Midvale November 2015

November 2015 5

|

Vol. 1 Iss.

FREE

Midvale History Museum Provides a Story of Community

By Amanda Butler

page

3

page 4

page 13 Scan

Here:

Interactive online edition with more photos.

page 16

“A community health center is not just a clinic.

We are responsible for actually looking for gaps in the healthcare system, and meeting those gaps,� page 9

Local Postal Customer ECRWSS

Presort Std U.S. Postage PAID Riverton, UT Permit #44

Page 2 | November 2015

Midvale C ity J ournal

Rio Tinto Stadium Unveils Auric Solar Installation

R

io Tinto Stadium, the home of Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake as well as the USL Real Monarchs, unveiled the State of Utah’s largest privately-owned solar array at the world-class Sandy venue, RSL Owner Dell Loy Hansen joined by the region›s business and political leaders in flipping the switch to activate the system, in partnership with Auric Solar and Rocky Mountain Power.

Rio Tinto Stadium’s 2,020-kilowatt system of solar panels installed on the existing stadium structure as well as new covered parking areas nearby are now operational to offset 73 percent of Real Salt Lake’s total annual stadium power needs - the largest offset in North American professional sports and entertainment venues. The ambitious project was initiated back in April and took six months to complete.

“We have partnered with both Rocky Mountain Power and Auric Solar to increase

our power efficiency while hosting more than 50 massive events each year in Sandy,” said RSL and Monarchs Owner Dell Loy Hansen, whose venue hosts both the United States and Mexico on Saturday and Tuesday in the Semifinals and Finals for CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying. “The new solar covered parking structures have improved the quality of parking options for our nearly 16,000+ season ticket holders and provide our State and the surrounding environment with the largest solar energy offset for any U.S. professional sports venue.”

The environmental impact of the new solar array carries the carbon-dioxide reduction equivalent of removing 450 cars from the road or planting 47,278 trees annually, while providing enough power to light and heat 284 homes for a calendar year.

Auric Solar at Rio Tinto Stadium Fact Sheet 6,423 solar panels @ 315 watts each

(~2,024 kilowatts or 2.02 megawatts) 94 percent of the system installed on new solar-covered parking structures (South, South West and North of venue) System will offset 73 percent of the stadium’s power needs, the LARGEST solar offset for any professional sports stadium in North America Rio Tinto Stadium now boasts the 4th-largest solar array of any professional sports stadium in the U.S. No. 5: FedEx Field, 2,000 kW (Landover, Md.) No. 4: Rio Tinto Stadium, 2,024 kW (Salt Lake City, Utah) No. 3: Pocono Raceway, 3,000 kW (Blakeslee, Pa.) No. 2: Lincoln Financial Field, 3,000 kW (Philadelphia, Pa.) No. 1: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 9,000 kW (Speedway, Ind.) Rio Tinto Stadium will now own the largest solar array in Major League Soccer - more than double the size of Gillette Stadium’s 1,000 kW array in Foxborough, Massachusetts) “This project has positioned Real Salt Lake at the forefront of energy production and conservation in all of professional sports,” said Auric Solar principal Trent Vansice. “Auric Solar is helping the club harness the power of the sun to reduce its power consumption on a grand scale. It is impressive and ambitious to see the organization’s commitment to the community and environment.”

Nearly 95 percent of the solar array (made up of 6,423 solar panels) has been installed on new solar-covered parking structures, including an entirely new parking lot on the north side of the stadium. Covering the equivalent of 3.10 acres, the aggregation of the panels would cover 2.3 American football fields, 1.3 FIFA regulation soccer

THE MIDVALE TEAM

Creative Director: Bryan Scott: bryan@mycityjournals.com Assistant Editor: Rachel Hall: r.hall@mycityjournals.com Staff Writers: Stephanie Lauritzen, Amanda Butler, Ron Bevan Ad Sales: 801-264-6649 Sales Associates: Ryan Casper: 801-671-2034 Melissa Worthen: 801-8975231 Circulation Coordinator: Brad Casper: Circulation@mycityjournals.com Editorial & Ad Design: Trevor Roosa, Ty Gorton

fields, extending 7.9 miles or 41,500 feet if stacked end-to-end.

“Auric Solar’s expertise and innovation have made them the perfect partners to convert Rio Tinto Stadium toward energy self-sufficiency in the venue’s seventh year, while also improving our fan experience with the addition of covered and lit parking,” said Andrew Carroll , Chief Business Officer for Real Salt Lake. “Our unique ability to assist Auric Solar in building brand awareness, both locally and across the industry, makes this partnership fully-integrated, mutually-beneficial, and uniquely symbiotic. The entire Auric team - led by founders Trent Vansice and Jess Phillips - consists of great people, providing all of the ingredients for an exceptional long-term partnership.”

Auric Solar originally started out of a garage in South Jordan, Utah, in 2010 and has quickly become the largest solar provider in Utah. Auric Solar is also one of the fastest growing in the country with an average year over year growth of 173 percent. This was accomplished by focusing on customer experience, quality, timeliness, and providing a financially responsible way to switch to solar power. Auric Solar is now the most positively reviewed solar provider in the U.S. by solarreviews.com. Headquartered in Midvale, Utah, the company has expanded to service all of Utah and Idaho. For more information, visit http://www.auricsolar. com.

“Rocky Mountain Power is proud to be partners with the Rio Tinto Stadium and Real Salt Lake - two of Utah’s greatest treasures,” said Rocky Mountain Power President and CEO Cindy A. Crane on Thursday.

«Our Utah Solar Incentive Program contributed $1.3 million to this impressive solar array and we look forward to it brightening the lives of all the fans and visitors who come he re.» l

m i ss i o n s tate m e n t

The Midvale City Journal is distributed on the first of each month directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Midvale.

For information about distribution please email delivery@myutahjournals. com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website.

For subscriptions please contact: circulation@mycityjournals.com The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner.

Our mission is to inform and entertain our community while promoting a strong local economy via relevant content presented across a synergetic network of print and digital media. free . community. papers .

Midvale City Journal 8679 South 700 West Sandy, UT 84070 Phone: 801 254 5974

designed, published & distributed by

MidvaleJ ournal . com

November 2015 | Page 3

Midvale History Museum Provides a Story of Community

M

idvale residents can revisit the city’s past and learn the story of the community at the Midvale History Museum. The mission of the museum “is to collect, preserve and interpret for the public benefit, education and enjoyment, the historical heritage of Midvale City, Utah.” The museum is located at 7697 South Main Street in Midvale, and is open 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.

The museum has artifacts and pictures from the Midvale-Jordan area, spanning a time period of about 1851 to 1960. There is also a newspaper archive of the Midvale Sentinel from 1925 to 1987. Bill Miller, the president of the Midvale Historical Society, said of the artifacts on display in the museum: “At least 75 percent of everything in here has been donated by people from Midvale.”

Miller has been the president of the Midvale Historical Society for just over a year, but has volunteered at the museum and been a member of the board of directors for 12 years. He said his interest in Midvale’s history is “because this is the way I grew up.

I was born on a farm that had no electricity.

This museum reminds me of the home where I grew up. I love all history museums, and

By Amanda Butler the thing I love about this museum is I call it a family history museum because so much of everything we have in here ties back to a member of a family from Midvale.”

Miller said his favorite items were in the laundry area of the museum, “because it’s things that I grew up with. It brings back memories. I still love the good old days. I would never want to go back to it and do it on a permanent basis. It would be fun to vacation in the old days, but as far as going back to those times, as much as I loved it, I love modern technology.” But in the museum, Miller said, “I can live yesterday or I can live tomorrow.”

Andy Pazell has volunteered at the museum for two years. He said his favorite thing about the museum is the collection of vintage photographs, which show a glimpse of the everyday lives of people in the community. “It’s the people. It really comes back to the people for me and thinking about how they lived.”

Pazell said he enjoys helping museum visitors learn about their family history. “It’s the personal connections that I really like.

I like finding the photos and helping people find family members in photos. I get a real kick out of finding things for them they might never have seen.” Pazell has even

found information about his own family members in the museum. “I found photos of my dad in the newspaper that I’ve never seen before. So just knowing that there’s something out there that I haven’t seen just keeps me hunting. It’s like solving a mystery sometimes.”

