hear back from him. “But I got a call from him saying he was headed to Ogden with his pups and would donate one and let me pick. I wanted Snoop, like Snoopy or Snoop Dog. It was more of a gut instinct.”

On Christmas Day, Johnsen brought him down to the lobby. “Everybody likes him,” he said. “I take him home ev-

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

ery night so he can get potty trained. He probably won’t be ready to be at the station full time for four months or so.”

Snoop is very attached to him, said Johnsen. “Officers will play with him but then he sits under my desk. He trots around and goes everywhere I go.”

The goal is for him to be a positive distraction for the guys, he said. “Who doesn’t like a dog to greet them? We’re adjacent to Woodland Park so we can throw a leash on him and go for a walk. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

Johnsen said other chiefs have reached out to him about getting a dog too. “They’ve been considering it but were too nervous to take a leap. Firehouses have dogs but not police departments. Sometimes chiefs of police don’t think outside the box. I’m trying not to be that guy.”

All too often the police are surrounded in negativity, he said. “I want them to be as excited to come to work as I am. I’m encouraging that relationship with Snoop so they’ll be excited to come to the office if it’s only to see Snoop.” l

Got cake? Jonah does!

By Alisha Copfer | alisha.c@davisjournal.com

When most kids get bored, they reach over and pick up the nearest electronic device. But not Jonah. Jonah makes cake. From cake pops to donuts to a twotiered birthday cake, Jonah’s favorite challenge is what to make next.

“During the pandemic, I got bored at home, so I started helping with the cooking,” Jonah said. His mom, Jessica Lazarre, was always looking for new recipes to try at home, as both of the kids have food allergies. Each kid, Jonah and his sister, are allergic to milk, nuts and a couple of other common ingredients. Jessica would sometimes get frustrated when she needed a cake or other baked goods since most of these sweets contain allergens.

About a year after he started cooking, Jonah decided to start baking cookies. Shortly after, he made his first cake. “I wanted to try to push my skills,” said Jonah. “So, why not try out baking a cake.” That’s when Jonah fell in love with the process. And, every cake he has made since has been allergen-friendly. “Mom was always looking for nut-free cakes for us,” he said.

“I use an old family recipe from the Great Depression,” said Jonah. Every ingredient he uses in his recipe is non-perishable. So, he uses vinegar as a binder and oil in place of butter. “There are other ingredients special to this recipe that make it creamy,” he said.

Jonah started by baking for bake sales, making cupcakes for his sister and having a lemonade stand where he would sell the cakes. Then he decided to step it up. “It’s been fun to make a business out of it,” said Jonah. He started filming his techniques and now has an Instagram

(@jonahs_got_cake), a YouTube and a TikTok account where he posts the videos.

He also worked up a marketing plan and made cake samples. He took these samples to his neighbors, family and friends. “I wanted to get the word out,” he said. Most of Jonah’s business comes from his neighbors and wordof-mouth advertising.

“There’s a lot special about this kid,” said Dwayne Lazarre, Jonah’s father. “He makes, bakes and sells cakes.” Dwayne also commented on Jonah’s excellent business sense and that he’s “super bright, friendly, fun and very ambitious.”

“He has great attention to detail,” said Jessica.

When Jonah isn’t baking, he likes to play basketball. He also started learning to play the acoustic guitar last year and really enjoys that. Another favorite activity Jonah likes is hanging out with his family. They play board games together, and one of the family’s favorites is “Operation.”

Jonah bakes everything from scratch and does all the fondant shapes and piping by hand. He makes two cake sizes, six-inch and eight-inch. The smaller size starts at $20 and will go up in price by adding in extras like fondant details, fresh fruit, flowers and fillings. The larger cakes start at $35 and go up for those extras. He has recently started making tiered cakes, especially one he made for his mother’s birthday. Jonah also makes cupcakes. All of these can be ordered from his social media pages or on his website at shop.bakesy.app/b/jonahs-got-cake. l

Snoop was donated by Tremonton breeder Jeffery Poulton. The Bernedoodle is settling in and greets officers when they come back from a call. Photo courtesy of FPD

Jonah Lazarre, while only 12, bakes stunning cakes from scratch, like this one he made for his mother’s birthday. Courtesy photo

Everyyear in late December, the City Council is presented with the Annual Fiscal Audit Report through the fiscal year ending June 30. The 150-page report consists of management’s representations concerning the finances of Kaysville City. In accordance

City’s economic outlook remains stable

By Cindi Mansell | c.mansell@mycityjournals.com

the amount of $4.8 million and those funds have been assigned for the fiber project. He said all Enterprise Funds (water, electric, stormwater, road, etc.) have positive cash flow and he commended the City Council and management for performing a regular

Kaysville City Manager takes new position in Summit County

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

KAYSVILLE—Shayne Scott was thethe Kaysville City Manager for six and half years and now he’s headed to Summit County to start the next chapter of his professional life. Scott replaced John Thacker after he retired in 2016.

