Midvale Journal | July 2023

MIDVALE MURAL FESTIVAL GROWS IN SECOND YEAR

After last year’s successful event, city organizers were excited for the second annual Los Muros on Main: Midvale City Mural Festival, held on June 10. Artists from around the country continue to transform the city’s Main Street into an art destination with the sides of buildings on the historic street used as their canvas.

This year, the city closed off Historic Main Street to allow visitors easy access to the murals, vendors, food trucks, a beer garden and music. Midvale Mayor Marcus Stevenson was happy to see the festival return and to see the interest and growth it has generated.

“We had so many incredible artists last year that we wanted to continue to make sure that we get different types of art on the street,” Stevenson said. “Because this is still a fairly new event, we’re continuously learning how to improve it. We’re trying to engage more in the street. We think that we’ve got a better set up this year and we’ll continue to learn and really try to support our

Continued page 4

Emma Gilbert created this mural to honor her boyfriend’s tough childhood. Gilbert is an artist from Alabama who travels the country painting murals, exploring and finding new forms of inspiration. Follow her @EmmaGilbert. (City Journals)

Continued from front page

community and our artists as we put on this festival every year.”

Ten artists were selected to paint buildings along Main and Center Street in this year’s festival. Andrey Kravtsov, Chuck Berrett, Emma Gilbert, Eduardo Bastida Guzman, Benjamin Wiemeyer, Cole Eisenhour, Bill Louis, Chris Peterson, Elizabeth Walsh and the Roots Art Kollective added their distinctive flair to the city through their colorful and engaging murals.

“Art is so critical as we try to make sure that Main Street feels safe and engaging,” Stevenson said. “Art is so important because it helps businesses feel more comfortable, it helps the community feel more comfortable, and it’s important to know that we do this for a reason, that art is something we’re investing in because we know it will really help Main Street thrive.”

On the east side of the 1st Avenue Bank building, muralist Ben Wiemeyer painted a Viking ship on a stormy sea. He has painted graffiti-style murals and paintings in all mediums for the past 25 years. Follow him @benjamin.makes. art. (City Journals)

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HOLLADAY

Far left: Andrey Kravtsov, aka KEY DETAIL, painted the mural on Midvale City Hall during the mural festival on June 10. Kravtsov is originally from Belarus, but lives and works in New York City. His painting reflects the vibes of Utah with its beautiful wildlife and colors. Follow him @keydetail. (City Journals)

Muralist Bill Louis comes from a diverse heritage. His mother is from the island of Tonga in Vava’u, and his father is German, Samoan and Fijian. Louis brings that same diversity to his art. His mural can be found on the east side of Mountain Peak Insurance, just off Midvale’s Main Street. Follow him @ Biltslouisarts. (City Journals)

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The second Los Muros on Main: Midvale City Mural Festival attracted more vendors and visitors than last year. The city closed Main Street and moved vendors, food trucks and music to the road to create a fun walk from one end of the Main Street to the other. (City Journals)

Clockwise: Eduardo Bastida Guzman, aka Trasher, signs the mural he painted on the north side of the 1st Avenue Bank building. Trasher’s art is influenced by human emotion and societal issues and incorporates different styles of art. Follow him @ trasheer. (City Journals)

Elizabeth Walsh’s mural can be found on the southside of Casa Blanca on Midvale’s Main Street. Inspired by nature, her contemporary and colorful landscape honors the beautiful Utah mountains. Follow her @elizabeth_walsh_art. (City Journals)

Painted on the east side of Envios Mi Fiesta (670 W. Center St.) the mural painted by Roots Art Kollective is inspired by the natural world and the group’s indigenous roots, and the taco stand near the mural. The three Mexican American artists (Miguel Galaz, Alan Ochoa and Luis Novoa) have been painting community murals since 2015. Follow RAK @therak. murals. (City Journals)

Cole Eisenhour’s mural appears on the Luisa Tax Office building on Midvale’s Main Street. His goal is to inspire people to see the beauty, possibility and potential in their communities to bring about positive change. Follow him @ ljr3rd. (City Journals)

Stir’s restaurant offers 70 cereal choices, plus gives back to community

By Annabelle Larsen | a.larsen@mycityjournals.com

Arestaurant where the menu is an all-you-can-eat buffet of cereal seems like a child’s dream come true, but it is a reality at Stir’s in Midvale, 7186 Union Park Ave.

Offering over 70 different types of cereals that can be mixed and matched, Stir’s offers cold breakfast lovers a wide variety of choices. Not only does this food joint have a unique menu and setup, it also runs charity events that help those in need throughout Salt Lake Valley.

Stir’s started from a scenario many of us have found ourselves in. Sterling Jack, the owner, was one of the youngest of seven children in South Jordan and there was always a high demand for cereal. Since his older siblings would get up earlier than him, he would find that the cereal his parents had bought would be gone, and he would be stuck making something else for breakfast. He then had the idea to store the cereal somewhere nobody but himself would find it. He poured himself a few bowls, covered them with tinfoil, and hid them under the couch. That way he always had cereal in the mornings regardless of when he got up. Sometime later, that love for a cold breakfast transformed into a restaurant offering cereal for everyone (not just for morning people) all day long, and even displaying a hidden tinfoil-wrapped bowl under the couch at the store just for memory’s sake.

Stir’s employees also can be found taking their brightly colored food truck across Utah, serving locals at food truck nights as well as traveling to those in need to offer meals and support. Recently, Stir’s nonprofit organization Friends of Stir’s worked with the Odyssey House in Salt Lake and The Road Home in Midvale. Friends of Stir’s mission statement is simple: bring food to those who are hungry. After their trip to these locations, those who partook in the event headed back to the Midvale store for a pajama party.

So far, the organization has raised almost $19,000 for food for those in need, according to the Friends of Stir’s website. This equates to 2,862 boxes of cereal and 6,240 ounces of milk.

Employees of Stir’s enjoy the humanitarian aspect of their work, as well as being able to be around cereal all day. One employee, Christy, stated, “It’s the best job I’ve ever had. Cereal is my favorite meal, even more than ice cream.” She goes on to mention that she has never had a negative customer experience since working there. “How do you be cranky around cereal?” l

Walls of all different kinds of cereals line the store. (Annabelle Larsen/City Journals)

A young couple sits on the couch that hides the tinfoiled cereal bowl. (Annabelle Larsen/City Journals)

Stir’s employee poses in front of their sign, displaying their apron. (Annabelle Larsen/City Journals)

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake offer a haven for youth

By Ella Joy Olsen | e.olsen@mycityjournals.com

Mental

health-related emergency room visits increased by 31% for teens during the pandemic, according to the CDC. Reasons for the uptick may include the pressures of social media, pandemic related isolation, financial insecurity and family worries.

