Millcreek Journal | March 2022

March. 2022 | Vol. 04 Iss. 03

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PEDALING PAYS OFF—HIGH SCHOOL CYCLISTS RIDE 300 MILES

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By Deb Hafner | d.hafner@mycityjournals.com

O

n Oct. 27, 2021, Millcreek resident Abby Lowry, her brother Isaac Lowry, and friends Laneia Webb, and Max Dunlop set off on a 300-mile bike ride from Bluffdale, Utah, to the Arizona border of the Navajo Nation.

The bike ride is part of an ongoing fundraising effort to purchase and distribute supplies to the elderly and at-risk people living in isolated areas on the Navajo Nation.

For Fientje Allis, raising money for supplies and getting them to elders on the Navajo Nation has been her work since 1998. The bike ride component was added two years ago by Lowry’s friend, Taylor Wall, as a way the young cyclists could herald Allis’s efforts.

“I don’t think people are fully aware of the conditions the Navajo people are facing. The living conditions are a lot different than in Salt Lake even though it’s so close,” said Lowry.

According to Lowry, in the overall scope of raising money, the bike ride is “a way to demonstrate that we are serious about a cause that is greater than ourselves.”

This was Lowry’s second time on the 300-mile ride and her first time organizing and leading it. “It was definitely harder with the added pressure of taking charge of it,” she said, but she is grateful to have had the experience.

The group carried their camping equipment strapped to their bikes and on the first day rode from Bluffdale to Yuba Lake. Day two ended at Otter Creek State Park, and on the third day the cyclists rode to Kodachrome Basin State Park Abby Lowry and friends cross the Glen Canyon Dam bridge on the last day of their 300-mile ride. (Photo credit Ben Lowry) where they were joined by other cyclists and friends.

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Continued from front page The last day of the ride was 65 miles on and off dirt roads through the scenic vistas of Cottonwood Narrows, into Arizona, and across the Colorado River on the Glen Canyon Dam bridge.

“Crossing the bridge was symbolic of our long journey because for the Navajo people, the bridge is sacred in a sense of coming home and being united as a people,” said Lowry.

Allis was waiting on the other side of the bridge to congratulate and thank the cyclists. “Young people are the future for ongoing efforts to support those who need assistance and also promote cultural understanding,” Allis said.

As the liaison between the teen cyclists and the Navajo people, Allis said the Dine (Navajo) elders are deeply moved by the teenagers’ long journey and fundraising.

She said they would love to meet Lowry and her friends to thank them in person one day, when Covid restrictions are eased on the Nation.

Lowry’s efforts raised over $9,000, which went directly to purchase supplies that were then packed into boxes, each containing about $50 in nonperishable items.

The first shopping trip yielded enough to fill a convoy of 10 pickup trucks with boxes of supplies, which were delivered to the Navajo Nation before Thanksgiving 2021.

There was enough money in the coffers to do a second shopping trip, and this time Lowry and the volunteers she helped organize filled seven pickup trucks and made a delivery a few days before Christmas 2021.

One week after that delivery, the Navajo Nation was impassable, due to snow and ice, and no one could get in or out for several weeks, highlighting the importance of the supply boxes.

There is still enough left in the coffers to do a third supply drop, which is planned for March 6, and after that Allis is coordinat-

Journals T H E

Abby Lowry delivers supplies to the Navajo Nation purchased with funds raised by bike ride. (Photo credit Ben Lowry)

ing one in May. Lowry is graduating from Skyline High School this year and passing the torch to her brother, Isaac, to organize and lead the 300-

mile ride, coordinate the supply shopping, and organize the box packing and delivery.

Allis and other volunteers are working to form a nonprofit this year to sustain

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the humanitarian efforts, and pedaling, for years to come. Their GoFundMe can be found at: www.gofundme.com/f/navajo-nation-food-drive-2021. l

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Millcreek City Journal

District Crisis Team helps students deal with the unexpected

By Bill Hardesty | b.hardesty@mycityjournals.com

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long-time elementary school teacher dies over a weekend.

A school shooting happens off-campus but during school time.

A fifth-grader is hit by a car on her way to school.

Events such as these trigger the Granite School District Crisis Team. Often when such events occur, the statement is made that “grief counselors will be available at the school.” The grief counselors are the District Crisis Team.

When a crisis occurs, Ben Horsley, chief of staff for the district, and school directors, who are district staff overseeing numerous schools, are notified. From there, the District Crisis Team is activated.

“I get notified, and I start a text chain,” Judy Petersen, director of college and career readiness, said. “We always communicate everything using our technology.

So I’ve got my crisis group and my leadership group. And we get everybody in those groups together and communicating and make it happen.”

The team The District Crisis Team supports a school’s crisis team. Every school has a crisis team of the principal, vice-principals, counselors, social workers, the school psychologist, and others. They are the first to stand up.

In the case of a teacher’s death at Wright Elementary, only one member of the District Crisis Team was needed because the local crisis team had called upon neighboring schools. They had social workers from Lake Ridge Elementary, Orchard Elementary, Matheson Junior High and Cyprus High School.

Other times, like the recent Hunter High shooting, the entire five-person team is deployed. But, again, it depends on local resources and local needs.

The team has developed an easily accessible virtual folder available on all computers in the district.

“It’s our crisis folder,” Petersen said.

“It has resources. It has the protocol for principals to follow, sample emails to parents to teachers, a sample script of what to say in your staff meeting, what to say in the classroom. So, we’ve gone over as much as we possibly can think of and put it in that file. And it’s dynamic. We’re always adjusting it.”