Pazell called Midvale “a wonderful place to grow up. It was like Mayberry. We just had a whole circle of places we could go and get snow cones, soda pops. There was a drive-in theater up on the corner. Everything was walking distance. It was just a fun place to grow up. Bill says he doesn’t want to go back to the old days, but I do. I wish my kids could have experienced the childhood I did.”

Pazell even remembers a time when Midvale had a 10 p.m. curfew. “There was an air raid siren on top of city hall and at 10 o’clock the sirens rang and you had to be off the streets. I have this memory of jumping behind bushes when we heard the siren.

You felt like you were on a prison break because if you saw a cop on the other side of the street, you were running or hiding. But the cops would just put a little fear into you before sending you home.”

One of the lessons Pazell hopes that museum visitors will take away from the museum is the spirit of community. “I think

the great lesson of Midvale is it’s a melting pot. People from all different cultures were here—the Greeks, the Yugoslavians, the Latinos, the Japanese. Everyone learned how to live together, so my goal is to get that across. That we’re all part of this human race, and we all breathe the same air, as President Kennedy said.”

During Pazell’s childhood in Midvale, “many of the business owners on the street were famous for letting people who were between paychecks from the copper mine charge their stuff until pay day. People really looked out for each other here. They had a real community here. They had celebrations—Harvest Days celebrations were huge: parades, and games and rodeos. Most of that’s been lost. But we try to keep the memories going because it’s going to be forgotten.”

“I think delving into history can open your mind up to other people—the struggles that they went through,” Pazell said. “I think history helps to teach kids that their predecessors had to struggle to get where we are right now, and they can see that here.”

If you are interested in learning more about Midvale’s history, the museum is looking for volunteers. Call (801) 569-8040 for more information. l

MIdvale City

Page 4 | November 2015

Midvale C ity J ournal

Wheeler Farm Farmers Market Brings Community Together

A

sunny fall day brought crowds to the Wheeler Farm Farmers Market. Located at 6351 South 900 East, the market was open every Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., from June 7 through Oct. 26. The popular market has been in operation since 2011 and offers community members a place to buy and sell a wide variety of local goods. This year the market featured over 100 booths, which were spread out along the south lawn of Wheeler Historic Farm.

In addition to fruits and vegetables from local farms, vendors at the market sold

By Amanda Butler locally produced foods, including hummus, jams and jellies, salsa, breads and pastries, candy, raw honey, barbecue sauce, meats and cheeses. There were also plenty of booths offering jewelry, soaps, handmade craft items, artwork and clothing. A wide variety of fresh-made food items was available, including tamales, tacos, gelato, coffee and juices, to name a few. Many families could be seen enjoying a meal together in the covered picnic area near the booths.

The atmosphere was friendly, with many vendors sharing free samples of their

The market is a great outing for families. Photo by Amanda Butler

products. The market also offered live music, as well as bounce houses and a playground. Pets were welcome at the market, and most vendors provided water for dogs.

Vendor Jeff DaBell said that the market provides a “sense of community.” DaBell became a vendor at the market two years ago and said he appreciates “the fact that we have the opportunity to really get out and meet and greet our guests. We do have that opportunity in our restaurant, but here it slows the pace down a little bit. We

have the opportunity to really get to know our customers here and develop a relationship with them in a different way, and get to meet new customers and make friends with them—make friends with people that we don’t get to otherwise. It’s great to meet other entrepreneurs as well.”

The Wheeler Farm Farmers Market operated in conjunction with the Wasatch Front Farmers Market, an organization “dedicated to providing local communities with local produce, foods, crafts and processed goods.”

Music at the market. Photo by Amanda Butler

MIdvale City

MidvaleJ ournal . com

As I See It

Midvale City 7505 South Holden Street Midvale, UT 84047 Midvale City Directory City Hall 801-567-7200 Finance/Utilities 801-567-7202 Court 801-255-4234 City Attorney’s Office 801-567-7250 City Recorder/H.R.

801-567-7225

Community Development

801-567-7211

Public Works

801-567-7235

Ace Disposal/Recycling

801-363-9995

City Museum

801-569-8040

Senior Citizens Center

801-566-6590

SL County Animal Services

385-468-7387

Midvale Precinct UPD

385-468-9350

Police Dispatch

801-743-7000

Unified Fire Authority

801-743-7200

Fire Dispatch

801-840-4000

MIDVALE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS: Mayor JoAnn B. Seghini

801-567-7204

Email: joanns@midvale.com City Council District 1 - Quinn Sperry

801-255-5428

Email: qsperry@midvale.com District 2 - Paul Glover

801-561-5773

Email: pglover@midvale.com District 3 - Paul Hunt 801-255-2727 Email: phunt@midvale.com District 4 - Wayne Sharp

801-567-8709

Email: wsharp@midvale.com District 5 - Stephen Brown

801-783-0962

Email: sbrown@midvale.com Who to call for…

Utility Billing regarding water bills

(801)567-7258 Ordering a new trash can, reserving the bowery

(801)567-7202

Permits

(801)567-7212

GRAMA requests

(801)567-7207

Court

(801)255-4234

Paying for Traffic School

(801)567-7202

Business Licensing

(801)567-7213

Property Questions

(801)567-7231

Cemetery

(801)567-7235

Water Line Breaks

(801)567-7235

Planning and Zoning

(801)567-7231

Building Inspections

(801)567-7208

(801)567-7209

Code Enforcement Grafiti North of 7200 S

(801)256-2537 Code Enforcement/Grafiti South of 7200 S

(801)256-2541 CITY WEBSITE: WWW.MIDVALECITY.ORG FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/MidvaleCity TWITTER: www.twitter.com / MidvaleCity or @MidvaleCIty

November 2015 | Page 5

By Mayor JoAnn B. Seghini

T

he holiday season is soon approaching, and winter will eventually come. As we prepare, remember that each home and business is responsible for snow removal in front of their home or office within 24 hours of the end of the storm.

Keep our community safe for pedestrians, especially on school routes.

You will be receiving leaf bags again this year; help keep our storm drains clear of debris so that water can drain as snow melts. Remember to use extra caution while driving during winter months.

Our fall bulky waste program has been very successful. As I drive through the community, I can tell that many of you have done a lot of fall cleaning. Thank you for bundling green waste. Please remember to sweep the street in front of your home. The street sweeper does not get all of the debris. We are fortunate to live in a community that provides this service.

Thanksgiving weekend is an important time for many families. It gives a time to look back and to share our common goals as friends and families. If you know of people who are living alone and who have no family, take time to drop by and give them a treat. Let them know that they are not forgotten and check in with them from time to time. Christmas is often difficult for those who are house bound. Get to know your neighbors and make your entire neighborhood a welcoming place.

The overflow homeless shelter will be opening in late November.

Many improvements have been made, including fencing off the property, so that those staying at the shelter can safely remain on the property. They will also have vans that can transport people to stores and to transportation. A walkway was installed on the north side of the street so that people

VETERAN’S DAY MEMORIAL WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 11:00 A.M. MIDVALE CEMETERY (471 WEST 6TH AVENUE, MIDVALE)

Mayor JoAnn B. Seghini

have a safe place to walk. Their new building has many improvements and will be a much safer place for those who stay there temporarily as they await permanent housing. The shelter will be housing families, and the grounds around the building have been fenced and greatly improved so that people and children will not be inclined to leave the property.

This should greatly decrease people who might want to visit neighboring businesses.

In the past the people of Midvale and surrounding communities have been very generous. They frequently make donations of food and Christmas gifts for children.