But the one thing that helps, regardless of the stressor, is having a place to belong, someplace safe where young people can connect in-person with friends and their community, all while having fun and working to become their best selves.

There are seven Boys & Girls Clubs in Utah providing this safe haven, serving kids in the diverse and growing communities of Glendale, Murray, Midvale, Price, Rose Park, Sugar House and Tooele.

Anyone up to age 18 can participate at the Clubs, but the focus is on serving low to moderate income families, and according to Anne Marie Bitter, director of advancement at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake, “Eightytwo percent of the youth come from this population, and roughly half of the participants are Black, Indigenous, and other people of color.”

Summer learning is key

Kids need a safe place to hang out… when school is out. Clubs are open in the afternoons during the school year, but the doors swing wide all day long during the summer, providing parents peace of mind while they go to work.

Amidst summer fun, which includes hiking, horseback riding, biking, rock climbing and visits to museums, the Clubs provide academic support via tutoring, goal-setting and money management, with an umbrella goal of addressing summer learning loss. They also provide food security by serving nutritious meals during the summer.

Funding and volunteers come from the community

Funding for the Boys & Girls Clubs is comprised of a mix of public and private sources, the majority coming from individual donors, local community groups and corporations.

This past May, the annual fundraising gala was held at the downtown Hyatt Regency Hotel. Over 400 people attended, including 70 youth from all seven locations. The event raised over $387,000, which will provide academic support, meal programs, leadership lessons and more throughout the year.

The local clubs employee over 100 staff, including teachers licensed in the state

of Utah and on-site licensed therapists. Additionally, over 500 local volunteers aid in the effort, and there are many opportunities to get involved.

Reaching the youth

The impact of the services provided to local kids is hard to deny. In 2022, the Utah Boys & Girls locations served nearly 5,600 at-risk youth through a variety of healthy lifestyle programs including academics, nutrition, physical fitness and drug prevention. They also served nearly 250,000 meals, nutritious snacks and take-home food bags.

The clubs are located in corridors of accessibility, meaning where the services are

necessary and the location is easy to reach. Additionally, many clubs provide transportation from school. “We try to give any kid who needs it a chance to succeed and a sense of belonging,” Bitter said. “Plus we are so excited for our newest building.”

The Club in Tooele has long been located in a shared space, but recently an old fitness facility has been purchased for sole use by the Boys & Girls Club. “This is a fantastic building for a club, as it has lots of open space plus many individual classrooms.” The location is being remodeled and should be ready just after Labor Day 2023.

They’ve been helping for a long time

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake has been helping Utah youth since 1967, and is affiliated with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The national Boys & Girls organization was founded in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut by four women who believed that the local boys roaming the streets unsupervised should have a positive alternative, somewhere structured enough to encourage them to become productive citizens, but enjoyable enough they’d want to participate.

In 1956, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America received a Congressional Charter, and not long after that, the Clubs of Greater Salt Lake opened their doors, aiming to be the “village” for Utah youth, providing life-changing experiences and opportunities for those who need it most.

This long history of service allows the Clubs to utilize time-proven, evidence-based accredited curriculum, which has proved successful in reaching youth over many decades. And they do this all while providing a haven where kids love to go.

To find a club or get involved link to: www.gslclubs.org. l

Summer snacking at the Boys & Girls Clubs. (Photo courtesy of Boys & Girls)

Left: Playing soccer with friends makes for healthy bodies and lots of fun for participants at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake. (Photo courtesy of Boys

Above: Tutoring is provided by accredited teachers at the Boys & Girls Clubs. (Photo courtesy of Boys & Girls)

Midvale hosts music and food trucks at City Hall during summer

Food trucks are a staple of summer dining and fortunately for Midvale residents, they don’t have to venture far. On Fridays, from 5-8:30 p.m. a variety of food trucks are parked in front of Midvale City Hall, 7505 S. Holden St. Often, there is live music from local artists to liven up the scene.

The variety of food includes baklava, Philly cheesesteaks, tacos and barbecue.

One truck recently serving food was Mahmoud and Safaa’s Waterwheel Kitchen food truck. They offer a variety of foods from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt. Mahmoud has a passion for food and cooking and is a skilled chef. Along with his wife and son, they have traveled through Salt Lake County introducing diners to such dishes as kebsa, a mixed rice dish; sambusa, a triangle-shaped stuffed pastry; and some of the best baklava around.

Another food truck parked at City Hall was Sugar Stop. They offer flavored sodas and shaved ice. These food truck entrepreneurs have been working in the business for three years and travel across Salt Lake, Davis, and Weber counties. Two of the workers, Catie and Shelby, started working in this food truck because their friend started the business and they wanted to join in on the fun. They’re currently based out of Ogden.

Oftentimes Midvale Mayor Marcus Stevenson can be found at the food trucks after work chatting with coworkers and Midvale residents alike. l

By Annabelle Larsen | a.larsen@mycityjournals.com

Left: Midvale locals line up outside of a food truck. (Annabelle Larsen/City Journals)

Above: A local musician plays for onlookers. (Annabelle Larsen/City Journals)

PowerChess organization helps students learn complex game

By Annabelle Larsen | a.larsen@mycityjournals.com

Chess is a game that relies on the skills, knowledge and deception of the players to win. Often said as the hardest game to master, it can be an intimidating hobby and skill to pick up. But for the participants in PowerChess, it’s a passion.

PowerChess is an organization that promotes chess education and community in local schools across Salt Lake, Davis and Utah counties. They offer the experience of expert chess players combined with a unique curriculum to help students of all ages achieve success. Combining curriculum from ChessKids.com with inclass tournaments that are proven to help students not only learn the game of chess quickly, but then helps them to take this knowledge and add strategy and problem solving to their games.

Many PowerChess students have taken these skills and used them to win competitive chess tournaments such as taking home state titles and participating in national chess tournaments.

The most recent State Chess Championship took place at the Copperview Recreation Center in Midvale on May 6, with students showing up from all over Utah to showcase their talents and compete for honors in the PowerChess Utah

State Scholastic Chess Championship. The event drew in over 55 participants and boasted many local winners, such as Arin

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Soneji from West High School, who took first place in the over-12 category, Rohan Damarla from Highland Elementary, who

took first in the 12 and under category, Jayden Jiang of Canyon Creek Elementary took first in the 9 and under group, and Beckham Sanford Rawle from Ridgecrest Elementary, who placed first in the 7 and under category of the chess tournament.