The protocol The protocol is designed to flex depending on the situation.

For example, when the teacher died over the weekend there was time to prepare. Petersen explained the first step was a before-school meeting with administration, teachers and staff. Relevant details were shared, and a plan for the day was drawn up. The plan called for teachers to

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deliver the news. However, a District Crisis Team member could support the teacher if a teacher didn’t feel capable.

“You want kids to know before they get their social media because news travels fast,” Petersen said.

“We have a little script we follow,” Petersen said. “The script says you probably have people in your family who have passed away. You know of people who are sick, and you’re worried about them passing away. We talk about how that’s just part of life. It’s OK to feel sad. It’s OK to be scared. It’s OK not to know what to expect.

Sometimes with the little kids we’ll use children’s books to help them understand grief.”

Teachers were also instructed to look for students who needed extra support.

Those students are provided an increased level of intervention.

“We just talk to the kids because there’s that empty desk in the room. And it takes some time to process all of it,” Petersen said.

Petersen mentioned that by lunchtime, most students are feeling OK. “In the afternoon, we flip it,” Petersen said. “After we’ve gone through our script, and we know that the kids are OK, then we turn it to a positive.”

The crisis team asks students to write cards for the family. The team models what to say.

“In this case, dear Mrs. So and So’s family. We’re so sorry about her passing.

And then we asked them to write something really positive that they remember about that person, and then have them sign their name,” Petersen said. “And boy, some of the cards that we get are just so touching.

We screen them because we don’t want anything inappropriate going to the deceased person’s home. But they’re just really, really good.”

In the case of an event like the Hunter shooting that happens suddenly, the District Crisis Team adapts the protocol because changes are happening so fast. For Hunter, there were two variables to control. First, the team could not enter until the school was safe, and secondly, a lot of planning and scheduling had to happen. For example, the information had to be sent to parents about the incident and the school’s response before being dismissed. Another planning issue was changing the bus schedule to allow a 1 p.m. dismissal. The crisis team also provided support to the Granite School District Police, who responded to the event.

Regardless of the size of the crisis, the District Crisis Team “Gathers the list of names of all of the students who their teachers and others identified to meet individually with a social worker. Because before we

The memorial on the side of the road in honor of the two Hunter students who died in January. The District Crisis Team had to adapt protocol the day of the shooting because of the variables involved. (Greg James/City Journals)

leave the school, we make sure that every parent of every student that we’ve met with during the day gets a call.”

The final action is a debriefing meeting for all people involved. The district crisis team wants to identify steps that went well and document learning points for the next crisis.

The personal cost Members of the District Crisis Team have other responsibilities, but they drop their work at a moment’s notice.

“It takes a toll on us. It just zaps your energy,” Petersen said. “Before we leave the room or wherever we are debriefing, we articulate to each other what our plan is for self-care for when we get away from the situation. And that’s invaluable.”

SafeUT Petersen mentioned how helpful the SafeUT app is for students. According to their website, “The SafeUT app provides a way to connect to licensed counselors that are ready to listen to any sized crisis or concern. Help is immediate and confidential, and as easy as reaching for your phone and sending that first text.”

Originally, SafeUT was designed for students and educators. However, the initiative proved successful, that two more SafeUT apps were created. SafeUT Frontline is for frontline workers like law enforcement, fire/EMS, healthcare professionals and their families. SafeUT National Guard is for members and their families serving in the Utah National Guard.l

March 2022 | Page 5

Olympus students’ art displayed at Springville Art Museum’s 50th annual all-state show

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

T

he Springville Museum of Art student show runs through March 25. Now in its 50th year, the All-State High School Art show received 1,063 entries this year. Of those, 335 were selected for exhibition.

Entries from seven Olympus High students were among those selected for the show.

“I assigned the AP art students to enter this show because it helps them build up their portfolios, which is how they get credit for the class. They hate it when I assign them to enter things, but then they’re really glad afterwards that they did it,” said Olympus’s AP art teacher Jeremy Petersen.

The selections included Janie Bonham, the art Sterling Scholar from Olympus. Bonham’s work is an oil on board called “Anticipation.” It received an Award of Merit.

“I was interested in the idea of time, and when I first started I was painting something that had to do with procrastination. The more I worked with it, the more I realized I wanted to change it and do something different. So I made her (the subject) looking forward to something instead of procrastinating,” Bonham said.

Most of the students whose entries were selected are in Petersen’s AP art class. Instead of a traditional AP test for credit, on test day the students upload their portfolio to be adjudicated. They also have several presentation nights in the spring.

Junior Sophie Santos was also given an Award of Merit. Her digital painting was selected for the traveling exhibition, and is called “Solution 5: Oyster Mushrooms to Combat Oxidized Oil Spill.”

Santos’s artist statement explains how her art expresses her hope for solutions to climate issues. “Mushrooms are an untapped resource when resolving the threats pollution poses to humanity’s current way of life. They can digest plastics and crude oil, and become a sustainable method to clean up our messes.”

Santos envisions oyster mushrooms as “futuristic machinery” to help the climate crisis. And yes, she has also thought of and illustrated solutions one through four.

Junior Katherine Carlston’s entry of oil on board called “Accidental Light” won an Honorable Mention, 3rd Congressional District. Her painting depicts a young woman in blue flanked by ravens.

Her face is aglow with light. Carlston drew inspiration from a Native American myth that ravens brought light to the universe after stealing it.

Maddi Fairbanks is a senior whose work “Blue” was done in ballpoint pen.