As they open the new facility, special needs include towels, laundry soap, toilet paper, diapers, and bedding for single size beds. All of the beds will be bunk beds as opposed to cots, so clean, used bedding would be greatly appreciated. Your support of this overflow shelter for families has been very important. Remember the homeless during the holidays. l

PROGRAM FOLLOWED BY A “FREE” BREAKFAST OLD SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER (350 WEST PARK STREET (7610 SOUTH))

Midvale Facilities Midvale City Hall 7505 South Holden Street Midvale, UT 84047 Midvale City Public Works 8196 South Main Street Midvale, UT 84047 Midvale City Park 455 West 7500 South Midvale, UT 84047 Midvale City Performing Arts 695 West Main Street Midvale, UT 84047 Midvale Senior Citizens Center 7550 South Main Street Midvale, UT 84047

Page 6 | November 2015

MIdvale City

Your Career Begins

with Us!

Member Care Representative Software Sales Specialist Customer Service Gaming Guru Tavel Consultant (Sabre) • Full and Part Time • Excellent Benefits after 60 Days • Casual Fun Environment • Exciting Contests and Events • Flexible Schedules to Fit Your Lifestyles • Worldwide Career Opportunities • Paid Training • Immediate Positions Available

Apply online at teleperformance.com Salt Lake City • Ogden • Sandy

Midvale C ity J ournal

MidvaleJ ournal . com

MIdvale City

Message from CBC (Community Building Community)

W

e have seen that there are times when tenants do not have the information or resources needed to succeed when they rent, or don’t know where to turn if they have questions, or don’t know where to go for guidance to resolve a problem with the owner of the unit where they live . Utah Housing Coalition, a non-profit organization that provides services to the community through partner organizations, wants tenants or owners to know both their rights and obligations to carry a lease successfully. To accomplish this goal, we created the seminar renter’s toolkit which will not only help renters better understand their rights and obligations and give them a lot of information about the resources available in the community and guide them if they need assistance and representation, but also help them understand what is an

November 2015 | Page 7

eviction, how this affects them and how to prevent it. At the end of this seminar participants will know what questions to ask and want to observe when visiting a place in which you are interested in renting.

They will also they will have more knowledge on how to keep a detailed record of their spending and organize their money.

We hope that now that the City of Midvale has given us the opportunity to bring this seminar to this area, you can be part of it.

You’re welcome to participate on Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Midvale City facilities. This is an excellent seminar.

We also want to thank the City of Midvale for this magnificent opportunity to help us to continue to inform the community. For more information on this seminar, call Lilian Hernandez at l-801-548-6953.

Employee Spotlight Jesse Valenzuela Emergency Manager

Jesse Valenzuela started working for the Midvale City in August of 2014 as the City’s Emergency Manager, a position created with the intent to keep Midvale proactive in regards to safety and disaster preparedness. He has over 20 years of accumulative training and schooling from a variety of institutions including the National Fire Academy and the ATFE (the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives). Jesse is a retired career arson investigator, has worked for Homeland Security and has worked as a Public Information Officer for the Fire Department for 13 years and for the Highway Patrol for 7 years. Last year he received the State of Utah Department of Public Safety Medal of Excellence from the Governor.

The City’s Emergency Manager is responsible for preparing and implementing plans to help citizens and employees of the City through disaster situations and to increase the City’s resiliency in the wake of emergencies and disasters. This includes tasks such as applying for Emergency Preparedness grants, making sure the City is NIMS (National Incident Management System) compliant, and revitalizing the City’s CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program. The goal of CERT is to train employees and citizens with the goal of being able to assist emergency services during a disaster event.

When asked the following questions, Jesse’s responses were: What do your colleagues think of you? Very likeable.

Tell me about the last time you did the right thing and nobody saw? I helped three homeless people over the weekend (on my birthday). It involved roses, cold drinks, and sandwiches.

Would you rather be liked or respected? Liked.

What did you want to be when you were in preschool? Fireman.

If you had to be an animal, which one and why? Elephant, they are quiet, have great memory, and predators avoid them.

Who is your favorite superhero? Hulk, he is invincible.

If you were an animated character who would you be? Pop-eye.

Star Wars or Star Trek? Star Wars.

What song best describes your leadership style? Electrical Storm by U2 Jesse has been invaluable when it comes to Emergency Management. His knowledge and experience is unsurpassed. We are lucky to have him on our team!

Page 8 | November 2015

MIdvale City

Unified Police Department Message

H

ere are some helpful tips to help you protect your identity: If you do not have one yet, get a locking mailbox. They really are not expensive, starting at about $27.00 at any home improvement store. They come in several different styles, even ones that look like a standard mailbox.

NEVER put any outgoing mail in your home mailbox, especially checks or cash.

Mail theft is one of the most used and easiest methods used by criminals to steal your identity and your money.

Do not keep anything of value or any type of identification documents in your vehicle. Criminals break into vehicles looking for documents they can use or sell to steal your identity. If your car has a trunk, us it if you have no other option and need to leave any items of value in your vehicle.

These days it is very common to pay most of your bills online. It is one of the safest ways to pay your bills other than paying them in person, but you still need to take the proper precautions to do it safely. There are numerous ways to protect yourself; here a few basic way to do so. Make sure you have current, up-to-date antiviruses/spyware and a good up-to-date firewall installed on the computer you are using. Always start your payment session at the main page of your financial institution’s website; don’t ever click on a link from an email to access your account as this is a popular phishing strategy used by criminals to get your bank account information. Also, look for the beginning of the web address to start off with HTTPS and look for the LOCK symbol next to it. This indicates that you are on a secure website.

Again these are just a few of the basic steps you can take to help protect yourself. Search the internet for more suggestions.

Social Media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, ect.: be very careful as to what information you put on those sites.

This is another area that criminals use to steal your identity. I’m not saying not to use

those sites, but please be careful as to what information you put on them.

You might have scammers calling you to try and trick you into thinking they are the IRS or a debit collector. The criminals can Spoof (Make their phone number look like the IRS or any other business), so make sure you NEVER give out any personal information over the phone and NEVER wire anyone money only based on the information someone tells you over the phone.

When purchasing and selling online using sites such as KSL Classifieds and Graig’s List, you need to be careful as the transactions that take place on those sites are not always as they appear. A lot of stolen property is listed and sold on the sites, as well as legitimate items. If you are selling an item and you get an offer to purchase and that buyer wants to send you a check for more than you are selling the item to them for and asks you to send or wire them the payment overage amount back, do not do it.

THIS IS A SCAM!!!

Purchasing and selling items on EBay and Amazon are pretty safe, as they both have security and anti-fraud protocols in place to help keep their customers’ personal and bank information safe. These days nothing is 100% safe, but if you use trusted vetted websites, your information is much safer.

These are just a few of the ways you can help to protect yourself from identity theft and fraud. Criminals are pretty tech savvy these days, but they still use old school techniques as well to steal your identity and take your money. Use common sense and think about things that do not seem right; ask questions before acting. WHEN IN DOUBT CHECK IT OUT Detective Michael Glieden Financial Crimes Investigations Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake Midvale Precinct l

Midvale C ity J ournal

City Journals, Community Journalism City Journals creative director Bryan D. Scott knows the impact that journalists have on informing residents about the news happening in their communities, and that is one reason he decided to sponsor two high school students who desired to learn more about the profession at the High School Journalism Boot Camp held in August.

“I love how newspapers can strengthen and build a community. Growing up in a small town, I understood at an early age the importance of local news in the community. In my professional career, it remains true that community news is a powerful source of information,” Scott said.

Brianne Jensen and Hunter Benson, West Jordan High School students who both received the boot camp scholarship, attended the event hosted by University of Utah Student Media, the Signpost at Weber State University and the Statesman at Utah State University held at Weber State University with their advisor, Shauna Robertson.

“They were the two who most wanted to go.

They are both excellent students, highly involved in a variety of programs at our school, and are natural leaders. I knew I would be looking for editors, and this experience was helpful in showing who was really excited to be journalists,” Robertson said.

Brianne, now a senior at WJHS, has loved writing since she was a young child in a variety

of formats, including poetry and stories. The experience at the boot camp helped her see that not only is journalism fun, but it is also important to keep people informed.

“The main thing that I learned at camp is that you have to give the people what they want.

You have to make them want to read your paper or website or whatever,” Brianne said.

Hunter, also a senior at WJHS, wants to pursue a degree in journalism and communications while attending college. The boot camp experience helped her learn how to be a better writer and taught her how to use programs that are vital to the profession.