“Living and working in Kaysville the past six and a half years has been the best time of my life, both professionally and personally,” said Scott. “I leave Kaysville with reluctance because of the relationships that will change.”

Scott graduated in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) from Utah State University and worked as the GIS Coordinator for Washington County for five years.

“I love GIS and Cartography but I knew after a few years I did not want to do GIS my entire career,” he said. “It was at this time I chose to get a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.”

Scott said he really enjoyed budgeting and managing people. “I felt I had a knack for it. After many applications and failed attempts to crack into city management, I was named the City Manager of Parowan City in 2010. I spent six years there as City Manager before moving to Kaysville to take the City Manager position here.”

There are so many things about the city that have made his time there rewarding, he said. “Kaysville has its own power company which makes the city unique and challenging in a different way than other communities. I have always loved that Kaysville has embraced being a bedroom community focusing on parks, trails and livability.”

Scott said he is proud of the many projects he was involved in the last six years. “That includes grants to connect fiber infrastructure to city facilities, a grant to install 20 Electric Vehicle charging stations in four locations in the city, remodeling City Hall and Pioneer Park construction.”

Also Automated Smart Meter installation, economic development success stories and so much more, he said. “While we have done so many fun and exciting projects since I have been here, what I am most proud of is that we did not do any of this alone.”

City staff is what makes this position so hard to leave, said Scott. “Some staff live in Kaysville and some live outside the city. But all of our more than 120 full-time employees are dedicated to providing the best, most efficient, services to Kaysville residents.”

Scott said he was not proactively looking to leave Kaysville but this new position in Summit County is very exciting. “I haven’t worked for a county in more than 15 years. There are challenges and opportuni-

ties in Summit County and all counties that cities don’t have.”

Summit County is heavily involved in transit projects, affordable housing challenges and specifically in an open space land initiative, he said. “That will be so fun to continue to bring to realization.”

There is a unique environment in Summit County where rural cities exist in the same area as Park City, Scott said. “I am very excited to connect with individuals in both of those unique spaces and feel I am uniquely set up to be successful in doing so.”

It’s been such a blessing to wake up each morning excited about the day, he said. “Excited about my job and what might happen next in our city. But I am also very excited and confident about having the same experience in Summit County.”

Scott said he is leaving Kaysville with his head held high, feeling that he is leaving Kaysville in a great situation and with a bright future. “This isn’t because of anything I did on my own. But working with the staff and the wonderful elected officials over the past six years has Kaysville poised for success for years to come.”l

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Shayne Scott has been the Kaysville City Manager for six and a half years. His last day is Feb. 6 and he starts his new position Feb. 7. Photo courtesy of Shayne Scott

MyMeter App provides water and power instant tracking

Kaysville residents can now utilize the MyMeter App to track their energy use. This project that started over a year ago now enables the majority of city meters (not all) to track monthly, weekly by day, and even hourly by day to discover when you and your family are using the most water or electricity.

“Residents can now set energy or usage markers to note events or upgrades that may affect energy and water usage,” said Information Systems Manager Ryan Judd. This can range anywhere from purchasing a new energy-efficient appliance to installing a programmable thermostat or replacing a water softener. You can set usage alarms to get notified when a usage threshold is exceeded as well as leak detection.

Utilizing Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), meters can continually communicate with city servers. As part of the project, Kaysville was able to replace and install every household water and power meter to enable use tracking on the new application. They were able to reduce previous staff having to hand read the meters because it can now all be done via the AMI system.

“The system also includes an outage management system that communicates with these same meters during a power outage,” Judd said. “This can enable staff to compile

By Cindi Mansell | c.mansell@mycityjournals.com

an overall grid of meters out, validate those, and message residents to inform them of status and potential number of hours necessary to fix the issue and reinstall power or water.

The program is accessible via the main city webpage under Utility Billing (mymeter. kaysville.gov) or the mobile app is also available via google play or the apple store:

• Google Play – https://play.google.com/ store/apps/details?id=com.acceleratedinnovationsllc.mymeter&gl=us

• Apps on Apple – https://apps.apple. com/us/app/mymeter/id498509750

You can pay your utility billing via the Xpressbillpay integration link. To have your account established and working on both your water and power utility billing account and the MyMeter platforms, you will need your utility billing statement account number and to utilize the same email address for both.