“I just bought a pack of cheap pens from the dollar store.” Pens are much harder to draw with than pencils because you can’t erase mistakes, but Fairbanks said that was

Page 6 | March 2022

AP Art Studio students work on their portfolios in Jeremy Petersen’s class at Olympus High. In the foreground are four of the students whose entries were selected for the Springville Museum of Art’s All-State Art Show. L to R: Jeremy Petersen, Sophie Santos, Katherine Carlston, Janie Bonham and Maddi Fairbanks. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

Above: “Anticipation” by Janie Bonham. (Springville Museum of Art) Left: “Blue” by Maddi Fairbanks. (Springville Museum of Art)

actually her intention.

“My drawing has a lot of scribbles, which might look like mistakes. But my piece represents finding beauty in imperfection.…[It’s] overwhelming up close.

From afar one can understand how flaws can work together to form something beautiful,” Fairbanks said.

Artist statements from three other students describe their works. Rebekah Latham is a junior who used papier-mâché to create an alebrije—a fantastical Mexican folk art sculpture. It’s called “Colors Through an Alebrije.”

“This project challenged me because this is my first time actually sculpting

with papier-mâché. I thought it might be interesting to create this project using animals to represent earth, wind and water,” Latham wrote.

Senior Eliza Meier’s oil on board painting of a leopard is called “Curiosity,” and was selected for the traveling exhibition.

“I wanted to redefine the stereotype of a predatory animal by focusing on the leopard’s curiosity rather than the killer instincts. Repeating patterns in the background also emphasize its individualized pattern, which makes each one unique,” Meier said.

Several of the entries used images

found online for models, but senior Avery English found inspiration much closer to home. Her pencil drawing is of her and her dog, Indi. The work is titled “Indi,” and it won the First Place Award, 3rd Congressional District.

English and Indi are depicted in a happy, cozy embrace. English writes simply, “I feel dogs are a reliable source of love.”

The students are quick to give mentoring credit to their teacher. “He is so good to work with. And he knows so much. Ask him anything about art history—he knows everything. He gives such good advice on our artwork, but on other things too,” Carlston said of Petersen.

Millcreek City Journal

Petersen and art teacher Michelle McCowan helped the students with the logistics and details of entering the Springville show and others throughout the year. Requirements for framing, drop-off, and other hard deadlines are easier when a teacher is there to guide the students.

Principal Jennifer Christensen is excited for the artists. “This is amazing! Our students are extremely talented. It is so much fun to see them achieve these wonderful accomplishments.”

For information about visiting the museum in Springville, or to see images of all the selected entries including the seven from Olympus students, visit the museum’s website, www.smofa.org and search “high school art show.” l

Clockwise: “Solution 5: Oyster Mushrooms to Combat Oxidized Oil Spill” by Sophie Santos. (Springville Museum of Art) “Accidental Light” by Katherine Carlston. (Springville Museum of Art) “Indi” by Avery English. (Springville Museum of Art) “Curiosity” by Eliza Meier. (Springville Museum of Art) “Colors Through an Alebrije” by Rebekah Latham.

(Springville Museum of Art)

MillcreekJournal .com

March 2022 | Page 7

Returning talent takes the field for Eagles Photos by Travis Barton

H

ailey Louder was a bright spot for the Skyline softball team a year ago as one of the idan Boice returns for the Skyline baseball team this spring. The senior led from the team’s primary pitchers. However it was behind the plate where she did the most damage mound last season going 9-3 while also chipping in 16 RBIs. In 2021, the Eagles went hitting .656 with eight home runs, 19 doubles and knocking in 46 RBIs for the 11-16 Eagles.

19-11 taking the No. 12 seed for the playoffs where after sweeping Viewmont, they fell in the The talented junior returns for Skyline as they open the season at Northridge on March 8 super regional to Woods Cross. Skyline opens the season March 8 at home against Alta. l before the team’s season opener on March 9 against Granger. l

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Millcreek City Journal

State runners-up lace up for another season Photos by Justin Adams

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ars Torgersen controls the ball during Skyline’s semifinal game against Brighton last he Eagles defeated Brighton 3-1 in the 2021 semis at Herriman High School. The rematch year, which saw the Eagles emerge victorious 3-1. The Eagles finished the 2021 regular will take place March 22 at home for Skyline. The Eagles will have a slightly altered season with the No. 10 seed for the playoffs going on a semi-Cinderella run. After dispatch- region this year. Hillcrest and Cottonwood are no longer region opponents while Park City ing Bonneville 5-2, Skyline then defeated the higher seeded Alta (7) and Mountain Ridge (2) joins the fray. l before taking on region rivals Brighton in the semifinals. Three first-half goals saw the Eagles clinch a spot in the championship game where they fell to Wasatch 2-1. l

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Millcreek City Journal

Cupid’s Chase 5K aids people with disabilities seeking jobs and homes

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By Deb Hafner | d.hafner@mycityjournals.com

eople with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome and traumatic brain injury often need guidance and advocacy when they are job hunting.

Sometimes adults with disabilities who have never lived on their own need help finding a place to live and going about dayto-day household activities.

Enter Community Options, a nonprofit that helps people with developmental and intellectual disabilities find jobs and places to live.

Harmon’s Brickyard and Goodwill of Millcreek have benefitted by hiring Community Options supported individuals.

Shannon Wilkins, the director of employment services at Community Options, said they recently helped an individual who had been looking for a job for over a year before he came to them for help. Wilkins said they focus on the person and their job needs and skill levels, then partner with local businesses to assist with the interview and employment processes.

Community Options operates in 11 states, having expanded to Utah in 2017 when they were alerted to a need for ser-

vices in the Salt Lake valley. In Utah, Community Options supports 60 people in their independent work program and 35 people in their residential living program.