On top of the individual awards granted, there were also state team championships from students across Utah. American Preparatory Academy took first place in the School Team Championship, with Canyon Creek Elementary coming in second.

Powell Walker, owner of PowerChess stated, “We are thrilled with the success of the PowerChess Utah State Scholastic Chess Championship and we are proud of the young champions who emerged victorious in their respective categories.” He continued, “The tournament showcased the incredible talent and potential of young chess players in Utah. We hope to see more young people take up chess and develop their critical thinking, problem solving and strategic skills.”

The next tournament for PowerChess will be held July 29 from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. and will take place at the South Davis Recreation Center in Bountiful. For more information on joining or supporting PowerChess, visit power-chess.com. l

Participants of the PowerChess Tournament can be seen intensely focused on their game. (Photo courtesy of PowerChess)

Copperview’s adaptive programs are in high demand

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

OneSaturday each month, the Copperview Recreation Center in Midvale (8446 Harrison St.) holds a dance from 5-8 p.m. where participants get dinner and enjoy music from a DJ. It’s a dance where adults with disabilities can interact with their peers and it’s one of the center’s most successful social programs.

The dance is just one of more than 20 adaptive programs and classes run through Salt Lake County recreation centers that include indoor rock climbing, bowling, archery, track and field, and Junior Jazz.

Interest is high for adaptive programs at Copperview and Ashley Bowen, Copperview facility manager, invites kids, teens or adults with disabilities to come try the fun, inexpensive and interactive classes.

“Our mission statement is improving lives through people, parks and play, and with our adaptive programs, that’s our same aim,” Bowen said. “We want to give everybody, no matter their abilities, the opportunity to play.”

The adaptive summer camp at Copperview, for kids in grades K-12, filled up within the first two days of registration. Classes change seasonally so there’s always something new to learn or experience, and cours-

es are affordable, usually costing around $25 for a six-week program. Scholarships are available for those who need financial assistance.

Copperview offers adaptive cooking classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a course created from patrons’ suggestions. There’s also a seated dance class for anyone from junior high to older adults. The Walk N’ Roll club is open to all ages.

“With [Walk N’ Roll], sometimes we do the walking outdoors. We’ll do some hiking, but we incorporate a healthy lifestyle into that,” Bowen said. “We teach them about some nutrition facts, we have a healthy snack for them, and we just talk about the health benefits of walking.”

One of the most popular programs is the adaptive theater class where participants rehearse on Monday and Wednesday evenings, then perform the play at Copperview. The class is currently rehearsing “Seussical the Musical.”

Because Copperview has been retrofitted for people with disabilities, for easy accessibility, the center is a main hub for participants, many of whom have been coming to adaptive classes for years.

“We have expanded so much recently…

There are not many recreation programs offered for people with disabilities, especially adults, and if they are offered, they’re expensive. So our programs are really low cost,” said Michelle Bollmeyer, Copperview’s adaptive program manager. “We’re really heavy on the social aspect, too.

“A lot of adults with disabilities don’t have the means to leave their houses, interact with people their age and get that social component we all need. These programs are a chance for them to come out and try something new with other people their age, especially with the Saturday night dances.”

Dance classes are available to accommodate different disabilities. There is a seated dance class for individuals who have physical limitations or might use a wheelchair. A movement class and group

fitness classes help patrons with intellectual or physical disabilities stay active.

Volunteers are a vital part of successful adaptive programs. “Volunteering is huge, and I think it’s great on both ends,” Bollmeyer said. “It’s interacting with a certain population that maybe you don’t interact with all the time, but they’re still part of our community. And they’re just a lot of fun. We offer volunteer opportunities for all of our programs. We love volunteers.”

For information about volunteering, reach out to Bollmeyer at MBollmeyer@ slco.org. Visit slco.org/parks-recreation for a list of adaptive classes at Copperview and other recreation centers in the county.

“My advice would be to come and try it out,” Bowen said. “We will allow you to come try it out at no cost, if you’re hesitant to register for a full session.” l

Midvale’s Copperview Recreation Center offers a variety of adaptive classes and programs, catering to children, teens or adults with disabilities. (Photo courtesy Copperview Recreation Center)

Former Midvalley students come full circle, return to alma mater to speak to elementary pupils

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Shortly before Hillcrest High graduate

Jessica Ynda turned the tassel on her commencement mortarboard, she and several other seniors paraded the halls of their elementary school alma mater, Midvalley Elementary.

There, they gave elementary students a thumbs up and high-fives as many youngsters clapped for them. Then, the high school seniors spent time in their classrooms, sharing their education pathways and answering questions about middle and high school.

Ynda, who was a member of the dance company this year and the football team’s equipment manager, talked with two fifthgrade classes.

“I got to tell them a little bit about high school; I told them it’s important to be involved and to find a place to belong,” she said. “In middle school, I tried theater and concert choir for a couple years, and they will hold a special place. In high school, I did drill then dance company. I was asked a lot of questions, like if everyone has a boyfriend or girlfriend in high school. I said there are quite a few couples, but I told them that it’s really good to have a good group of friends to hang out with and support you too.”

She also got asked about her favorite middle and high school classes and teachers as well as the best places to eat lunch “because the student already knew a lot of students go off-campus to eat.”

Ynda, who aspires to be a teacher and will study at the University of Utah in the fall, said interacting with the students was a great opportunity for her.

“The kids were all excited and wanted to know everything, so it was a good opportunity for me to be in front of the class and

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share with them what I knew and help inspire them,” she said.

The visit from graduating Hillcrest High seniors is a tradition that Ynda remembers when she was an older elementary student after a time off for the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though the hallways weren’t familiar, she appreciated the chance to visit the home of the Junior Huskies.

“It was not the original school, but it was still really cool to see some of the teachers and office staff I knew there,” she said.

The new school was built and opened in the fall of 2020, so even though it was not the same one that the Hillcrest class of 2023 attended, there were a couple staff and faculty members who remembered them from their younger days.

It also gave Ynda a chance to reconnect with some of her former friends and classmates.

“It was great to see some of my old friends again; it was awesome,” she said. “At Hillcrest, we’re all doing our own things, or hanging out with different groups, clubs and teams, so we didn’t really see each other all that much. It was fun to be all in one big group again like we were in elementary school. This was a highlight for us as it was for the Midvalley students.”