“It was really fun. I think it [journalism] is a way to open yours and others’ eyes to new people and beliefs, and that’s really cool,” she said.

Scott believes that all young adults should pursue a career that they are passionate about, even if there are a few setbacks along the way – especially in journalism, which seems to be a dying skill as other careers in social media and public relations become more popular.

“Be ready for an uphill battle with a lot of dead ends and a paycheck that is less rewarding than the actual work. Always keep your eyes on the ball and understand your words can make a difference. If a photo is worth a thousand words, then a journalist is worth thousands of cameras,” Scott said.

30+ YEARS OF HELPING PEOPLE SELL their current home and BUY the new home of their dreams.

Now is a great time to

BUY or SELL a home

with a tradition of trust behind you...

“Real Estate Joe” Olschewski

801-573-5056 Honest. Reliable. Dedicated.

MidvaleJ ournal . com

November 2015 | Page 9

2016 Budget Prioritizes Public Safety, Criminal Justice Reform

By Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams

S

alt Lake County’s 1.1 million residents deserve a county government that steps up to the plate and confronts a serious criminal justice challenge. That’s what I’ve tried to do with my 2016 proposed budget. It is structurally balanced with existing revenues, and it supports my belief in taking on tough issues and solving problems. This year, I have prioritized the county’s core responsibility – public safety.

We have a lot going for us. As a thriving metropolitan area, Salt Lake County is leading the way forward on economic growth and jobs, low taxes, cleaner air and quality education. I share the positive view most residents have that Salt Lake County is a great place to raise a family, start a business and give something back to the community.

However, we do face some challenges.

This year, due in part to the legislature’s passage of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, sentencing for some drug crimes and other non-violent offenses will require jail time, rather than prison. That change took

effect Oct. 1. I support the reforms to our criminal justice system, but in the short term, this adds to the jail overcrowding without providing sufficient funding for much-needed jail diversion programs that provide sentencing alternatives, dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues. Also, without a Utah plan for Medicaid expansion, this amounts to an unfunded mandate on the counties.

Instead of just throwing up our hands, we’ve come up with a plan. Fully threefourths of the county’s general fund is taken up by the county’s criminal justice and human services investments. The jail and the District Attorney’s office are both experiencing a double digit increase in jail bookings and new criminal cases screened by law enforcement, and that trajectory is continuing. We must pay for those immediate needs and at the same time, look for new ways to address the major causes of recidivism that just add to the problem.

My budget proposes that we continue a jail levy—passed by taxpayers in 1995 to build a new jail—and re-dedicate the ap-

proximately $9.4 million annually to deal with increased crime while trying to stem the tide in the future. A portion of the money would be used to build a Community Corrections Center. This secure treatment facility is a sentencing alternative to the jail.

It would include space for intake efforts, behavioral health services, job counseling and other programs, within a secure environment. This will free up the “hard beds” for criminals who need to be kept away from society.

I’m convinced we can limit the number of new beds needed in the future, by funding some innovative programs that follow data and evidence to lower the recidivism rate, and prevent homeless individuals and those with mental illness and substance abuse issues from crowding the jail. Of 8,700 inmates released in 2011, nearly two-thirds were back in the jail within three years. In other words, they’re out just long enough to get into legal trouble again. It’s a repeating loop that serves no one—not the victims of crime, not the police, not the prosecutors and not those cycling in and out of the sys-

tem, or their families.

How will we measure success? We’ll know we’ve succeeded when 1) we’ve put the criminals behind bars, 2) the homeless in housing, 3) substance abusers in treatment, and 4) children in school, through high school graduation.

You can read more about my budget at www.slco.org/mayor. Thank you for giving me the privilege of representing you as Salt Lake County mayor. l

HEALTH CARE Open Enrollment & Renewal

AVOID TAX PENALTIES.

Your coverage could cost nothing.

HEALTH • MEDICARE • DENTAL • ACCIDENT • VISION

Call 801-712-6005

www.ClimbingHealthcare.com

MADE EASY AT NO EXTRA COST

RENEW AND ENROLL In only 5 minutes!

Page 10 | November 2015

Midvale C ity J ournal

Is your WiFi protected?

by Jarin Blackham

M

y first experience with electronic com-

munication was as a teenager when a friend suggested I try out Lower Lights, a bulletin board system, or BBS. Bulletin Boards were one of the first social media platforms. The Lower Lights BBS was the largest chat-oriented BBS in Utah(1), and while I was a member, up to 24 people could dial in simultaneously to chat and transmit messages.

A few years later, In 1996, my mother was working from home as an executive director for a local organization. As part of her job, she needed to send and receive email, which required a link

to the internet. At the time, internet connections were “dial up” and used a modem connected to a standard phone line. We reached speeds of up to 28.8 Kilobits per second (Kbps). Business websites were static, containing only basic information and low quality pictures. Communication using email and chat were common, and voice communication over the internet was just beginning.

Since that time, internet speeds and bandwidth have dramatically increased, instant video communication allows us to connect to people around the world, and has even changed the way we do business and use entertainment. Now, nearly all homes have a connection to the internet

through a phone line, dedicated copper or fiber connection, or through a cell phone. Nearly every internet connected device sold is equipped with a wireless connection, capable of linking to the world wide web.

In homes with a copper or fiber connection, for convenience, a wireless access point is used to connect WiFi devices to the home network.

While connections like copper or fiber require a physical connection and can be contained within your home, a wireless connection passes through walls and can reach distances around your home, up to 2 or 3 blocks away.

When wireless signals reach areas outside your home, anyone with a laptop or cell phone near your property could connect to your wireless access point, with access to your home network.

You may think: That’s not a problem, I don’t mind sharing my internet connection with neighbors. If your WiFi is open, without protection, ANYONE can connect to it. Once connected, they could collect information from your computers, see where you go on the internet, or even use your internet connection for illegal activity.

In Buffalo, New York, a man and his wife woke up to someone breaking in their back door.

Federal agents swarmed in and accused the man of distributing child pornography. The investigators took the man’s computer and his wife’s iPad. After a couple of days, his innocence was determined and a neighbor was arrested a couple

of days later. The neighbor had connected to the homeowner’s unprotected wireless network to send and receive illegal material. This activity was traced to the homeowner’s internet connection – making him look like the criminal. (2) By leaving your wireless network unsecure, you open the door to bad guys using your name to carry out illegal activity. Think of it this way…. Would you give your house key to every person that passes in front of your house?

If not, then why would you allow them to connect to your home network?

Most new wireless access points and routers come with protection (passwords and encryption) turned on by default. Many older routers were sold with open and unprotected wireless connections. Check your WiFi devices to ensure that you have the best security available. If you’re unsure how to do this, find someone you trust that knows about wireless protection.

Almost everything we do today touches the internet in one form or another. The more we use the internet, The more our personal information is at risk. By securing our wireless connections, we increase protection of our identity, our online bank accounts, and our character. http://www.lowerlights.com/history.shtml h t t p : / / w w w. h u ff i n g t o n p o s t . com/2011/04/24/unsecured-wifi-child-pornography-innocent_n_852996.html l

FREE FULL DAY OFFICE USE

Please mention this ad.

Life Simplifying Business Solutions • Furnished Private Offices • Shared Office Space • Professional Meeting Rooms • Mail Service • 24/7 Business Center Access • Full Time Front Desk Reception • Call Answer/Screen/Announce • Complimentary Beverages

Locations in Ogden, Centerville, Downtown Salt Lake City & Cottonwood/Holladay

Contact Mark at 801-590-4501 or mark.smith@officeevolution.com

www.OfficeEvolution.com

MidvaleJ ournal . com

November 2015 | Page 11

local life

Which of These Costly Mistakes Will You Make When You Sell Your Midvale Home?

A new report has just been released which reveals 7 costly mistakes that most homeowners make when selling their home, and a 9-Step System that can help you sell your home fast and for the most amount of money. This industry reports shows clearly how the traditional ways of selling homes have become increasingly less and less effective in today’s market.

In answer to this issue, industry insiders have prepared a free special report entitled

“The 9-Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar.”