Community Options owns seven homes in Utah with four to five people living in each home with full-time support.

Community Options is mostly funded through the Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Program, but like most nonprofits, it has to fundraise to cover gaps.

They do this with the annual Cupid’s Chase 5K in February, in honor of the month they opened their doors in 1989.

This year, the Cupid’s Chase 5K will be held in 34 cities across the country, with nearly 10,000 runners, donors and volunteers.

The Utah Cupid’s Chase was held on Feb. 12 in Sugar House Park.

They hoped to raise $15,000 to bridge their funding gap, raise awareness of the ways they can help people with disabilities, and attract direct support professionals who want to work in their residential homes. l

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Community Options has helped people with disabilities find jobs in Millcreek and hosts an annual 5k to raise money.

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Good news for Mill Creek six months after concrete spill

By Deb Hafner | d.hafner@mycityjournals.com

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esidents of Millcreek, concerned about the health of their namesake creek after a massive concrete spill last summer, can rest assured that the creek water is safe and fish have been repopulated.

On a bright day in February, while kids and parents fed the ducks hanging out at the pond in Scott Avenue Park, there was no evidence that a massive amount of concrete had polluted stream waters here last summer.

Ducks and geese spend winter resting on the banks of the pond at the 6-acre Scott Avenue Park. They hang out on the man-made overflow basin in the northeast corner of the park that was once part of a trout hatchery in the 1970s.

The overflow basin at Scott Avenue Park is fed by Mill Creek and maintained by Salt Lake County. Mill Creek is 18.5 miles long and originates in the Wasatch Range. It flows west and converges with the north-flowing Jordan River, where they eventually feed into the Great Salt Lake.

On its westward journey, Mill Creek winds through almost all of the city of Millcreek—under highways, through people’s backyards, along trails and in and out of parks like the Scott Avenue Park.

Millcreek Mayor Jeff Silvestrini said, “The creek is an identifying part of our city. It is our signature creek and namesake.”

Last July, about 300 dead fish, which Silvestrini said were hard to look at, floated down the creek as far west as 500 East, the upsetting results of a concrete spill that happened on July 29, 2021, on the west side of I-215 at a construction project.

The spill was caused when concrete waste from UDOT construction contractor, Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction, was dumped into a storm drain that they thought was no longer in use. The outflows were not blocked, and the concrete was discharged into the creek.

Filling a storm drain vault with concrete is an acceptable practice at large construction sites if the drain is abandoned or no longer in use. This particular storm drain system, however, had not been sealed.

Cement contains a large amount of alkali, and when it hit the water, it instantly raised pH levels to a dangerous high, killing trout and other fish in the vicinity. See www.valleyjournals.com/2021/08/30/366940/concrete-spillcleanup-in-mill-creek-continues Myriad environmental agencies were alerted and rapidly mobilized—the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR), the Utah Division of Water Quality (DWQ), Millcreek City, the Salt Lake County Health Department, and UDOT—launching into a massive cross-agency coordinated cleanup to retrieve and remove concrete from the water and banks of the creek.

In addition, within two hours of learning of the incident, Ralph L.Wadsworth Con-

Page 12 | March 2022

struction hired environmental cleanup firm, Clean Harbors, who was onsite and working on cleanup efforts within one hour of being retained.

The Salt Lake County Health Department issued a warning for people and domestic animals to steer clear of the stream and dispatched workers door-to-door notifying Millcreek residents of the unsafe water.

Faith Heaton Jolley, the spokesperson for the DWR, said the fish population that was affected was primarily composed of Bonneville cutthroat trout, brown trout and the occasional tiger trout. Approximately 300 dead fish were collected from the impacted area, but that number likely represents only a portion of the population that was impacted by the spill, said Jolley. Previous surveys suggest population estimates of 600 fish per mile in the area that was impacted by the spill.

Over 60 bags of concrete were cleaned up and hauled out of the creek and riparian zones.

A heavy rainfall the weekend after the spill flushed the water downstream, and the creek was deemed safe by the environmental agencies.

Now, six months later, there is good news for residents who are wondering about follow-up, how the creek can be protected going forward, and if they will be able to fish this spring.

John Gleason, UDOT spokesperson, stated that “for the duration of the project, UDOT and RLWadsworth will discuss the proximity (within 50 feet) and potential of work that could impact any waterways at all construction pre-activity meetings. Additionally, work will stop at defined stages to ensure work is proceeding without risk to the stream and according to the contract before proceeding to the next stage.”

The DWQ issued a notice of violation to UDOT and Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction in October of last year, and according to Gleason, “RLWadsworth is committed to support restoration efforts.”

Last October and November the DWR began restocking Mill Creek with trout—12,500 to be exact.

The DWR stocked Mill Creek with the following: 5,000 2- to 3-inch Bonneville cutthroat trout between Thousand Springs and the mouth of Mill Creek Canyon; 2,000 2- to 3-inch Bonneville cutthroat trout in four locations of Mill Creek between 1900 East and 3400 East; and 5,500 2- to 3-inch Bonneville cutthroat trout at the Winter Gate or Maple Grove area.

Some of the fish stocking was already planned, according to Jolley, but they increased the number of fish and altered the locations of the stocking in response to the fish that were killed in the cement spill.