This wasn’t the only school in Canyons School District where high school seniors returned to their schools before graduation. In Sandy, members of a former first-grade class met with their retired teacher as well as a retired second-grade teacher at Peruvian Park Elementary and members of a former fifthgrade class met with their retired teacher at Sunrise Elementary. l

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Hillcrest High seniors return to Midvalley Elementary, their alma mater, to parade the halls, give younger students high-fives and answer questions about middle and high school years. (Photo courtesy of Tammie Ynda)

MIDVALE CITY DIRECTORY

City Hall

In The Middle of Everything

City Hall – 7505 South Holden Street • Midvale, UT 84047

Marcus’ Message

801-567-7200

Finance/Utilities 801-567-7200

Court 801-567-7265

City Attorney’s O ce 801-567-7250

City Recorder/Human Resources 801-567-7228

Community Development 801-567-7211

Public Works 801-567-7235

Ace Disposal/Recycling 801-363-9995

Midvale Historical Museum 801-567-7285

Midvale Senior Center 385-468-3350

SL County Animal Services 385-468-7387

Communications 801-567-7230

MIDVALE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS

MAYOR

Marcus Stevenson 801-567-7204

Email: mstevenson@midvale.com

CITY COUNCIL

District 1 - Quinn Sperry

Email: qsperry@midvale.com

District 2 - Paul Glover

Email: pglover@midvale.com

District 3 - Heidi Robinson

Email: Hrobinson@midvale.com

District 4 - Bryant Brown

Email: bbrown@midvale.com

District 5 - Dustin Gettel

Email: dgettel@midvale.com

WHO TO CALL FOR…

Water Bills 801-567-7200

Ordering A New Trash Can 801-567-7202

Permits 801-567-7213

Court 801-567-7265

Paying For Tra c School 801-567-7202

Business Licensing 801-567-7214 Cemetery 801-567-7235

Planning and Zoning 801-567-7231

Code Enforcement 801-567-7208

Building inspections 801-567-7213

Graffiti 385-468-9769

PUBLIC SAFETY & EMERGENCY CONTACTS

EMERGENCY 911

UFA Fire/UPD Police

> Non-emergency 801-840-4000

Uni ed Police Department

> Midvale Precinct 385-468-9350

Public Works 801-567-7235

Rocky Mountain Power 877-508-5088

CITY NEWSLETTER

By Mayor Marcus Stevenson

Preparing for the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget

It’s that time of year again when cities across the State prepare for a new budget cycle. This cycle, called a scal year, runs from July 1 to June 30 each year. As we go through this process and create our budget, it’s an opportunity to communicate the values of our city, guide its operations, and allocate resources. Preparing for this scal year has been especially challenging with in ationary pressures and an uncertain national economy.

One major budgetary challenge that Midvale faces, is that we rely heavily on sales tax revenue compared to other sources, such as property tax. This makes our budget more susceptible to economic downturns than communities with greater balance in their revenue sources. In fact, of our $25 million budget, property tax is estimated to account for about $3.1 million in the upcoming scal year, whereas sales tax is estimated to account for $10.7 million. Ideally, those two amounts would be similar, and the imbalance means that as we prepare for a potential recession, we need to budget as conservatively as we can because sales tax is directly impacted by the state of the economy. Because of this, we’ve estimated no new increases in sales tax and have decreased our budget by about 2%.

A Conservative Approach While Increasing Services

While our overall budget has decreased, that doesn’t mean we are not increasing services, but rather that we cut in other areas and prioritized what was critical.

The Uni ed Police Department (UPD) saw the largest single increase within our budget. It’s estimated that the member fee Midvale City pays to UPD will increase by about $600,000, meaning our overall member fee will be about $12 million and is roughly 48% of our budget. This increase represents the continued wage wars that we are seeing in public safety and includes a new sergeant position in our Midvale precinct to oversee the Direct Enforcement Unit (DEU). It is this unit that does special projects such as investigating crimes that may include nuisance locations, gangs, narcotics, tra c enforcement, and other situations.

In public works there are a couple of sta ng changes. First, we are fully funding a parks and cemetery position. While this position was rst added to the budget last year, it was only funded for the last half of the scal year. By fully funding this position, it will give the City the necessary help to continue our work to curb vandalism at our parks, provide more appealing park space, and maintain new park space in the Jordan Blu s area. Secondly, we are proposing an additional full-time facilities journeyman. This employee will help maintain all city-owned buildings and grounds along with one other journeyman. The additional sta ng will help complete major maintenance needs more quickly, which in turn can save residents money by preventing deferred maintenance that grows more costly overtime.

Lastly, in conjunction with Salt Lake County, we have been fortunate to receive a multi-year grant from the State of Utah which will fully fund hiring a full-time Communities that Care (CTC) Coalition Coordinator. CTC is a national, science-backed, data-driven program that connects community resources to

each other. Midvale has many incredible non-pro ts that operate within our community, who help our residents, but unfortunately, they are not always connected to each other. The goal with a CTC is to identify community challenges, such as food insecurity or underage drug use, and to come up with a plan to address these most critical needs. The Coalition Coordinator will be charged with leading this e ort.

Financial Impact on Residents

Even by increasing service levels and cutting the overall budget by 2%, we need to propose a 3.4% property tax increase. This increase of $7 per year on the average home will not only provide better service levels, but also help our budget stay current with in ation, help the imbalance we have in property & sales tax, and allow us to use the best nancial practices by ensuring that we do not use one-time funds for on-going expenses. I would never count on birthday money to pay for my mortgage, and the city shouldn’t either. This change allows us to be more nancially stable and responsible during a time when it’s essential.

While any property tax increase may initially sound like a lot, it’s important to keep in mind that this only applies to the Midvale City portion of your property tax bill, which is currently $208 per year on the average home. Further, it’s an important reminder that even with increased home prices, the amount that the city collects from property tax does not increase. As an example, if Midvale City collected $100 from your property taxes last year, then we will collect $100 again this year, regardless of any changes to your property value unless we go into the process to raise property taxes called Truth & Taxation.

Conclusion

I know that even a small tax increase is likely not what anyone wants to hear. I also hope that the average increase of $0.58 a month is well worth having a more e cient police department, long-term building maintenance cost savings, more clean and beautiful parks, increasing the e ectiveness of our many nonpro ts, and helping to stabilize our city nances so that we can continue to deliver critical municipal services, even through di cult economic times.