Residents are encouraged to visit the website and sign up for this useful and cost-saving tool. Kaysville City’s goal is for residents to be able to log in and track their billing statements and corresponding usages in the hopes of increasing consumer education and overall utility savings. The program could even progress to future rebate programs for energy efficiency and approved appliances. l

Changes made to number of pets allowed in homes

Recently,the Kaysville City Council considered amending the number of pets allowed in residential homes. The request was made by the Davis County Animal Control Department in anticipation of their transition to completely taking over this service from cities. They requested all cities be consistent in how many pets are allowed in homes of each city in Davis County in an effort to allow their enforcement division to be consistent, regardless of where in the county they are called and respond. They also made this recommendation based on their expertise as animal control professionals.

City Manager Shayne Scott explained that currently, the city contracts with the county to provide animal control services, and the county bills the city for their services. “In the future, they would no longer bill the city, but would raise taxes to cover their costs,” he said. “The residents likely will not see a difference in cost; instead of paying that tax towards the city, it would be directed to the county.”

The proposed recommendation did not differ much from the existing Kaysville City Ordinance. The first difference is that this ordinance regulates both dogs and cats. The current ordinance only regulated the number of dogs. Second, the ordinance increases

By Cindi Mansell | c.mansell@mycityjournals.com

the number of cats and dogs allowed (in any combination) from two to three and allows for a fourth if permitted by the animal care director. Finally, the ordinance allows for exceptions to the animal cap by allowing service animals and governmental animals (e.g., a police K9). These changes would provide some flexibility for residents who desire to own several animals while giving the animal control officers some clear policy direction.

The City Council conducted a public hearing on the proposed amendments, and there was no comment or question from the public. The council did inquire about service animals. City Attorney Nic Mills responded that the ordinance allows for service animals and governmental animals to be an exception. This could include trained animals to assist officials of governmental agencies in the performance of their duties and that are owned or maintained by such agency.

The council raised concern that allowing four dogs seems like a lot. Scott responded that for someone to have four dogs, they would have to go through an application and vetting process through the county. The process would include that prior to consideration of the additional dog permit, the

location where the additional dog shall be kept will be inspected by an Animal Control Officer to verify that the planned location for the additional dog is sanitary, safe, and that escape, or nuisance is not likely.

The council voted unanimously in approval of the proposed amendments. Upon adoption of the ordinance changing the

number of pets per household it was discovered that many chapters of the Planning and Zoning Code contained language regarding the number of household pets allowed. The council then took action to remove the ownership of household pets from the land use code. l

Woods Cross mom makes it her mission to feed kids in need

By Kaiimilani Crockett | Davis Journal intern

Michelle Benedict went to West High School where she saw lots of classmates who were homeless and hungry. After she graduated from West a few years later her and her husband moved to Rose Park where she saw a greater need for serving the people around her. Her small family loved the area and loved their neighbors and friends, when they had outgrown their house and moved to Woods Cross, she missed constantly serving her peers.

“Living in Rose Park, we saw tons of need and it was easy to jump in and serve,” said Benedict. “When we moved here, there was still a need, but it was more hidden.” Benedict missed serving her peers and sought for a way her kids could learn how to be service minded and serve their community.

After careful consideration, Benedict called the school district to see where her small family could help. She came up with the idea to provide bags of non-perishable food for students over the holiday breaks. They received donations from local businesses to buy the food and her and her family packed the bags. The first year this was done they were able to get enough bags and food to give bags to the whole elementary school. The next year, friends and neighbors of the Benedicts wanted in on the fun, they had more volunteers and were able to cover even more schools. The program grew bigger and bigger reaching a wide range of students and an ample number of volunteers from the community.

A few years passed and Benedict decided to create her own non-profit called “The Kids Next Door” in 2009. She received sponsorships from companies that allowed her to get bags of food to children in need not only for winter break, but spring

and fall break as well. When students received the bags, some were curious to know where the food had come from, Benedict always answered “just from the kids next door.” Her goal was to teach her own children how to serve their peers and Benedict wanted the focus of the program to be kids serving kids.

The Kids Next Door program lasted for 10 years, and their service reached thousands of kids along the Wasatch Front. The USANA Foundation recognized Benedict for her outstanding program and brought her on to direct their local program, USANA Kids Eat.

Since 2019 USANA Kids Eat, a local program is working to eliminate hunger in Utah. More than 56,000 children along the Wasatch Front do not have stable meals at home and USANA Kids Eat works to ensure safe and healthy meals to those children in need.