Jolley said DWR has plans to stock an additional 5,000 fingerling Bonneville cutthroat trout within the impacted area over the next

Mill Creek winds its way through town in a canal behind homes on Millcreek Way. (Deb Hafner/City Journals)

three years. Additional larger fish may also be stocked if they are available this year and in 2023. Additional or future stocking updates can be found on the DWR website: www. dwrapps.utah.gov/fishstocking/Fish?y=2021 Mike Slater, Sportfish Project leader with the DWR, said there are no concerns for people fishing in the impacted reach of Mill Creek, but most fish will be small this year, probably reaching 6 inches by the end of the summer.

As to the quality of the water in the creek and the riparian zones, testing continued throughout the summer, and there were no reported concerns with water quality or environmental hazards.

The silver lining in the wake of the unfortunate accident is the demonstration of cross-agency coordination and the glimpse into the fluidness with which the state-wide agencies can mobilize the public rarely sees.

The Division of Water Quality Director, Erica Gaddis, noted “We are appreciative of the collaborative efforts of the City

of Millcreek, UDOT, Clean Harbors, and the Division of Wildlife Resources to work in partnership with our agency and ensure that the environmental impact of this spill was quickly understood and addressed. This level of coordination and responsiveness minimizes risk to public health and the environment, and is what the public should expect from both public and private organizations.”

Silvestrini was pleased with the way the agencies came together to repair the damage done to the beloved city creek. “From the time this spill was discovered by a Millcreek inspector who alerted the appropriate entities, Millcreek was pleased by the response and communication between all parties,” he said. “This spill impacted several Millcreek residents along the stream and the fish kill was very difficult to observe. I feel the cleanup efforts were well done and with the added benefit of two major rain storms, the impacted properties were restored and the fish population has been restocked to bring Mill Creek back to a good condition.” l

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Millcreek author shares love for creative writing with Utah students

By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com

L

ong-time Millcreek resident Tiffany Rosenhan may have picked an inopportune time to publish her debut novel—right in the middle of a global pandemic. But with restrictions lifting, she’s recently been able to tour local schools to promote her book, but also to hopefully impart a love for writing.

“I love to discuss the book, but what’s more important is discussing creative writing.

I encourage students to pursue writing as a tool they can use to understand themselves and the world around them,” Rosenhan said.

That’s what writing has been for Rosenhan for most of her life. Growing up in Millcreek and attending Skyline High School, she had no intentions of becoming an author. She was interested in international relations, with aspirations of one day working for the state department or the CIA. But she enjoyed creative writing as a hobby and as a tool to process her feelings.

It wasn’t until later when she was married and living at home with a newborn daughter while her husband attended medical school that she began writing in earnest.

“The second my daughter laid down, I would start writing. I didn’t watch TV or other things. I embraced that time,” she said.

For her, it was a form of therapy.

“Whether it was 2 p.m. or 2 a.m., I needed

Tiffany Rosenhan says the most rewarding part of publishing her debut novel “Girl From Nowhere” is the opportunity it’s given her to interact with students around Utah, hopefully imparting her love for creative writing to them. (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Rosenhan)

that writing session to stay in tune with myself,” she said.

And that’s how her debut novel, “Girl From Nowhere,” came into being. In it, Rosenhan draws from her interest in international affairs to tell the story of a young girl whose parents’ involvement in international diplomacy lands her in hot water.

It’s a spy-thriller inspired by the likes of Ian Fleming, John le Carré and Tom Clancy, only with a teenage girl as the protagonist.

Part of the decision to make her protagonist a teenager comes from the admiration Rosenhan has for young people.

“Teenagers have a unique way of looking at that world. I embrace teenagers as powerful, adaptable humans,” she said.

She also draws inspiration from her own daughters and their friends in the community “who overcome really hard things.”

It’s that deep level of respect for young people that drove Rosenhan to

base her book promotion around visiting schools. She has a goal to visit every middle school and high school in the state, as well as a handful of others in surrounding states.

It’s been a valuable experience for Rosenhan, one that she says has given her a deeper appreciation for all the teachers and librarians who are so passionate about instilling a love for reading in their students.

“I’ve been amazed at the work our librarians do in our community. I admire all that they do to increase literacy and learning, particularly in rural or underserved communities,” she said.

For anyone who wants to pursue writing in any capacity, Rosenhan said that her advice is to write for yourself and write what interests you.

“Writing what you love is so important in fiction. I look forward to being with my characters and building the world. It’s not a chore. I’m very fortunate to do something I love,” she said.

Readers can find “Girl From Nowhere” at local bookstores Frost Books in Millcreek and at the King’s English Bookshop in Salt Lake City, as well as online through Target, Barnes & Noble and Amazon. l

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Meet Millcreek’s newest councilmember: Thom DeSirant

By Bridget Raymundo | b.raymundo@mycityjournals.com

O

n Jan. 24, Thom DeSirant was appointed to be the Millcreek representative on the Board of the Wasatch Front Waste & Recycling District for the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the city.

“I attended the first meeting of the year this morning,” said DeSirant, “And met with some staffers there…. I’m excited to do this.” In his campaign, he said, “Millcreek was my first introduction to Utah and the reason why I chose to move to the state. As our community grows, I want to make sure Millcreek stays a city we can all live in.”

Right after the decision was made, DeSirant thanked everyone.

DeSirant graduated from the University of Maryland, then moved to Utah for his family. His sister lived in Millcreek and, for years, he had visited her until he decided to call it home. He has a background in digital forensic work for the US government where he recruited and managed over 100 employees. His work contributed to nonprofit ballot measures and he continued consulting, graphic design, and data work for nonprofit fundraising.