In The Middle of Everything

Celebrate Friendship and Community at Midvale City’s 2023 Harvest Days Festival!

For over 80 years, Midvale City has been a shining example of friendship and community spirit, and this year’s Harvest Days Festival promises to continue that tradition. From July 31 to August 5, 2023, join us for a week-long celebration of all that makes our city special. With a wide range of events and activities planned, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!

Neighborhood Block Parties (July 31 - Aug 1)

The festivities kick o with neighborhood block parties, bringing neighbors together for a time of connection and fun. It’s a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the bonds within our community and celebrate the unique spirit of each neighborhood. To schedule your Block Party and arrange visits from esteemed guests, including the Mayor, City Council members, the Uni ed Fire Authority, Uni ed Police Department, and local elected o cials, please complete the online Neighborhood Block Party form at EngageMidvale.com/harvest-days.

Midvale Arts Council Hall of Honors & Arts Show (Aug 2)

Recognizing and appreciating the outstanding contributions of our local artists, the Midvale Arts Council Hall of Honors & Arts Show is an event not to

be missed. Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of art as we showcase the talent that thrives within our community.

Tyler Library Game Night (Aug 3)

Join us at the Tyler Library for an evening of friendly competition and gaming. Whether you’re a board game enthusiast or enjoy video games, there will be something to entertain and engage everyone. Get ready to show o your skills and make memories with fellow game enthusiasts.

Food Truck Friday and Concert in the Park (Aug 4)

Indulge your taste buds in an array of delectable treats at Food Truck Friday, located at Midvale City Hall. Savor mouthwatering dishes from various food trucks, o ering a diverse range of cuisines. Afterward, head over to Midvale City Park for a free Concert in the Park at 7:30 pm, where you can unwind and enjoy live music under the open sky.

Harvest Days Festival (Aug 5)

The highlight of Harvest Days is the Harvest Days Festival, a full day of excitement and family-friendly activities. Start your day o on a healthy note with the Fun Run at 7:00 a.m., followed by the eagerly anticipated Harvest

Days Parade at 9:00 a.m., showcasing the vibrant spirit of our local community groups and organizations.

Throughout the day, there will be a wide range of activities to keep everyone entertained. Sumo Wrestling demonstrations and brackets will provide exhilarating spectacles, while free Bingo and Salsa Dancing lessons will engage and delight festival-goers. Let your children’s imaginations soar with free kids’ activities, including bounce houses, in atables, Doodle Art, and more.

Don’t miss the captivating performances by Scales and Tails, providing fascinating insights into the world of reptiles. Laugh out loud with the hilarious improvisational comedy of Laughing Stock Improv, and let DJ Andy from One Sound Events keep the energy high with his vibrant beats.

As the day progresses, get ready to groove to the rhythm of the Shu e concert, delivering a memorable musical experience for all. Finally, be awestruck by the breathtaking reworks show at 10:00 p.m., illuminating the night sky and bringing this incredible festival to a close.

3 023

July

Throughout the event, be sure to explore the array of food trucks and booth vendors, serving up delicious treats and refreshing beverages to satisfy every craving. 2023 Neighborhood

Laughing Stock Improv

August 3

August 4 Bingo Carnival Games

Food Truck Friday & Concert in the Park

2023 Midvale Hall of Honors Inductee

Clark Phelps, a Midvale native and long-time Midvale business owner, has been chosen as the 2023 inductee into the Midvale Hall of Honors. Clark is viewed by many as the uno cial “historian” of Midvale, with his family having a long and storied history in Midvale going back several generations. Clark has donated several items to the Midvale Museum, has shared hundreds of photos and anecdotes of historic Midvale in online forums, and was heavily involved in the Chamber of Commerce and Main Street business alliances over the years. Without his institutional knowledge spanning several generations and his fantastic ability to captivate an audience with his unique brand of storytelling, so much of Midvale’s history would already be lost to the ages.

Clark has a special interest in historic Main Street and has worked for years to keep the culture and history of Main Street alive and to maintain its vintage authenticity as an integral part of Midvale City. Until just recently, Clark ran his antiques store on Main Street and welcomed any and all who wanted to stop in and chat about Midvale’s history. Clark is truly a remarkable individual whose signi cant contributions to Midvale will continue to bene t generations to come.

The Hall of Honors induction ceremony will be held on Wednesday, August 2, 7:00pm, at the Midvale Performing Arts Center (695 W. Center Street). All are invited to attend the ceremony, which will be held in conjunction with the Harvest Days Visual Arts Contest that same evening.

Protect Your Pet from Summer Fun

Salt Lake County Animal Services

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

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

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

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

All pets in Salt Lake County can receive a free microchip at Salt Lake County Animal Services, pet licensing may be required depending on your city. Email animal@slco.org or come to Animal Services at 511 W 3900 S, Tue – Fri, 10-6 to get your pet microchipped. Found a lost pet? Contact your local animal control! The rst place pet owners look for a lost pet is the local shelter. How you can help: post a photo of them where you found them and what shelter they went to on the NextDoor App or Utah Lost & Found Pets Facebook Group. All pets at SLC Animal Services can be seen online at AdoptUtahPets.org.

Celebrating Utah Museum Month

July is Utah’s Museum Month! Utah Museum Month is an annual campaign to raise public awareness of the 260+ museums, zoos, gardens, and heritage sites that preserve and share the rich and diverse stories of Utah Communities.

Stop by the Midvale Museum at 7615 S. Park Street (in the Community Center building, enter from Je erson Street.) The museum is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 12 pm to 4 pm. You’ll nd fascinating artifacts from Midvale families, the Bingham Junction Smelter, and even our own astronaut, Don Lind! Explore the past with items like an antique phone switchboard, washing tubs, a sewing machine, and a traditional pot-belly stove. You can also try your hand at writing a letter on a typewriter or playing a tune on the old piano from Midvale Elementary.

As part of Utah Museum Month, the Midvale Museum is participating in the Utah Museums Association (UMA) Passport activity for 2023! Download your passport at www.UtahMuseums. org and visit ve or more museums, including the Midvale Museum, from July 1 to July 31. By doing so, you’ll receive a special UMA collectible sticker. We can’t wait to welcome you!

Midvale Middle showcases its diverse student body, embraces differences

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Midvale

Middle sixth-grader Marcella Rosales loves to celebrate her culture with others. That’s why the student put on her dancing shoes and dress and took the stage to perform “Viva Venezuela” at her school’s culture night.

“I love to dance and decided I really wanted to be a part of culture night and share my culture,” she said.