USANA Kids Eat provides weekend bags full of non-perishable, child-friendly, and healthy food to over 65 local schools and organizations along the Wasatch Front. Since 2019 over 150,623 backpacks have been delivered to over 79 schools and organizations to children in need. With over 1,345,051 meals provided by USANA Kids Eat they are still working to reach even more struggling families to provide them with their needs. Not only does the USANA foundation serve locally, but they also send food to countries and communities around the world who do not have a sustainable food supply.

To donate money or volunteer to pack bags and get involved with the USANA Kids Eat program visit their website USANAkidseat.org. l

(Left to right) Kaiimilani Crockett, Abby Preas and Emerald Haycock shop for food to donate to the USANA Kids Eat holiday bag project. Photo by Rhett Benedict

The Invention of the Year

. The Zinge r.

Throughout the ages, there have been many important advances in mobility. Canes, walkers, rollators, and scooters were created to help people with mobility issues get around and retain their independence. Lately, however, there haven’t been any new improvements to these existing products or developments in this field Until now. Recently, an innovative design engineer who’s developed one of the world’s most popular products created a completely new breakthrough . . . a personal electric vehicle. It’s called the Zinger, and there is nothing out there quite like it.

“What my wife especially loves is it gives her back feelings of safety and independence which has given a real boost to her confidence and happiness! Thank You!”

–Kent C., California

The first thing you’ll notice about the Zinger is its unique look. It doesn’t look like a scooter. Its sleek, lightweight yet durable frame is made with aircraft grade aluminum so it weighs only 47.2 lbs. It features onetouch folding and unfolding – when folded it can be wheeled around like a suitcase and fits easily into a

backseat or trunk. Then, there are the steering levers. They enable the Zinger to move forward, backward, turn on a dime and even pull right up to a table or desk. With its compact yet powerful motor it can go up to 6 miles an hour and its rechargeable battery can go up to 8 miles on a single charge. With its low center of gravity and inflatable tires it can handle rugged terrain and is virtually tip-proof. Think about it, you can take your Zinger almost anywhere, so you don’t have to let mobility issues rule your life.

Why take our word for it? Call now, and find out how you can get a Zinger of your very own.

Call now and receive a utility basket absolutely FREE with your order.

The Zinger folds to

Free classes invite photographers to fall in love with bird photography

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Brigham City (2155 W. Forest St.) is a vital habitat for more than 250 species of birds. Millions of migratory birds use the refuge to rest and find food, and nearly 70 species make nests at the site.

Jeff Strong started photographing the birds more than 30 years ago and created a website, BearRiverBlogger. com, to help people become aware of the refuge and the opportunities there are to get fantastic wildlife photos.

“A lot of people aren’t even aware this place exists. Some people in Brigham City don’t even know it’s here and it’s in their own backyard,” Strong said.

The Davis High School grad combines his appreciation for birds with his love of photography by offering free classes at the refuge. Although he's taught classes there for many years, COVID shut everything down. But now he’s back with two free classes that coincide with special events at the bird refuge. Each one-hour class starts at 11:30 a.m.

The class on Saturday, Feb. 11 is Eagle Day, with a celebration of the majestic creatures. The final class, Saturday, March 11, features the migrating tundra swans that visit the refuge every spring and fall. For more information about the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, visit Fws.gov/refuge/bear-river-migratory-bird.

“We encourage people to stay after class to put the lessons into practice and go out on the bird refuge to get pictures,” he said. “Especially in March, because that’s when the tundra swans are migrating and there are thousands of them out there. It’s pretty spectacular to see that.”

The free photography classes are geared toward beginning photographers but anyone is invited to attend. No equipment is needed and class members are invited to spend the day at the refuge, enjoying the wide variety of feathered friends. The classes are free, but attendees must register online at BearRiverBlogger.com.

The February class will focus on how to take better wildlife and bird photos. The March class will be about capturing beautiful landscapes including sunset and waterfall photography. Participants can register for individual classes, or take both.

“It’s fun,” Strong said. “It’s just a way to get away

from civilization for a few minutes, you know, the crazy world we live in, and connect to nature. I think sometimes we have to get away from our phones and bosses and bills and traffic, and get out and enjoy the peace and quiet. I think it rejuvenates us.

“It’s just one of those things you have to feel. It’s hard to explain. You get to watch birds be birds. I’d have everyone birdwatching if I could explain it, because there’s something about bird watching that just has to be experienced.” l

Photographer Jeff Strong will teach a series of free photography classes at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Brigham City on Feb. 11 and March 11. Photos courtesy of Strong

It’s fun, it’s just a way to get away from civilization for a few minutes, you know, the crazy world we live in, and connect to nature.