While DeSirant was on campaign for

the Millcreek City Council, he received an endorsement from Millcreek Mayor Jeff Silvestrini, along with the Salt Lake Valley Law Enforcement Association. Silvestrini said, “I have known Thom for some time and appreciate his love for Millcreek. He is the only candidate for District 2 who has been attending city council and planning commission meetings regularly for years, and unlike other candidates, not just in connection with a campaign. I am comfortable that he understands the issues and challenges our city faces, including the details of our budget, better than any other candidate. I believe Thom is the best qualified candidate to represent District 2.”

The Salt Lake Valley Law Enforcement Association said in a statement, “After speaking with Thom DeSirant, we were impressed by his commitment to Millcreek. He supports law enforcement and will make public safety a top priority.

Thom understands crime issues in Millcreek and will fight for the safety of our city. Thom is the choice for City Council, please rank him No. 1 on your ballot.”

DeSirant ran on the promise of increasing owner-occupied housing, making

improvements to Scott Park, and mobile reporting of emergencies and updates for residents. His solutions to improve the community involve ensuring safe, quickly repaired streets and sidewalks, and making park access within walking distance of every resident.

He expects to broaden social media outreach for residents to be informed of the city council’s work and continuing fiscal responsibility to maintain low taxes. In addition, he advocates for direct feedback through his regular text message polls for public opinion on city issues, and he voiced a need for more bus shelters to encourage public use of the bus system.

The bus shelters would be funded through a federal infrastructure bill which would not affect the city budget. He is the current Executive Director of the Utah Democratic Party, and the District 2 City Council Representative.

His swearing-in ceremony was held Jan. 10 at the Millcreek City Hall. At the conclusion of the city council vote for his unanimously approved appointment, Silvestrini closed with, “Thom, I’m sure you’ll do a great job.” l

Thom DeSirant is Millcreek’s newest councilmember. (Courtesy Millcreek City)

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Page 16 | March 2022

Millcreek City Journal

Millcreek acquires land parcel for trail improvement

By Bridget Raymundo | b.raymundo@mycityjournals.com

T

he State of Utah and the city of Millcreek are now in a joint Grant Agreement which funds the acquisition of an undeveloped parcel of land for the continuance, maintenance, and improvement of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.

As of Jan. 24, the agreement was approved through a unanimous vote at the Millcreek City Council meeting and was deemed effective immediately. The council approval authorized Mayor Jeff Silvestrini to sign the agreement with the state and purchase the Teton View estate, located above Teton Drive.

The mayor and Elyse Sullivan, the city recorder, are also authorized by the council vote to administer necessary minor changes and recommendations in the deliverance of the grant agreement.

The conditions include the requirement for the trail to be kept open for the use and benefit of the general public. The shares of the State of Utah involved in this agreement are the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation.

The contract period is from Sept. 25, 2021 until the completion date of Sept. 24, 2022. Up to $28,000 will be awarded by the state government for the open space acquisition.

The space is currently priced for $31,000, so Millcreek City can expect to match the

$28,000 state grant with only $3,000 to pay.

Additionally, the in-kind match, a partial land donation or appraisal covered by a third party, comprises $5,000. This means Millcreek City will only need to pay less than 10% of the financial value of the land. In fall 2021, the negotiations for the parcel were conducted. The seller is now slowly approaching the final steps in closing the deal which should be completed by the first quarter of this year.

The construction of the trail can commence in 2022 and be finished in 2023.

The Teton View LLC parcel, as it is called, will likely become part of the Grandeur Peak Open Space managed by Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation Open Space for maintenance in cooperation with the USFS Salt Lake Ranger District. The trail between Millcreek and Parleys Canyon will be jointly owned by the county and USFS since it intersects in multiple places. The Teton parcel is 2.79 acres in size and located on the west flank of Grandeur Peak on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail alignment which will then connect to the Parleys Canyon.

In a separate application for grant funding, Millcreek is planning to purchase the Rainclouds/Shaw parcel further along the BST alignment. The Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, western end of the Pipeline Trail, and the Old Quarry Road are included in the area speci-

Map showing the boundaries and position of the open space acquisition in relation to other properties including where the BST trail alignment would be located (Photograph provided by Millcreek grant application)

fied. The Quarry Road connects to the north end of Wasatch Boulevard, and Rattlesnake Gulch Trail is adding a parallel trail at less than 10% grade for a multi-use trail as per BST standards.

A five-mile stretch of trail will be set be-

tween Millcreek and Parleys Canyon. Following this, the purchased Rainclouds and Teton View parcels will make way for a trail construction project that will connect the already established Pipeline and Old Quarry Trails to the new segment.l

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Skyline basketball enjoys up and down season

By Daniel Olsen | d.olsen@mycityjournals.com

A

fter some rough losses in this up-anddown season, coach Cory Plant still had high hopes for his Skyline Eagles boys basketball team in the postseason. Many of their losses were close contests, and they finally snapped a three game losing streak with a twopoint win over East.

“We started out hot at 9-1,” Plant said.

“But then we dropped some games, won a few, and dropped a few more. Covid kind of affected us and we also had some injuries. Most of our defeats are under six points. We score around 67 points a game while giving up 61 points. Our highest scoring performances were 88 points which we did twice.”

There were several key contributors honored on Senior Night when Skyline. “(Kolton) Smith is a really good shooter who can hit a lot of threes,” Plant said. “He made 10 in one game. Teams plan their games around him now. The secret is out. He is hot in rebounds and leads the team in defensive rebounds. He’s probably the second leading scorer on the team. He shoots 41% from three, 70% on free throws and 47% from the field. He is also high in assists and steals.”

Smith and Hansen Gu were the team captains, ready to help lead the team to victory.

There are younger players who are also had a huge impact on games for the Eagles.