To order a copy of this FREE Special Report, simply call toll-free 800-516-8922 and enter code #3005. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or you can visit www.MySellingMistakes.com to download a copy. Get your FREE special report NOW to find out how you can get the most money for your home.

Paid Advertisement – Marc Huntington-Equity Real Estate. Copyright © 2009

Thanksgiving Holiday Meal at Midvale Senior Center Friday, November 20th 11:00 a.m. Entertainment by Mixed Nuts 12:00 p.m. Holiday Meal Meal includes: Sliced Turkey Breast w/ Gravy, Dressing, Yams, Potatoes, Green Beans, Dinner Roll, Pumpkin Pie, and Cranberry Sauce For those over 60 we ask for a donation of $4.00. If you are under 60 it is a cost of $7.50.

Please sign up to assist us in knowing how many meals to order by Tuesday, November 10th. Call us at 385-468-3350 or visit us at 7550 South Main Street

4870 South Highland Holladay, Utah 84117

801-424-9000

free

Cup of Chowder

Limit 1 per customer. Tax not included. Expires 11/30/15.

News from Midvale City Public Works Department

Stephen Says: As the winter season is near, the Streets Department would like to remind you about our winter parking laws. It is unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to park a motor vehicle on any street in the municipality between the first day of November of each year and the first day of March of the following year, for a period of time longer than three minutes when loading or unloading passengers and for a period of time longer than thirty minutes when loading, unloading or delivering property between the hours of one a.m. and six a.m. on all streets within the city.

As fall weather is upon us, and trees start losing their leaves, we ask for your assistance in helping us keep leaves out of our storm drains by utilizing the leaf bags provided by Midvale City to collect your leaves.

Leaf bags will be delivered to all residences in early November. Collect leaves from yards, gutters, and storm drain grates, and dispose of them in the provided leaf bags. Please do not put garbage in with the leaves. Only bags with leaves will be picked up, no other waste is accepted.

Place bag of leaves at curb prior to 7 a.m. on either Monday, Nov. 16 and/or Monday, Nov. 23 to be picked up by Ace Disposal.

Waste collectors will only be in your area on the weeks of Nov. 16, and 23. Leaves must be at curb prior to 7 a.m. on either Monday, Nov. 16 and/or 23. No return, additional or late pickups available.

Additional bags may be picked up at Midvale City Public Works at 8196 South Main Street.

Limit of 5 additional bags while supplies last.

Contact Midvale City Public Works for any questions you may have: 801-567-7235.

Page 12 | November 2015

Midvale C ity J ournal

Meditation for Stress Reduction and Wellbeing

By Amanda Butler

T

he Ruth Vine Tyler Library, located at 8041 South Wood Street, offered a workshop on “Meditation for Stress Reduction and Wellbeing” on Oct. 14. The workshop was part of a special series titled, “Meditation: The Gift of Compassionate Presence,” sponsored by Salt Lake County Library Services and the Salt Lake City Public Library. The workshops were held in advance of the Parliament of World Religions, which took place Oct. 15 to 19 in Salt Lake City.

The workshop was presented by Dr. Andrew Vidich, who provides trainings and workshops on meditation and spirituality to groups around the world. Vidich, who has authored multiple books on topics related to spirituality and self-improvement, also worked for several years as a teacher, including as a professor of religion at Manhattan College and Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. Vidich spoke at several events while in the Salt Lake area, and was interviewed on KSL Radio’s “The Doug Wright Show”.

Vidich became interested in meditation at age 17, and looked for a spiritual teacher. He connected with a mentor named Sant Kirpal Singh, and began his spiritual journey, which has focused intensely on meditation. In the workshop, Vidich shared the insights he’s gained in over 40 years of practicing meditation, provided information about the benefits of meditation, and then

led the group through a guided meditation.

Vidich spoke of how attitudes toward meditation have changed over the years. “I started meditating in about 1971, and at that time if you told anyone you were meditating, they would quickly walk the other way out the back door. A lot has changed since then.

Not only has meditation now been embraced in the secular communities, it’s also been reestablished within our sacred communities.

Actually, meditation is the core, essential, most profound essence of everyone’s spiritual and religious tradition.”

While meditation is a part of many religious and spiritual traditions, Vidich said that it is “a technique that anyone can practice, regardless of your religious or spiritual background. It does not belong to any religion. It’s hard wired into who we are.”

Interest in meditation has increased even outside of spiritual and religious circles. “Corporate America has embraced meditation big time,” Vidich said. “Not because they’re interested in your spiritual welfare, but because they know it’s going to reduce absenteeism and reduce turnover of staff. It’s going to increase creativity, productivity, and efficiency; and that is backed up by over 6000 studies.”

“The National Institutes of Health (NIH) now has a whole site on medical research on meditation, with studies demonstrating its effect on practically every chron-

Dr. Andrew Vidich answered questions about meditation at the Tyler Library.

Dr. Andrew Vidich has been meditating for over 40 years. ic and acute illness you can think of: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, and the list goes on,” Vidich said. In addition, meditation provides “a tremendous benefit for concentration, creativity, sense of inner stability and resilience.”

“There’s a good reason why the NIH said that meditation is the number one stress reduction technique out there,” Vidich said.

“They looked at all the other techniques that are out there, and none of the other techniques deal with the cause of stress, which is how do we respond to environmental stressful factors. Because it is not a question of what’s out there, it’s a question of how we respond to what is out there. This depends on your own inner state of well-being.”

In order to access that state of inner well-being, Vidich said it is necessary to “disconnect from your thoughts and put your attention somewhere else. When you look at the flow of our thoughts on a daily basis, you begin to see that we go from one negative emotional state to another all day, and very rarely, if at all, do we get to experience the positive emotional states that should actually be where we are on a daily basis. Our thoughts create our reality, whether happy

or sad, patient or impatient, grateful or ungrateful, whether in the moment or out of the moment, whether regretting the past or fearing the future, that’s what this practice is all about.”

Vidich said, “We learn through the meditation process that you have thoughts but you are not your thoughts. You can choose to identify or not identify with every thought that goes through your brain. You can choose not to identify with thoughts that are negative.”

According to Vidich, getting control over one’s thoughts through the practice of meditation leads to a greater sense of awareness and presence, making it easier to find peace, even in stressful situations. “There is a consciousness within you that you can connect to so that no matter what happens to you, you remain in a state of bliss. Bliss is the state of who you really are. We are consciousness, knowledge and bliss.”

For Vidich, meditation is “a practice of reconnection” to this state of awareness and bliss. “The nature of awareness is unconditional love, unlimited peace and infinite knowledge,” Vidich said. “Meditation is a deepening understanding of who we are.” l

MidvaleJ ournal . com

November 2015 | Page 13

Mid-Valley Health Clinic Works to Improve Healthcare Access in Midvale

M

idvale residents can access a wide variety of healthcare services at the Mid-Valley Health Clinic, located at 8446 South Harrison Street in the Copperview Recreation Center. Utah Partners For Health (UPFH), a non-profit organization that provides primary healthcare services using a discounted sliding fee schedule based on proof of income, operates the clinic. The clinic also accepts Medicaid, Medicare, PCN, CHIP and most other insurances, and is accepting new patients.

The Mid-Valley Health Clinic is a community health center that is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Their phone number is 801-417-0131. The clinic has a bilingual staff.

By Amanda Butler One way the clinic helps to meet those gaps is with its sliding fee schedule, which Micka said, “allows people to get in for what’s considered a nominal fee, which in our case we’ve set that at $27. Everything that’s related to their visit, including labs and blood draws, all these things are included in their sliding fee discount, so there’s no added on costs to it.”

Micka compared that cost to what an uninsured patient might pay elsewhere. “Somebody who’s uninsured would have to pay around $150 for a sore throat visit because they’re going to go in and pay for their visit, which will be around $100. Then they’re going to have to pay for their lab, to test whether it’s strep throat or not, and that could be $38 or more. Then if there’s a culture on that, it’s going to be another $50 or $60. So it’s going to average around $150 for that visit.”

Another way the clinic increases access to healthcare is with a standard of care that is “so

The Mid-Valley Health Clinic is located in the Copperview Recreation Complex.