Jeff Strong

Layton-based nonprofit helps find missing persons

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

Thousands of people in the U.S. go missing every year. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System database states nearly 600,000 people are declared missing each year.

Most of those cases are resolved quickly, with people found alive and well, but for many families, the mystery behind their loved one’s disappearance can extend to days, months or even decades.

Layton resident Marki Davis founded We Help the Missing in 2014 as a resource for families to help find missing persons. As a private investigator with a background in criminal justice, Davis has dedicated her time and resources to getting answers for families.

“I felt like we could come together and do advocacy and investigation and put it all together in a package. I felt family support was lacking so I got some volunteers and just started,” Davis said. “Some missing persons were found, unfortunately, deceased, some came home on their own and some were found. A large number are still missing.”

There are many reasons a person

goes missing. It could be a fight with a family member, financial trouble, trauma, trafficking or abuse, or it could be an accident that left a person unable to reach out to family members.

Davis’s organization partners with Road Warriors for the Missing as a rapid response team that gets volunteers to the area where the person went missing. The volunteers canvas the area, put up posters, post on social media and report back to investigators.

“We stay with the family and let them know we care,” Davis said. “We let them know we’re getting the name out there and investigating and keeping the case active. A lot of times, sadly, law enforcement is not engaged.”

We Help the Missing has worked on cases where people have been missing for days or decades and Davis said every case is unique and traumatic for family members. Missing persons are often found through the implementation of social media campaigns and through a network of investigators across the state.

Davis also admits that some missing people don’t want to be found.

“If they’re of age, we have to respect their privacy. We report back to the family and tell them they’re alive but they just don’t want to communicate right now.”

We Help the Missing is a nonprofit corporation that takes no fee for its services. It operates through donations,

‘She Loves Me’ a romantic comedy treat

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

volunteer work and private investigators who often work pro bono. Davis understands that having a loved one missing for any amount of time is overwhelming and terrifying. Part of her services includes support for the family and continual updates as volunteers search for the missing.

For those who have information about a missing person, We Help the Missing has an anonymous tip line at 1-866-660-4025. Call 435-671-8100 or visit WeHelpTheMissing.org for information about the organization. Investigators who would like to donate services can also reach out to Davis.

To enlist assistance from We Help the Missing, visit the website to fill out an intake form and upload a photo of the missing person. The organization will create a poster, reach out to an investigator and spread the info across its social media channels.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Davis said. “It’s the best feeling in the world to get them home and get them safe.” l

CENTERVILLE—Looking for some fun with a romantic twist? Then “She Loves Me” is the ticket. CenterPoint Legacy Theatre’s production of the 1960s Broadway musical is a sweet story of misunderstanding between two people who find out the other isn’t the person they thought they were.

“She Loves Me” first appeared on Broadway in 1963 but originally got its start as Hungarian playwright Midlos Loszlo’s “Parfumerie.” In 1940 it was made into the movie “The Shop Around the Corner” starring Jimmy Stewart followed by “In the Good Old Summertime” the 1949 musical film with Judy Garland. Probably more familiar is the 1998 version “You’ve Got Mail,” starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.

The story is set in 1930’s Europe at the perfume shop Maraczecks that is all about pleasing the women who come in to find just the right lipstick, creams and perfumes.

Amalia Balash (Claire Glaittli, MWF) and Georg Nowack (Ben Lowell, MWF) both work at the shop and have been at odds with each from the time Amalia came into the shop looking for a job. If he says one thing, she says another.

In the meantime, they have both been writing secret letters to someone they met through a lonely hearts ad. Unbeknownst to

them they’re writing to each other! Finally, they set a date to meet in person and start worrying about what the other will think because they’ve both been embellishing the truth a little.

The scene at the restaurant where they are supposed to meet is hilarious. Head waiter Matt Ford (MWF) and busboy Ky Hartley (MWF) are especially funny and the dance number is delightful. The set was also impressive with the restaurant coming up out of the stage.

The cast of characters in the shop all had their own quirks that just added to the fun. Ryan Bruckman (MWF) plays clerk Steven Kodaly, a smooth lady’s man who has been wooing clerk IIona Ritter (Jordyn Tracy, MWF) but proves to be very fickle. Ladoslov Sipos (Chad Wilkinson, MWF) is the steady employee who is always trying to please his boss and supports Georg when things aren’t going well. Owner Mr. Maraczeck (Darin Stite, MWF) does a charming jig as he recalls his youth when he went to dance halls. He encourages Georg to do the same and try to find a date.