One of those players was Yorgio Golesis.

“Golesis is a great junior who leads the team in scoring,” Plant said. “He shoots a 48% field goal average. He shoots the ball well and attacks the basket. He’s one of the state leaders in assists. He also leads the team in steals.

He’s averaging 20 points per game and seven assists.”

With all the ups and the downs, there have been several fond memories that the 2021-22 Eagles will have about this season.

“In the first part of the season we were giving up a lot of fast break points,” Plant said.

“We turned it around to change. We are getting better. Fortunately, these juniors that have been doing so well are coming back. We can be a formidable opponent for anybody. We lost by 16 points to Olympus. All other losses were by six points and under. Three were overtime games. We can excel and continue on a good The Skyline boys basketball team started the season 9-1. (Travis Barton/City Journals) path.”

While the team has been improving, there is still room for growth on one end of the floor. has aspirations of a state title, there are smaller ball more. We need six passes per possession.

“It comes down to one thing and that’s de- goals the Eagles set.

By doing that you win that possession.” fense,” Plant said. “We need to play consistent “We want to make more threes than the “The thing about Skyline is the kids work defense. Someone needs to pick up the break- other team,” Plant said. “We want to get to the all year round,” Plant said. “We played some downs when we have them. We need to keep final four and play at a university. We also want tournaments in the offseason and beat a lot of attacking and pressure the ball. We also need to to get to the foul line more than other teams. good teams in good leagues. You go through deny passes and defend the three-point shot.”

That hasn’t always happened. That starts by at- some adversity every season. The ones that While every high school basketball team tacking the basket. We need to try to move the handle it better come out stronger.” l

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Page 18 | March 2022

Millcreek City Journal

The official Millcreek volunteer handbook is on the way

By Bridget Raymundo | b.raymundo@mycityjournals.com

I

n January, John Brems, the Millcreek City attorney, presented the Volunteer Policy at the Millcreek City Council special work meeting.

The Volunteer Committee who constructed the handbook involved people who are in regular contact with volunteers as volunteer coordinators and other supports. Volunteer coordinators manage the volunteers into an organized force; representatives from Venture Out and the Promise Program were present at the special work meeting.

“These are the goals,” Brems said, “(to) provide guidance and direction for city employees and volunteers…implementing consistent policy, increasing safety for the public and vulnerable populations, and improved data and record keeping for future grants, quarterly and annual reports purposes, for city highlights.”

In effect, the new handbook will be important to grant applications and streamline the current process. Additionally, it creates a workable process to manage and recruit volunteers for the city. The Volunteer Committee revitalized the city volunteer email account since it was previously self-conflicting. Volunteer coordinators, human resources and assistant city manager are expected to use a centralized file which will only be

MillcreekJournal .com

“This will make for a much smoother transition for volunteers to be involved in all aspects of Millcreek and maybe they won’t just feel limited to one particular thing—that they will get involved wherever they’re capable and have interest, so thank you for doing this work everybody.”

— Councilwoman Cheri Jackson accessible to them to prevent data gathering.

Volunteer coordinators will determine whether a volunteer will undergo a criminal check depending on the service the volunteer will provide, particularly serving vulnerable populations, such as children/minors or adults who have a mental or physical impairment.

Certain documentation will be required from volunteers as specified in the handbook. The volunteer agreement will contain the contact information, policy, waiver, private business interests and definition of volunteer acknowledgements. It will also ask for the consent to a criminal records check.

The waivers will clarify the volunteer’s consent to policy, a media release form, and a liability waiver. The media release form enables the city to take photos and publicize the good work within the community. The

disclosure of private business interest will not prohibit volunteer involvement, but is needed for transparency. As positions of business interests change, so should the disclosure be updated as well.

The volunteer handbook is meant to be given to volunteers and replace the many different circulating forms. The handbook is available online, at the information center in the city hall foyer, and at individual department events.

Section one of the handbook is about highlighting policy and purpose for utilizing volunteers. It establishes the volunteer program and encourages their involvement in city events and meetings. Moreover, section one identifies responsibilities of different roles and states management ought to comply with the guidelines. Rights and responsibilities for volunteers are addressed, for

example, providing worker compensation, liability protection under government immunities, and others to be given by the council.

Section two describes volunteer management procedures—a conflict of interest, representation of the city, minors, city’s drug and alcohol policy, code of conduct, criminal records check under officer and employee ethics act and more. Volunteers cannot commend or expand city fund expenditures of the public fund without city manager designated approval. Public statements cannot be issued by volunteers to press coalitions, social media, and lobbying efforts on official positions or statements of the city. Minors who choose to volunteer need the consent of a parent, guardian, or responsible person. Section two also pulls statements about harassment, discrimination, and retaliation from the city employee manual to promote a violence-free space. Refusal to a criminal check disqualifies volunteers; volunteers will be reimbursed for the $15 needed to collect criminal records.

Volunteers need to be clearly identified by their supervisor, and they can supervise other volunteers given the approval. Reimbursements for expenses made by volunteers are issued only when the payment is authorized by the department. Both individuals and groups may volunteer so long as they all submit the necessary signed documents.

Submission of these required documents can be made on the city website, by email, at information locations, or by scanning a QR code at the volunteer event.

In the future, there are plans to work within the budget amendment to create the Golden Volunteer Management Platform App which has not yet been purchased. The app would track hours on a digital platform moving volunteer records away from manual systems in place already. The app may also be used to broadcast when there is a need for volunteers.