Marcella came to the United States when she was 7 years old and learned English at both Parkside and McMillan elementaries in Murray School District.

“At first, it was hard to be able to express myself, so I really got into dance as a way to share. This is my favorite song and I learned the dance in a couple weeks. It’s all from my mind; it brings a lot of joy and expression,” she said.

Joining Marcella on stage were other student performances. The student choir sang a traditional Korean folk song; Mercy Bossy, Valeria Navarez and Perety Salle performed a Taualuga dance; Talimoni and Fine Langi, a Sa’Sa dance; Stacy Castaneda, a Wepa dance; Himena Taylor and Ashley Bedolla, a Jasmine Rose dance; Maria Gonzalez, performed “La Llorona;” and Sophia Garcia and Viridianna Rico, a Mexican skirt dance and “Zapadiado.” Rounding out the performances, Viridianna also performed Pate Pate dance, the school’s Latinos In Action presented a salsa dance, and an evening fire dance was the finale.

The evening also included cultural displays, games, crafts, learning dances, stargazing and food trucks with international cuisine.

Parent Jena Major, along with her first-

grade daughter and second-grade son, were waiting for her seventh-grade daughter, Sheylee Hernandez, as they were deciding what they were going to eat.

“We like the diversity of cultures and food; there’s churros and tacos, even Swahili food here,” she said.

Dawnette Fortenberry was with her sixth-grade son, Peter, eating some empanadas nearby.

“We came to see a lot of the traditional dances and eat foods from around the world,” said Peter, who regularly attended his grade school’s Living Traditions nights.

His mother appreciated the students’ displays here as she did at East Midvale Elementary.

“We really get to understand more where his classmates have lived and take away a little of that culture,” she said.

That’s why Jhonatan Camacho and Patricia Luevano came with their sixthgrade daughter, Katherine.

“We want to learn about the countries of the children here,” Camacho said. “It’s important that our children know that all these flags on display by the entrance represent a person.”

Midvale Middle School science teacher John Henrichsen was helping at the culture fair.

“It’s fabulous that we have the diversity we have at Midvale Middle School and I love that we have a night to celebrate it,” he said. “I hope that we can take that attitude and not just celebrate it once a year, but always, every day to recognize and to embrace our diversity.” l

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

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

Midvale Middle School’s Latinos In Action take to the stage to perform a salsa dance during the school’s cultural night. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Hillcrest High golfer Cox plays at state after weather cuts into season tournaments

Hillcrest High’s No. 1 girls’ golfer wrapped up her junior year competing at the 5A state tournament at Remuda Golf Course in Farr West, near Ogden.

With a 9 a.m. tee time on May 8, Nyah Cox, who averages a gross score of 92, was the lone Husky to compete in the first round.

“She was our No. 1 player all season,” her coach, Dave Richardson said. “She’s a really good player.”

Even so, Cox hit 22 strokes more the leader from nearby Skyline High, who shot 11 under par. While she parred five holes, she bogeyed other holes, missing her chance to advance to the second round.

“She had to shoot an 85 or be within 10 strokes of the lead, and she wasn’t there with her 94,” Richardson said. “Still, it was the first time we’ve had anybody qualify for state in a while. It definitely was a highlight seeing her play at state.”

This year’s team saw the emergence of a bunch of freshmen, who Richardson foresees as the future of the program. Those include Capri Perkins, Ruthy Williams, Ellie Schreiber, Brooklyn Poulsen, Fiona Chen and Lacey Tokita.

“We had a number of freshmen play varsity as injuries plagued some of our re-

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

turners,” he said. “If these freshmen stick together and play the next three years, we’ll have a really good team their senior year.”

Senior captain Ava Perkins struggled this year with a wrist injury and junior Sarah Pruden was out with a torn ACL, Richardson said. Junior Kinzley Dietz already has been named team captain next year.

“I knew going in this season that we were young and inexperienced, and I was confident Nyah was going to make state,” he said. “But with our winter being so long this year with all the snow, everyone was using Top Golf to play so we couldn’t even play there because they sold out. I knew then it could be rough since we’d be starting without hitting many balls.”

The season had a late start with tournaments canceled and pushed back because of the inclement weather.

“Our first tournament was late March, then we basically took a three-week break from tournaments that counted as our region’s teams’ spring breaks didn’t match up. We got a couple in, right before region, even so, the state modified the requirements this year. Instead of turning in six out of seven scores we have only had to turn in all four scores because we couldn’t

get the tournaments in,” he said, adding that the team took fifth at region. “It was just unusually cold, wet and windy until the last two weeks of the season. We even had lightning delays.”

This summer, he expects several of his players to be on the course.

For Cox, it not only means spending time shooting rounds on the course, but also practicing on the putting green. Richardson sat down with Cox and her dad to plan some workouts for the summer.

“When she sinks those putts consistently, her game is awesome; she’s someone to reckon with,” he said. “But we want all the girls to play this summer. If they wait until next spring to start playing golf, then, the team’s not going to be very good. I told them, ‘You got to play all summer long.’ If they play this summer, this group could be really good. So that’s our goal.”

With a new region next season, Richardson expects tough competition from Park City High. He also knows there will be strong players from Cottonwood and Murray high schools.

“We’ll see how this team does over the summer,” he said. “If they’re dedicated, we’ll come back better too.” l

Do You Have a Chronic Wound?

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

Hillcrest High’s Nyah Cox finished eighth in region, qualifying her to play at the state tournament. (Dave Richardson/Hillcrest High)

East Midvale students made own terrariums

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Terrariums can teach students how plants, animals and insects interact similar to the real world. That being, how all living things learn to share and keep everything

in balance. In early May, East Midvale second-grade students got the chance to make their own terrariums. l

Two Husky baseball players expected to return to lead team senior season

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Two Hillcrest High juniors Darius Henderson and Matt Miller topped the baseball team stats this season. The duo led in batting average, on-base percentage, hits and triples. Henderson also led in runs batted in, slugging percentage and doubles while Miller was second in runs. Senior Jeb Thomas led runs and fielding percentage.

The two juniors are expected to return to the team next season, which will help as

the Huskies face a new region. Hillcrest High’s baseball team finished seventh this year in their 5A region play. The team’s highlight was the 10-5 win over Tooele High, where they took a commanding lead 5-2 in the first inning. Although the game was tied in the fourth inning, the Huskies scored five more runs to capture the win on the road. l

Hillcrest Huskies makes the play at third during the home game vs. Alta Hawks. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Hillcrest High’s boys tennis team won nearly every match to win the 5A region 7 title.