In the end love wins out and Amalia and Georg realize not everyone is as they seem. “She Loves Me” is full of surprises and great music that is sure to win your heart.

“She Loves Me” runs now through Feb. 18 Monday – Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with Saturday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $19-$37. Call the box office at

Claire Glaittli (Amalia Balash), Ben Lowell (Georg Nowack) play feuding co-workers in CenterPoint Legacy Theatre’s production of “She Loves Me.” Photo courtesy of CPT

We Help the Missing is a nonprofit based in Layton dedicated to helping find missing persons while supporting their families. Image courtesy of We Help the Missing

Utah must be nimble to adapt to an evolving landscape

Irecentlytoured Lone Peak Hospital in southern Salt Lake County. This facility, in the heart of one of the fastest growing areas of Utah, must adapt to the constantly changing economic and demographic landscape. Although the hospital opened its doors only 10 years ago, it just completed a major expansion, including nearly doubling its bed count and expanding its women’s services, surgical services, and interventional radiology services. It is also expanding into other communities, including Herriman, Riverton, and South Jordan.

To survive and thrive in our changing environment, all businesses must remain nimble and responsive to the needs of a growing population.

Our state continues to grow. Utah’s population topped 3.4 million last year, and grew by more than 61,000 people, according to the recently released 2023 Economic Report to the Governor. This is like adding a new city the size of Herriman every year. And Utah remains one of the fastest growing states in the nation.

Our birth rate is slowing. One of the traditional unique characteristics of Utah’s population growth is that because of our high fertility rate, most of the population growth has come from “natural increase” — the number of births minus deaths in the year. However, in recent years Utah’s fertility rate dropped and is now lower than South Dakota, Nebraska,

By Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Senior Economist

and North Dakota. But Utah recently saw a resurgence in births. For the first time since 2008, Utah births increased, topping 46,000 in 2022.

Migration is driving our growth. On the other hand, Utah has seen a migration surge in recent years. The Utah Population Committee estimates that net migration (in-migration minus out-migration) brought more than 38,000 new residents to our state in 2022. This represents 62% of the total population growth in Utah and it is the highest number of people moving into the Beehive State in a single year.

Growth is a struggle and a blessing. There is no doubt that our state has struggled under the weight of high population growth and high migration. Population growth puts greater strains on roads, schools, housing, public utilities, natural resources, and social services. It is vital for civic leaders across the state to appropriately plan for population growth and build the infrastructure necessary to support these new residents. And we must all adjust to higher demand for our limited resources as the population grows.

However, while population growth produces challenges, it is much better than the alternative. Many states in our country are currently experiencing the struggles of population loss. In these states, governments struggle to fix roads, bridges, and infrastructure; businesses struggle with decreasing demand as customers move away; and housing price growth slows or drops as people leave. On the other side of the world, China just announced that for the first time since 1961 the country’s population shrank. A shrinking population will cause the supply of workers to shrink, which may cause productivity and overall economic growth to languish.

Abbott

Supporting the needs of China’s aging population will place a greater strain on workers and taxpayers as the dependency ratio increases.

Utah is blessed to have unmatched natural beauty, a high quality of life, and a strong and vibrant economy. Businesses are attracted to our state because of our strong and growing workforce, which is driven by strong population growth. And nimble companies and communities will be able to thrive in our growing state. l

The Movie Guru: Streaming TV options offer sweet, spooky fun

By Jenniffer Wardell

Elementary (ABC, Hulu)

If you’ve wondered why the cast “Abbott Elementary” have been cleaning up this awards season, here’s your chance to find out.

The show, now in its second season, is one of the most charming, heartwarming shows currently airing right now. The jokes are delightfully silly, but there are moments of genuine tenderness and insight among them. It’s like a sweeter, less awkward version of “The Office,” complete with a ridiculous boss and a gently burgeoning romance a la Jim and Pam.

Since “Abbott Elementary” is a network television show, the episodes are essentially independent rather than pieces of a season-long story. Watching an entire chunk of episodes will give you a sense of some subtle season-long development, but you can also enjoy it an episode or two at a time and not feel left hanging. (Also, stay through the credits. They always save a funny scene for while they’re playing.)

Wednesday (Netflix)

You can always tell when an actor loves the character they’re playing.

That’s definitely the case with “Wednesday,” which follows the Addams teen as she goes away to school, untangles dark mys-

teries, and finds friends against her will. Though the show’s grasp of Addams characterization is flawed at times – Gomez and Morticia think way too traditionally on several occasions – Wednesday herself is nearly perfect. That’s due to Jenna Ortega, who is deadly, delightfully serious about making sure her character marches to the beat of her own funeral dirge.