Photo courtesy of Mid-Valley Health Clinic

An exam room at the clinic. Photo courtesy of the Salt Lake Tribune “A community health center is not just a clinic. We are responsible for actually looking for gaps in the healthcare system, and meeting those gaps,” Kurt Micka, the executive director of UPFH, said.

high it’s unbelievable. When a patient comes in, we are responsible to track every part of their healthcare,” Micka said. If the clinic refers a patient elsewhere for further testing, such as a mam-

mogram, they are usually given a voucher to get the test done at a reduced cost. “But we don’t just give it to you. We have to track that you actually went, we call and make the appointment for you, then we also call the person who gave the mammogram and ask for the report back. We have all these rules involved to make sure that you get the care that you need,” Micka said. “Our responsibility to the patient is extremely high—that’s what community health centers are all about.”

The clinic also provides assistance in finding and applying for health insurance. “We have three Certified Application Counselors (CACs) who assist people in getting set up so they can have their own insurance, whether it’s Medicaid, Medicare, or the marketplace. We have lots of different programs for that,” Micka said.

The clinic opened in November 2013, seeing patients one day per week. “In April of 2014, we went to five days a week,” Micka said. “The clinic has seen around 6000 patients since the hours expanded.”

The Mid-Valley Health Clinic is accepting new patients. Photo courtesy of Mid-Valley Health Clinic

The clinic’s current schedule, with later hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays, was established based on patient feedback. “We are run by a board of directors that’s consumer driven, so the majority of our board members are actually patients of our clinic,” Micka said. The board of directors offers suggestions on how the clinic can provide better healthcare access to the Midvale community.

In addition to the location at Copperview Recreation Center, UPFH operates mobile medical and eye clinics, which travel to 26 different locations. The mobile clinics work with community-based organizations, including Head Start and Deseret Industries, in order to provide healthcare access to underserved areas.

“We have a clinic that reduces a lot of disparities related to lack of income and insurance, but it doesn’t reduce the barriers of not understanding our healthcare system or not understanding the culture of a health clinic,” Micka said. “A mobile clinic is about reducing those kinds of barriers—culture, language, transportation.” Micka estimates that the mobile medical and eye clinics will see a total of 4200 to 4300 patients this year.

Micka has seen how improved healthcare access can make a positive impact on people’s lives. “In the eye clinic, it’s just amazing, I mean, we have kids that go to school and can’t see. We had one student, a sixth grader, who failed his math test every single time he took it. He went in, got his eye exam, was able to get a pair of glasses right then, went out and back into his classroom, took the math test and got 100 percent. It was amazing. It only costs us probably in the neighborhood of $28 to do that whole process. And that story has been repeated over, over and over again.

That’s why we do what we do.” l

Page 14 | November 2015

Midvale C ity J ournal

Midvale Middle School’s SALTA Allows Students to “Leap” Through Learning

By Stephanie Lauritzen

F

or middle school students seeking new academic challenges, the SALTA program offered at Midvale Middle School provides a unique educational opportunity. SALTA, a Latin-based word for ‘leap,’ stands for “Supporting Advanced Learners Toward Achievement.” The program offers advanced students in sixth through eighth grade the ability to participate in long-term project-based learning, with high levels of creativity and an emphasis on higher-order thinking skills. Students play an active role in creating their own research projects, attending enrichment opportunities outside the classroom, and working closely with teachers to increase college-readiness skills.

Currently, Midvale Middle School is the only school in Canyons District offering the SALTA program. Although the program is academically rigorous, Midvale school guidance counselor Jared Buhanan-Decker encourages any interested students to complete the SALTA test request form by the Oct. 30 deadline. Buhanan-Decker identifies the program as a “truly gifted” program, allowing advanced students a much-needed specialized learning environment. “The program brings in a wide variety of wonderful students, while allowing them to participate in the same elective opportunities as their peers outside SALTA.” In addition to the SALTA program, Midvale is one of two Utah schools offering the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. This program offers each student at the school opportunities to enroll

Midvale Middle School counselor Jared Buhanan-Decker. Photo courtesy of Canyons School District

in advanced and honors classes, with the goal of providing students the skills necessary to succeed in the rigorous International Baccalaureate program offered at Hillcrest High School. As a way of differentiating between the two programs, Buhanan-Decker considers the SALTA program as an “extra layer” of support for advanced students.

While every student is enrolled in the MYP program, SALTA students receive additional learning opportunities in the four core classes of math, English, science and social studies.

For parents and guardians considering the SALTA program for their student, the Midvale Middle counseling department suggests families reflect on their child’s “learning history” and past experiences within the school system. “Many of these students are very gifted, they are actively looking for challenges, but are used to being able to float through their classes without much effort,” Buhanan-Decker said. “SALTA classes allow students to truly be engaged in their learning, and we see them flourish and thrive immediately after feeling pushed and challenged, sometimes for the first time.”

While SALTA students often require learning experiences beyond what is typically offered in the classroom, counselors are quick to remind parents that their students still require lots of support and guidance throughout the program. The Midvale counseling center encourages parents to communicate with teachers regularly, and to work with students to practice talking with their teachers and advocating for their own interests. “Don’t hesitate to contact teachers if you have questions or concerns. As part of the program, SALTA teachers regularly update grades online, and will follow-up with students to make sure they have every opportunity to succeed.” In addition to contacting teachers, Buhanan-Decker encourages students to use the school-provided planners and binders to help them stay organized.

According to Canyons School District, “gifted and talented and advanced students have unique cognitive, academic, creative and social needs. Students have a right to varied programming which is appropriate to their cognitive and academic abilities, thus optimizing learning opportunities.” The SALTA program allows Midvale Middle School to create the best learning environment for all students, while preparing each student for success on the high-school and post-secondary level. l

TO SAVE ON YOUR COMFORT & UTILITIES MidvaleJ ournal . com

November 2015 | Page 15

Back to School

SPECIAL OFF Homes & Businesses

Simply Cool 15%

D

id you know that window tinting and coverings do more than just shield your eyes from bright light? Of course, this is a great benefit of the product, but some of the most important benefits of having quality window coverings and tinting come from what we can’t see.

harmful to human skin, it also damages our furniture, carpet, and car interiors. Window film can act like a sunscreen for us and our possessions that receive constant exposure to the sun. That is where a quality window tinting business, like Simply Cool, is here to help. “ W e take great pride in p e o p l e ’s comfort, their energy efficiency, and the beauty of their view,” said Aarfor years to come... on Darling, owner of Simply Cool. “We love it that we can enhance the security of their investment in their family and home.”

IT’S NOT TOO LATE

O SAVE ON YOUR COMFORT & UTILITIES

Ty p i most of ack tocally, School us are thinking about blocking the visible specomes & Businesses trum of light when we install window tinting on our vehicle or Howhe gift home. to your family that keeps giving ever, quality window tinting also blocks frequencies of light that aren’t visible to the human eye. Just as ultraviolet (UV) light is

SPECIAL 15% OFF

the gift to your family that keeps giving for years to come...

With more than 30 years of experience, Simply Cool is a name you can trust when it comes to your home, business or vehicle. They use only the best films available and always pay special attention to detail. The care and respect Simply Cool has for their clients’ personal space and property is unmatched in the industry. They complete a job quickly and professionally, while allowing their customers to keep their anonymity and privacy. They have a wealth of knowledge about their products, which lends them a great deal of insight when coming up with a solution for any request.

“We can take windows, old or new, and make them more efficient,” said Aaron.

“Tinting can reduce energy costs and sun damage, and we also have decorative film for the design conscious.”

Window tinting is not just for aes-

thetics. Properly applied window films can we specialize in car provide significant energy savings, increase windows comfort and safety, reduce glare and prevent too! fading, all without obstructing your view.

In the summer, air conditioners are more efficient as heat and light are reflected away from your windows, instead of beaming into your living room. In the winter, special “low-e” films work duel action to increase heat when you want it, and reflect it away when you don’t.