“With this region championship, Hillcrest had a team in every single championship match; it was a team effort,” Hillcrest High head coach Tui Satuala said. “It’s also a far cry from the start of the season with three weeks of snow; we basically didn’t have practice for 20 days. We had to shovel and brush our courts off of snow to get in one day of practice before our first match.”

Fortunately, those were the Huskies’ home courts after years of the team being divided to find available courts during the reconstruction of the high school.

“Having us all together was a lot of fun; it really helped with our bonding and team chemistry,” said senior Rishi Naik, one of the team’s captains. “With having so many courts and not having to travel to them, it helped that we were done with practices earlier so we could get to our homework sooner. We also can have home matches and can host region.”

The season began with 53 players trying out to make the team; “it was the most we’ve had ever try out. We had to cut the number to 31,” Satuala said.

Two freshmen made the varsity squad, which helped to strengthen the team, he said. Crew Hutchings played second singles while Lars Dalgleish teamed up with Naik in doubles play.

“We had a lot of boys play and work out in the offseason so that helped our team,” Satuala said. “Aarav Parikh played No. 1 singles again this year and he put in a lot of work in the offseason. He had a lot more power in his serve. He played a lot of smart tennis in terms of where he was placing the ball and the pace he would put on the ball. He didn’t lose to anyone in the region during the regular season and was the region champion this year.”

At state, Parikh, who is a junior and team captain, ended up losing to another player he had previously beat in region

Huskies claim region tennis championship

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

play.

“It was a really, really close match, but with the pace and nerves—and with our team, we have a lot of AP and IB students so they were tired from those tests— it all caught up to him,” Satuala said.

Hutchings, he said, is “just the competitor who will go after every ball. He went into the region tournament as the fifth seed, and he ended up beating them all to be in the final match for the championship—and he won. He took first place for second singles as a freshman so that’s pretty cool.”

Senior Roy King placed second at region in third singles.

“He is so fun to watch; he hustles to get every point. We joke that when we play Cottonwood, he gets an injury. Last year, he separated his shoulder, but he’s still finished and won the match. This year, he sprained his ankle halfway through the match, but still stuck it out to beat his opponent. He’s just a tough competitor,” Satuala said.

King began playing tennis as a sophomore as he wanted to play another sport to go along with playing football.

“I went to the preseason workouts, and I seemed to have a natural knack for tennis,” he said. “I learned quickly. Last year, I won region. In any sport, you have to put in a ton of work to be effective, so I picked tennis to play since I really like it.”

In No. 1 doubles, senior Brian Yu teamed up with junior Briggs Hunt to take second in region.

“I was super happy for Brian because early in the season, he solidified himself as the second singles position and played there for most of the season,” Satuala said. “Toward the end of the season, Brian decided to play doubles as he thought it fit his skill set better. He really is a strong versatile player, which complements Briggs, who has some awesome serves and is energetic on the court. Brian is really strong at the net and placing shots, so they feed off each other really well.”

Satuala said that throughout the season, he was trying to get a solid second doubles pair as he rotated players trying out different combinations. Dalgleish and Naik ended up being the pair that clicked.

“When they first played, they won two matches. They played so well as partners. We left them together and they ended up winning region,” he said.

Naik, who hopes to play on a tennis club team in college, began playing the sport in third grade, competing in local tournaments. In middle school, he took a break to play hockey. He returned to play tennis in high school.

“I loved tennis at a kid; my dad would always bring me to the park to play,” he

said. “Hockey helped me with my strength and endurance. I became more confident, and I was hitting harder and more powerful after hockey. Some people look at tennis as like a wimpy sport. If it rains, you can’t play. If it’s too windy, you can’t play. But when you can play, it’s a hard sport that is both mental as well as physical.”

Naik said that the team brought in a coach to help with mental training this year.

“He’s helped us with our mindset,” he said. “If you and your partner aren’t on the same place, you won’t have the chemistry. We need to change our mental thinking and prepare for our matches.”

In addition to Parikh, the other players also fell in some close matches in the first round of state. The team of Yu and Hunt ended up forfeiting as Yu got sick

and Hunt was in the spring production of “Frankenstein.”

In addition to the three varsity seniors, the team will lose senior captain Jaren Ruff, who missed the later part of the season for theater productions as well.

Satuala was impressed with the play of sophomore Rohan Khakural. As a transfer student, he played JV and “is a solid tennis player. He went undefeated in region play. He’ll be a big contributor in the tennis program for the next two years.”

“We’re going to miss our seniors; their leadership alone at practices and at tennis matches is unmatched,” Satuala said. “We’ll be in a new region next year with our biggest contender being Park City, but we have a lot of young guys so we’re excited to see what they can do.” l

Hillcrest High senior Brian Yu teamed up with junior Briggs Hunt to play No. 1 doubles for the Huskies in region. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Jazz band, wind ensemble, orchestra get superior marks

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Hillcrest High’s big band ball brought students, faculty, alumni and families together to dance to the school’s two jazz bands. This year, the varsity jazz band received superior marks at region and both the school wind ensemble and school

orchestra earned superior ratings at state. The May 10 big band ball also featured the school’s Vocal Ensemble. (Photo courtesy of Katherine Manousakis) l

Let’s Ride Utah

TheUtah Days of ’47 Rodeo has something to entertain the whole family for as little as $17, plus you have great views of the mountains and downtown Salt Lake City from the Days of ’47 Arena. Come early and experience the FREE Frontier Fun Zone area that will feature shopping and food, pony rides, petting zoo, mechanical bull rides, live music and much more. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. daily with the rodeo starting at 7:30 p.m. sharp.

The Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo is one of Utah’s longest-standing traditions – celebrating Utah’s heritage since 1847. The rodeo, and other Days of ’47 events, commemorate the day – July 24, 1847 – when a determined company of Mormon pioneers real-

ized their dreams upon entering the Great Salt Valley. The Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo is a private, non-profit, volunteer, charitable organization. Our mission is to honor Utah’s pioneer heritage and educate Utah’s kids.

The Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City takes pride in setting the Gold Standard in rodeo and in 2023 they will bring that standard to the ranks of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA).

The 2023 event will payout an estimated $750,000 and will play an important role in determining Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifiers and eventual world champions. Not only will contestants have

a chance to walk away with a pocket full of cash, but they will get the opportunity to win a gold, silver or bronze medal, a staple at this rodeo since 2017, making it the only Gold Medal Rodeo in the world.