I’d watch Ortega’s Wednesday do nearly anything – her deadpan one-liners are a consistent treat – but the show does provide enough mystery to keep her occupied. It’s best when she is forced to accept the help of her roommate Enid (Emma Myers), a pastel goth sweetheart with a wild side of her own. The two are a delightful odd couple, and I’m excited to see their chemistry grow when the show returns for season 2.

National Treasure: Edge of History (Disney+)

Imagine the “National Treasure” movies as young adult novels.

That’s the feel of the new series, which takes away Nicholas Cage and replaces it with a young woman discovering the secrets in her family’s past. It also moves the history from America down to Mexico, though it keeps the same structure of secret societies and key clues found in major tourist sites. It

also keeps the same classic sense of adventure, capable of being both silly and achingly serious depending on the moment.

There’s also a definite YA element, well beyond just having a young woman as a protagonist. The lead girl’s best friends are the main supporting characters, and throughout the series she’s romantically torn between a friend and a mysterious new boy. It doesn't take away from the adventure, and for some

viewers it may be a fun bonus.

After all, even a classic series needs a new perspective every now and then.

Jenniffer Wardell is an award-winning movie critic and member of the Utah Film Critics Association. Find her on Twitter at @ wardellwriter or drop her a line at themovieguruslc@gmail.com. l

Credit for photo ©Warner Bros.

Program sets high school students on path to health care professions

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

LAYTON—How often does a high school student get the chance to practice suturing on a pig’s foot, put in an IV or do intubation on a lifelike manikin while receiving college credit? HTHA 2910 Health Information Literacy, Healthcare System & Career Exploration does just that. It is a four credit hour college course taught at the Weber State University Davis Campus and delivered through the Northern Utah Area Health Education Center (NUAHEC) Medical Scholars program. It is an experiential program that prepares students to take their place in the future health care workforce. It also satisfies the Information Literacy and research skills, a general education requirement.

“These are great young folks,” Instructor Frederick Henderson, MHA Northern Utah Area Health Education Center Director Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions Weber State University said of his last class. “They’ve worked so hard. We want to make the high school transition to college as smooth as possible. Kids can have a 4.0 and still struggle in college.”

Students learn about a career in health care, he said. “It gives them a step ahead of the competition and gives them a leg up. It’s very competitive in healthcare programs. They only take the best applicants. It’s only for seniors and they have to maintain a GPA consistent with program track acceptance of 3.7 and above.”

The course consists of lectures and hands-on practice, said Henderson. “They love using their suturing kit and doing IVs

and putting a tube inside a patient’s throat so they can breathe. At the end of the course we hold an open house where everything is set up so the students can show their parents what they’ve learned.”

Henderson said they have Wildcat Card day where they give the kids a student ID and take them to the bowling alley and get pizza. “It’s a way to motivate them and get them pumped up for the next four years of education.”

It’s a grant sponsored program through the federal Health and Human Services, he said. “We’ve also received generous funding from the legislature. It’s been a collaborative partnership. We couldn’t do it any other way.”

They built the program with the Davis School District, Henderson said. “The state board, CTE director, teachers and superintendents all jumped on board to make the program what it is.”

Henderson started at Weber in 2002 when he went to get a degree. “I was a firefighter then became a paramedic,” he said. “I went into Health Administration and was offered a job at Weber to teach.

I got a master’s in Health Administration because I wanted to be the best teacher I could offer.”

The students in his class are incredibly dedicated, he said. “They know what they want to do. This sets the standard of young people. I’m blessed to have landed in this perfect situation.” l

High school students in the HTHA 2910 course at Weber State University Davis Campus handle a heart. The class offers hands-on experience in the healthcare field.

Students practice suturing on a pig’s foot. Courtesy photos

Intermountain Layton breaks ground on new Ambulatory Surgery Center

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

LAYTON—The Intermountain Layton Hospital campus is growing and the newest addition is an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) that will enhance efficient and affordable outpatient surgical care in the county. Hospital administration, physicians and other dignitaries participated in a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new facility last month.

“Continual growth and success is key to what we do,” said Administrator/ CEO Scott Mortensen. “The ASC is part of the growth in the community and will provide services close to home at a lower cost. From the hospital’s perspective it just makes sense.”

“We’re excited,” said Layton Mayor Joy Petro. “Before this whole development there were hayfields here. We’re fortunate that the hospital decided to come here and purchase the property. At first they said it would be a full service hospital but then they decided to take a step back and see what the community needed. We were devastated because we thought there would be no hospital but they reevaluated and decided it would go here. The project started in 2015.”