To some, “going green” may seem like a passing fad, but advancing technologies in the window tinting field have really helped people save money. If you haven’t looked into the benefits of window tinting and coverings, you should. Call Simply Cool at 801901-0255, or visit simplycoolusa.com to learn more. l

801-901-0255 SIMPLYCOOLUSA.COM

Health Insurance — Individual & Medicare Plans

801-901-0255

we specialize in car windows too!

IMPLYCOOLUSA.COM

Confused about your options?

Why make it harder than you have to? There is NO COST to use an agent and we can do all the paperwork for you.

We help you enroll through healthcare.gov or with an individual insurance company.

Open enrollment is for a limited time. Find out what you qualify for by contacting us today!

HEALTH & Senior Benefits 9429 South Union Square Sandy, UT 84070 healthandseniorbenefits@gmail.com

LaNelle Peterson 801-889-6982

Tyler Metcalf 801-501-0902

For Medicare: John Metcalf 801-501-0902

Page 16 | November 2015

Midvale C ity J ournal

The Power of Play at Midvale Elementary

L

130 Years

OF TRUST Taking Care of

YOUR FAMILY’S NEEDS

EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

Full Circle.

Your loved one will never leave our care and you will receive the highest levels of service.

Larkin Mortuary 260 East South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (801) 363-5781

Larkin Sunset Lawn 2350 East 1300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84108 (801) 582-1582

Larkin Sunset Gardens 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 S.) • Sandy, UT 84092 (801) 571-2771

Larkin Mortuary Riverton 3688 West 12600 South Riverton, UT 84065 (801) 254-4850

LarkinMortuary.com

By Stephanie Lauritzen

ast August, Boston transplant Brendan Toohey moved to Utah seeking new experiences and service opportunities. He knew he was interested in volunteer work, and after a quick Google search, felt immediately drawn to Playworks. Playworks, a recess program dedicated to utilizing the “power of play,” strives to improve the learning environment for both students and Playworks Coach Brendan Toohey plays a game of “Match Me” with kindergarten students. teachers by teaching problem-solving skills for tag, soccer, and creative play.

Ben Cromwell, the program during recess.

By doing this I create easy and pro- director at Playworks Utah, notes “I’m still a kid at heart,” Too- ductive play that is both physically that students often bring the skills hey admitted, ‘So I’m thrilled that I and emotionally safe,” Toohey said. they learn at recess with a Playworks get to do this every day.”

Spending recess time playing pro- coach back into the classroom, from As a Playworks coach, Toohey ductively allows students to go back learning to share a toy to rememberorganizes activities each day for the into the classroom ready to learn, and ing to include others in their play.

12 recess sessions and 800 students prevents behavior issues that could “Students return from recess more at Midvale Elementary. “This isn’t otherwise take a student out of their willing to engage with their peers, structured play; I organize places learning environment. and engage with teachers. Schools with the Playworks program see a dramatic reduction in behavior incidents.”

Playworks originated in California in 1996 when founder Jill Vialet met with an Oakland elementary school principal who felt overwhelmed by behavior issues occurring during recess. Vialet decided to “transform recess and the school day with safe and healthy play so teachers can teach and kids can learn.”

Cromwell notes that the resulting Playworks program hinges on the belief that “an engaged adult can proactively solve most of the problems” occurring in elementary school playgrounds and classrooms.

Toohey believes in another aspect of the Playworks philosophy: “Using the power of play to bring out the best in every kid.” He also knows that sometimes recess can be more traumatic than fun. “Sometimes kids don’t have friends to play with, or they might be intimidated by the playground. My job as a coach is to help kids who might otherwise be alone. They learn that they have a friend in their coach, and that they have the opportunity to make new friends at recess.”

The program also provides Midvale students celebrate winning the Golden Trophy Award recognizing valuable leadership opportunities for the values of respect, inclusion, healthy play and healthy community.

MidvaleJ ournal . com

November 2015 | Page 17

students through the Junior Coach program, in which fourth- and fifth- grade students meet with “Coach B” for leadership training. As junior coaches, they act as positive role models for younger students, and as long as they maintain good grades, get to help Toohey during two recess sessions during the week. “When

I work with the junior coaches, it is silly and fun, but purposeful at the same time,” Toohey said. “Junior coaches get positive experiences as growing leaders.”

Toohey also spends time in the classroom working with teachers to help students learn value-based skills such as empathy, problem solving and conflict

Midvale Elementary school students at recess.

30+ YEARS OF HELPING PEOPLE SELL their current home and BUY the new home of their dreams.

resolution. “These are life skills learned through play skills that relate to life both at home and at school.” Cromwell notes that working with Playworks coaches in the classroom allows teachers to show an-

other side of themselves to their students.

“Seeing their teacher play with them helps students trust their teachers, and therefore are more willing to learn in class.

Playworks coaches also provide teachers with new classroom management strategies to help students learn.”

Toohey was recently recognized for his work at Midvale Elementary with the Golden Trophy Award, an award given to the school best exemplifying the Playworks values of inclusion, respect, healthy community and healthy play. Toohey believes the support of Midvale students, teachers and administration help him build a successful program. While his contract with Playworks initially placed him at Midvale for 10 months, he is looking forward to extending his volunteer work for another year.

“This is real,” Toohey explained, “and it’s pretty incredible.” l

Midvale teachers use Playworks games in the classroom.

C

ANNON MORTUARY

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED FOR OVER 35 YEARS

offering Traditional Funeral Services • Cremation

Now is a great time to

BUY or SELL a home

with a tradition of trust behind you...

“Real Estate Joe” Olschewski

801-573-5056 Honest. Reliable. Dedicated.

Give The Gift of Peace to your loved ones.

5% OFF

• Serving all faiths and cemeteries • Pre-need Specialists

PROFESSIONAL FEES

Why pay big corporate prices?

PREPLANNED ARRANGMENTS

CALL TODAY to setup an appointment to discuss your personal funeral needs, whether it is immediate or planning for the future.

ON

2460 Bengal Blvd.

Salt Lake City, Utah 84121

(801) 942-6301

www.cannonmortuary.com

The Gift of a Gift-less Holiday

By Joani Taylor

I

t’s almost here: turkey time. I’ve always felt that Thanksgiving gets cheated. Before Halloween is even over, the stores cram their holiday sections with Christmas displays and have stooped to bribery by bargain, in an effort to get you out spending dough before you’ve had time to digest your dinner rolls. Poor Thanksgiving: it gets skipped right over.

Thanksgiving is actually one of my favorite holidays. What other day of the year is it socially acceptable to stuff your face with potatoes covered in fat, yell at the television and sleep on the couch, all while enjoying the company of family and friends without the expectation of ANY GIFTS? Don’t misunderstand; I’m only a wee bit of a cheap, old scrooge. I love the light that shines in a child’s eyes when the jolly old man in a red velvet suit lands on the rooftop and sneaks a toy under the tree. Who can complain about a furry little barnyard animal that hides chocolate eggs under sofa cushions? But, it seems that entertaining kids with giving gifts is taking over our holidays.

Now we have creepy-looking elves wreaking havoc on the house and leaving daily surprises for an entire month. There are leprechauns that deliver gold coins. And, this year a

Halloween witch has made her debut. She steals your candy in the darkness of night and leaves a gift in exchange. What’s next: the 4th of July, gift-bearing Uncle Sam? While I’d love to be the one to capitalize on the making of Tom the Turkey, who would gobble in on Thanksgiving eve to stuff a magic cornucopia full of candy feathers and toy pilgrims before popping himself in the oven, I’ll have to leave that one to the magic of the marketing pros. Until then, I am thankful that Thanksgiving is still a holiday that celebrates family without the expectation of presents. Joining together for a meal can take a toll on the wallet, though. Here are some tips for keeping the holiday eats big and cutting the budget to a minimum.

Keep It Simple: Alleviate yourself of

Professional Nails & Spa Pedicure Services

20% off

40% off

any

3

PEdiCURES, ManiCURES & SHEllaC

it e m s

not valid with any other offer. offer expires 11/30/15.

801-567-1115

7884 S. Redwood Rd. • West Jordan

Heartfelt Wall Hangings wood crafts  home decor  boutique items

25% off 1 item EXCLUDES CONSIGNMENT ITEMS. EXPIRES DECEMBER 15, 2015.