“We are excited to once again partner with the PRCA, WPRA and their members that dream of qualifying for the NFR in Las Vegas each year,” stated Dan Shaw, Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo President & CEO. “It is our hope we can make that dream come true for a number of contestants, while also bringing world class rodeo action to our fans here at the Days of ’47 Arena. July has always been a profitable month for rodeo athletes, and we are honored to now elevate that even more and put Utah on the map among

top paying ProRodeos.”

Beginning in 2023, the Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo will be the largest paying professional rodeo in the State of Utah.

The 2023 Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo presented by Zions Bank, is slated for July 19-22, 24 and will take place at the state-of-the-art Days of ’47 Arena at the Utah State Fairpark (155 North, 1000 West), custom designed and built for rodeo. The venue—an outdoor arena located in the heart of Salt Lake City—features over 10,000 stadium-style seats.

For more information on the event and to buy your tickets visit www. utahdaysof47rodeo.com.

R.C. Landingham captured the 2022 Gold Medal in the bareback riding. Photos by Ric Andersen.

Hillcrest celebrates its diversity through multicultural week, cultural night

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Hillcrest High senior Shreejha Sureshkumar took to the stage in the school’s commons to perform, “1,2,3,4 Get on the Dance Floor” in her traditional Indian clothing.

“This is a very fast song, and it makes people want to dance,” she said. “It makes me feel happy in my heart whenever I listen to it. It’s such an energetic and upbeat song that’s supposed to be about being happy and dancing your heart out. It makes me feel happy to perform onstage, sharing this joy with other people.”

Sureshkumar, who began dancing at age 3, performs Bollywood and Bharatanatyam throughout the state. She was to perform “Sheila Ki Jawani” next at the school’s culture night.

“I love doing this. Indian culture is very not noticed, and I want everyone to be proud of their culture,” she said. “I started wearing saris to school dances just for fun. I saw other people starting to do it as well and that makes me feel happy to see that change. Like tonight, the best part is seeing all these cultures come together and support each other. We don’t see that in a regular day at high school, but I think through events like this, the more people express themselves and their culture, the more people will appreciate it.”

Learning about the culture as well as several clubs, some which were involved in the

activities, was why Laurie McBride and her son, Mark, came to the event. Her daughter, Katie, is a junior at Hillcrest.

“It’s a fun night and all the students are energetic,” McBride said. “The dancing is amazing and the food, the free empanadas, are good. It’s just a fun way for Mark to see the high school since he’s going to be a student here next year. This night at Hillcrest really shows its community spirit.”

In addition to dances from India, dances included Jasmine Flower, K-pop, Ai (zen tan), But the World and a typical Mexican dance.

School cubs, including Latinos In Action and People of the Pacific, took to the stage as well as student performers singing and on the saxophone.

It was Hillcrest’s first culture night that emerged from its traditional multicultural week, said Elena Foley, Hillcrest’s community school facilitator.

“It was just so awesome to see the excitement around what was going on,” she said of approximate 400 students and families who attended. “Cultural night is a way to bring diverse groups into our building so they can showcase their cultures and be more connected. We had a lot of families come and were excited to see their students perform and to check out the booths from lots of our different cultural clubs at Hillcrest—Pacific Islander, Chinese, Latinos In Action, ASL (American Sign Language), just so many who wanted to share their cultures. We have such a diverse group of students at Hillcrest.”

There also were booths that offered services in the area because “we do have a lot of students with high need in our community,” she said. There was a booth that helps undocumented students with scholarships for college, one that disseminated health information, another that helps with taxes and yet another, that offers soccer to “a lot of refugees we have here at Hillcrest so it’s a great way to get them involved.”

Foley also let the community know services that Hillcrest provides such as a food pantry and laundry facilities to those in need.

Cultural night was part of the week’s activities that included students wearing traditional clothing, decorating the hallways celebrating different cultures, sampling international cuisine and trying different dances at the Spring Fling, which was hosted by Latinos In Action.

Senior Ben Barinotto, who serves as the student relations student body officer, helped coordinate the weeklong activities.

“We held events every day during the week from a video about multicultural week to a scavenger hunt with questions based on the cultures at Hillcrest,” he said. “For example,

I gave some info about the Hispanic culture we have at Hillcrest, then I asked what is the percentage of Hispanic and Latino population, which is 28.5%.”

Hillcrest’s student body also includes 8.8% Asian, with the most common spoken language being Mandarin, with 1.2 billion speakers. Hillcrest offers Mandarin as one of its language choices, so another question referred to that, he said.

“I wanted a more engaging activity for students, so students get to know what’s offered here in terms of classes and clubs and also which cultures are around the school,” he said. “It’s important to recognize we all have very much different backgrounds, and we need to embrace that.”

Barinotto said that was a lesson he had to learn himself.

“I know sometimes students don’t embrace it; even I didn’t always embrace my Hispanic culture. I grew up in a predominantly white school throughout my elementary years, so I just felt a little bit out of place. Now going to Hillcrest and being able to share and spread the diversity makes it easier for students to embrace themselves and to just share their own cultures,” he said.

He followed in his older sister’s footsteps joining Latinos In Action.

“She shared lots of fun experiences she had in LIA at Hillcrest, so I decided to join. Once I did, I was able to open up to more students like me in that class, and then together it was much easier to share our culture with the school,” he said. “I’ve helped tutor and have done a lot of community service through LIA, but we’ve chosen to share our culture through dance, music and food. For example, in October, we partnered with Earth Club and held the Salsa Salsa party, where we made salsa and then taught the salsa dance and it was a lot of fun. It’s helped me be more open and accepting of my culture and to have that pride in my own heritage. That’s why celebrating Black History Month, Hispanic History Month and all those recognitions as well as multicultural week and culture night is important; I want others to embrace their culture as well.” l

Hillcrest High’s Latinos In Action performed a dance from their heritage at the school’s cultural night. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Take pride in love

Peri Kinder

Life and Laughter

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

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

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

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

After the parade, we walked through

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

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

Threats against the LGBTQ+ communi-

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

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

“Dozens of doctors told me that there was nothing more that they could do to expect to be in a wheel chair. I went from the top 1% in the army Special Forces to being in so much pain that I could not tie my shoe or hold my new daughter. I did physical therapy and pain killers for years, but nothing worked. Finally, I went to Dr. Smith and I improved exactly as he told me I would. I couldn’t believe it! My wife cried, “I have my husband back.”

—Steve M., Army Special Forces

CSCS Chiropractic Physician