Petro said the city let the neighbors know what was going on. “They love the hospital and what they’ve done here. Intermountain has done an excellent job analyzing what is best for the client and not necessarily the bottom line – that speaks volumes.”

The new center will be nearly 18,000 square feet with four operating rooms and is projected to be completed by 2024.

Chief Medical Officer Glen Morrell, M.D. remembers visiting his grandma where his aunt was convalescing af -

ter having cataracts removed. “She had sandbags on each side of her head so she couldn’t move,” he said. “Today that can be done in a same day surgery. What a difference. If you had to have your appendix out it took three days before you could go home. If you came in now in a few hours you’d be home in your own bed.”

The ASC will maximize the recovery of patients, he said. “It also increases the value of care for patients. Healthcare is expensive especially for the middle class. This will decrease cost. It will be a wonderful thing for patients.”

“Without the overhead of a hospital, we can provide the same great care and charge about half as much,” said Mortensen. “We’ll have 23 hour stays where patients are not admitted to the hospital. We can do total joints and other surgeries because of that.”

Sixty to 70 percent of the operating volume will be done in the surgical center, he said. “That opens up more capacity for surgeries that do need to be done in the hospital.”

“Top of mind for doctors and surgeons is where patients can get the very best care possible,” said Morrell. “The number of hospital cases keeps going up. Joints, hips, knees had to be done in the hospital now that can be done as an outpatient. Infection rates are lower because you don’t have to be with sick patients like in a hospital. It’s so much easier to recover in your own bed.” l

Administration, physicians and other dignitaries turn dirt in a ceremonial groundbreaking held inside the hospital. The boxes were filled with dirt from the actual site where the new facility will be built. Photo courtesy of IHC

If you’d told me 20 years ago that I’d be a yoga instructor, I’d have laughed hard enough to tear a hamstring because I was very inflexible.

I took my first yoga class as a dare. My tennis instructor laughed at how tight I was and challenged me to try yoga. I hated every minute of that stupid class. I hated the words and I hated the poses and I hated the teacher and I loathed downward facing dog with a fiery passion.

But I realized my tennis instructor was right. My muscles were as tight as two-byfours, but less bendy. So I kept going back to yoga. Hated it every single time.

After about two months of practicing yoga, I noticed, little by little, my flexibility was improving. I could almost touch my toes without the usual amount of grunting and tears. My hips didn’t scream out loud while doing pigeon pose. My shoulders dropped away from my ears, where I’d held them at strict attention for decades. Even my back stopped hurting each time I rolled out of bed.

I grudgingly had to admit yoga wasn’t the hippy-dippy dumpster fire I thought it was. But learning the poses was just the beginning. As I explored yoga’s history, philosophy and favorite recipes, I came to realize yoga was a lifestyle that encouraged, nay demanded, self-love and com-

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

passion.

Yikes. As a lifelong subscriber to self-loathing, I wasn’t sure how to handle that type of ideology. Just like when I started the physical practice, I took lots of tiny, baby steps toward accepting myself as a worthy human.

Fast forward 20 years and not only do I teach yoga but I LOVE yoga with a fiery passion. Yoga has changed me in so many ways. I used to be sarcastic, cynical and snarky but after studying yoga for so many years, I’m a sarcastic, cynical and snarky yoga instructor.

See. People change.

I’m also much less judgmental. I’m not so hard on myself and I give most people the benefit of the doubt. Most people. Maybe someone can propose a bill that would require our legislators to take a yoga class each morning before discussing the divisive and harmful bills proposed

this year. OK, when it comes to our lawmakers, I’m still pretty judgmental.

Being a yoga instructor is super silly. As an instructor, I get to say things in class that don’t make a whole lot of sense, and my students listen to me!

I’ll say, “Breathe in through your collarbones, breathe out through your kneecaps. Inhale to fill up your armpits, exhale to release tension in the ear lobes.”

Or I’ll instruct students to “Melt into the mat, send energy out of your fingertips, ground through your sitz bones, wring out your body and lengthen the crown of your head.” And I’m totally serious. (Laugh emoji)

My yoga practice has evolved from trying to do the most difficult poses and making my students sweat and swear, to focusing on deep stretches and stress-reducing breathing exercises.

It isn’t about who can be the bendy-est or the one who can hold crow pose for five minutes. It’s about appreciating what my body can do today. Not what I think it should do or what I want it to do tomorrow, but what it can accomplish right now.

I appreciate all the yoga teachers who took this rigid block of a body and mind and transformed it into a pliable, warm and accepting human being. My hamstrings thank you. l

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IT’S A WRAP 2022