 WE DO CUSTOM VINYL  Join us for a Class or Girls Night Out 801-432-8741 • 1538 W. 7800 S.

www.heartfeltboutique.com

Nail Garden

801-944-2365

2420 E. Fort Union Blvd, Cottonwood Heights

Ski Nails

801-878-9665

6556 S. Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd. Ste 710, Holladay

the feeling that you have to prepare everyone’s favorite. Keep the popular favorites and get rid of the rest. My hubby loves a creamed corn casserole my grandmother used to serve, but no one else will touch it. So, I make it for his birthday instead.

Shop the sales early: The best prices for Thanksgiving meal essentials start three to four weeks before the holiday. Watch the ads and start purchasing the essentials early. Look for free and discounted turkey promos. Most stores run them a couple of weeks before the big day.

Clip the coupons: Pair your coupons with the sale items. If you’re a Smith’s shopper, check out a blog called Crazy4Smiths.com.

You’ll find the unadvertised bargains, along with the clipable, printable and digital coupons for those items. Maceys has coupons right on

their webpage (maceys.com). Harmons has a secret coupon special every Tuesday on Facebook.

And always check coupons.com for last minute printable coupons before heading to the store.

Volunteer: Skipping your own Thanksgiving meal and volunteering to serve up the chow at shelters like the Road Home or SL Mission is a great way to kick off the season of giving. If the volunteer schedule is full, consider making care packages for the homeless and then deliver them to the shelters on Thanksgiving.

Make your own decorations: Fancy napkin rings and centerpieces are expensive.

Check your local craft stores for ideas on making your own. Have the kids get in on it and make some memories, too. You can find a weekly list of craft store coupons on coupons4utah. com/craftstorecoupons.

Eating a dry turkey and unusual side dishes may not be the favorite of kids, but it is this gift-less holiday that joins family and kicks off the season of sacrifice, love and compassion, and that is one heck of a gift.

Note: Last month’s column had a notation about finding early movie previews at advance(d)screenings.com. There was a typo: the actual website is advancescreenings.com, without the “d”. l

FOOT Relax CENTER

FREE hot stone TREATMENT WITH FULL BODY MASSAGE Expires 11/30/15

FREE foot detox pads with foot massage Expires 11/30/15

Open 7 Days A Week: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

9495 S. 700 E. #2 (Sandy Village) N E W L O C AT I O N !

10334 S. Redwood Road, South Jordan

801-234-0566

yogurtvibesutah.com

FREE YOGURT with the purchase of a yogurt of equal or lesser value With coupon. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Expires 11/30/15

801-302-1182 • 3649 W. 10400 S. • South Jordan 801-282-4741 • 3961 W. 9000 S. • West Jordan

DON ' T BE UNPREPARED ...

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TRUST NOW! Free Appetizer or Dessert!

On your next visit to Winger's, enjoy a complimentary Appetizer or Dessert with the purchase of an Entree. Up to a $7.00 value!

Not valid in conjunction with any other offer, discount or promotion. Excludes gratuity. No cash back. One per table.

(801) 567-9799

9175 S. Redwood Road • West Jordan, UT 84088

Family Trust Agreements

Full Estate Planning Package: $900 �������� ��� �������� ���������

C. Michael Lawrence, P.C. Attorney at Law 801-270-9360 5681 South Redwood Road, Taylorsville

MidvaleJ ournal . com

November 2015 | Page 19

Send in the Clowns

By Peri Kinder

I

t’s a time of natural selection. A season of mass hysteria. Wolves, disguised as sheep, travel in packs, attacking the weak, the inferior, the less adaptable. I’m not talking about the latest season of “The Walking Dead”—but it’s close. I’m talking about the presidential campaign.

Next November we’ll be electing a new president, then we’ll spend 4-8 years slowly pecking him/her to death. And while the election is still a year away, I’m already tired of hearing campaign speeches, bloated promises and intolerant views.

Welcome to the Reality TV show political campaign landscape that’s a combination of “Survivor” and “Hell’s Kitchen.”

I call it “American Idle: Washington, D.C.” Instead of selecting a world leader who won’t be ridiculed by the entire planet, we seem to be more focused on a celebridential popularity contest, electing a president who has the strongest handshake, the best suit or the whitest smile.

The fact that Donald Trump thinks he represents this country with his intolerant, puffy-haired self-importance and insane detachment from reality makes the back of

my neck itch. I could list some of the dumbest things Trump has said, but it would be outdated before my column would be published.

In a circus act of national proportions, the presidential candidates twist the issues with the help of our frenzied media, who jump on every possibly scandalous topic like piranhas in a bloody river. We watch in horror as blooper reels blast through the Internet 24/7, and citizens become too fedup (or lazy) to be educated about the real issues.

The constant pandering to minority/ women/young voters is nauseating and obnoxious. This pandermania has included Hilary Clinton appearing as a bartender on Saturday Night Live, and Trump interviewing himself on “The Tonight Show.” I’m still waiting for the “Chris Christie/Marco Rubio American Ninja Warrior Challenge.”

Candidates throw out terms like “equality” and “justice” in verbose sentences that make no sense, such as, “The idea of equal equality is mostly within our grasping fingers because justice.”

Backpedaling, recanting, denying and

contradicting are commonplace in modern elections. Candidates often appear on news shows explaining what they “meant” to say.

It seems voters don’t even expect ethical behavior from the president-to-be. Voters are nothing if not irrational—which is fine, because the candidates are also irrational.

It’s no surprise there is big money behind each candidate. Political action committees (inexplicably deemed legal by the Supreme Court) literally purchase the new president. Millions of dollars are spent on TV ads, glossy mailings and social media campaigns, not to explain why you should vote for a candidate, but why you shouldn’t vote for their opponent. Mean-spirited, hateful speeches spew into the air, clouding the issues with their hazy pollution.

As the presidential race continues weaning out the unpopular and the less pretty (leaving the populace with a candidate most likely to pose for a selfie with Kanye West), voters become desperate, feeling their voices are not being heard.

It’s like watching a remake of the “Wizard of Oz” with Clinton trying to prove she has a heart, Trump trying to prove he has a brain and everyone else screeching and flapping like a barrel of flying monkeys. If we’re lucky, a house will fall on all of them.

There will definitely be a winner next November. I’m pretty sure it won’t be the voters. l

TREE sERviCEs

FENCiNg

YARD ClEAN UP

“intermountain Tree Experts”

Fence and handyman services, repairs and removals. Contact Adam for a fRee estimate! 801-471-9688

Flower beds, Hedges, Tree Trimming, Power Raking, Railroad Ties, Mowing & Hauling.

Trimming, removal, stump grinding

licensed and Insured Call spencer:

Senior Discounts!

Call Dan: 801-518-7365

801-244-3542

RooFiNg

lEgAl sERviCEs

WEllNEss CoAChiNg

ADvERTisE!

s&s ROOfing

legalshield

New Pathways Wellness Center

— Affordable Rates —

All types of roofs • $650 Off any reroof over 2,000 sq. ft.

Will & Powers of Attorney • Identity Theft Protection/Restoration • Starting at $17.95 per month

Reserve a spot now & get $150 OFF 3 months of wellness coaching!

Call Camille: 801-635-7286

siDiNg

YARD CARE

capital exteriors

Michael Deagle lanDscaping

RooFiNg OlyMpus ROOfing

801.973.1676

Siding - Soffit - Fascia - Raingutters

call nOW for specials (801) 253-2566

AfforDAble legAl ServiceS

Call Jan at 801-244-1360

Utah’s Finest in Lawn Care Spring / Fall Clean-ups, Aeration, Weekly Cuts All your lAndscApe needs

call Mike: 801-597-0143

“Fall Into Health & Healing” Nov. 7, 11am-2pm

Roof Repair

801.887.7663

Serving Wastach Front Since 1973

promote your business

Call 801.264.6649 to reserve this space.

TREE sERviCEs affordable Trimming & Removal Residential & Commercial - Licensed and Insured

Senior Discounts!

Call Dan: 801-518-7365

Page 20 | November 2015

Midvale C ity J ournal