Community council members, the planning commission committee, and the youth city council are expected to sign the handbook. Canyon Rim Cares is a separate organization; however, since the city is contributing $10,000 to the organization, it is likely Canyon Rim Cares will also adopt the Volunteer Handbook if it becomes a part of Millcreek City standards. It is probable the Millcreek Elementary Volunteer Reading Program will use the volunteer handbook as another safety measure rather than relying solely on adult supervision as before.

“This will make for a much smoother transition for volunteers to be involved in all aspects of Millcreek and maybe they won’t just feel limited to one particular thing—that they will get involved wherever they’re capable and have interest, so thank you for doing this work everybody,” said Councilwoman Cheri Jackson. l

March 2022 | Page 19

Are electric buses a viable solution for Little Cottonwood traffic problems?

By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com

A

group of local elected officials, community activists and college students boarded a bus last month for a ride up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Their goal? To show that electric buses can be a viable solution for the canyon’s traffic problems.

The Utah Department of Transportation is currently in the middle of the process of narrowing down its list of proposals. From an original list of five possibilities, the department narrowed its consideration down to two: an enhanced bus system (along with widening the roads in the canyon) and the construction of a gondola.

Throughout its Environmental Impact Statement report, UDOT’s analysis of the enhanced bus system presupposes that those buses would run on diesel fuel. An assumption that Cottonwood Heights City councilwoman Ellen Birrell says is based on a myth that electric buses don’t have what it takes to make it up the steep slopes of the canyon.

“We’re going to urge UDOT to revisit their assessment,” Birrell told the City Journals. The bus ride was organized by the University of Utah student group, Students for the Wasatch. They coordinated with Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall to use an electric bus that her office borrowed from California for a few days to demonstrate its versatility and viability to local legislators

The electric bus was able to make it to the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon without a hitch, and even recharged most of its depleted battery on the way down. (Justin Adams/City Journals)

and elected officials.

So how did the bus fare with the challenge of climbing Little Cottonwood Canyon?

“We zipped up!” Birrell said. “And it was so quiet we could use our inside voices. It was delightful.”

“I would describe it as clean, fast, quiet and comfortable,” said Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski.

“I was skeptical, to tell you the truth, whether it could handle the climb up Little Cottonwood Canyon, but this bus had no

problem.”

Not only was the bus able to keep up with other traffic as it made its way up the mountain, but it was able to recharge its battery on the way down through a process called regenerative braking. Because of this, the bus was able to make it up and down the canyon using only 3% of its battery.

Alta Mayor Roger Bourke, who hopped on board the bus for the final few minutes of the ride, was impressed with the experience and touted the vehicle’s benefits for the envi-

ronment.

“We are faced with a worldwide catastrophe if we don’t get a handle on these greenhouse gasses,” he said. “And this is the way to get a handle on it. This can be charged with renewable energy, which we’re getting more and more of. That’s the future.”

Birrell noted that the solution to traffic problems in the canyon doesn’t necessarily have to be contained to one big project that costs hundreds of million dollars, like the gondola or road expansion. Instead, she suggested that a better strategy would be to adopt multiple smaller changes. One change she said has already started working is the ski resort’s implementation of reserved parking spots.

“With Alta ski area having reserved parking for all their parking spaces, there has not been a traffic congestion problem this ski season,” she said. “Some of the logical and practical solutions that many of us want to see phased in, that would be much less expensive than a gondola or lane expansion, are already reducing the traffic.”

A fleet of electric buses could also theoretically be purchased and deployed by next ski season, noted Students for the Wasatch member Claudia Wiese.

“It can be an immediate solution, as opposed to spending years on a project,” she said. l

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Millcreek receives $1,700 to support local artists

By Bridget Raymundo | b.raymundo@mycityjournals.com

T

he Millcreek Library, the Millcreek Arts Council (MAC), and the Artists Relations Committee have joined together to host monthly art shows called “Getting Visual at the Library.” Within the month the art is displayed at the library, the committee opens a one-night reception for the artist to celebrate with the community.

The free reception is at the library on the first Friday of the month from 6-7 p.m. with light refreshments and live music.

Since the pandemic limited social gatherings, the events were temporarily discontinued. Then, in October 2021, the MAC reopened the event and welcomed hundreds of art-loving library patrons throughout the month. Some 25 attendees were present at the art receptions.

With the grant provided by the Millcreek City Council, MAC intends to develop the offerings in 2022 through increasing numbers of attendees present for art receptions and creating artist-focused thank-you cards. By focusing on a growing social media presence to extend to further reaches of the public, they hope to host more people at the receptions. Musicians would also be paid to perform as a motivation for a larger marketing pool.

The thank-you cards will be sent to sponsors, artists in participation and community partnerships. To support the artists at Millcreek, the art at the library would make for a fitting front for the cards given permission from the creator. The back of the cards would include the artist’s bio.

Bonneville Research thoroughly analyzed the benefits of the “Getting Visual at the Library” proposal as is customary procedure before allotting city grants to nonprofit organizations. The grant would offer up to $1,700 to the event management distributions. The study is available for public viewing online with one clarification: On page three under the Analysis, rather than “The Millcreek Senior Center Advisory Committee advisory” there is supposed to be “The Millcreek Arts Council” is a 501(c)(3).

Altogether, the analysis concluded the appropriation was worthy since it would connect residents to the work of local artists from a diverse range of styles, mediums, themes and cultural backgrounds. The event would also encourage more visits to the local library, support local artists, open up discussions with artists and the community, and incorporate intermodal art engagement through the combination of music and visual art.

At the recent Millcreek City Council Meeting, Rita Lund, the director of Community Relations in Millcreek, presented the event details and the purpose for the grant. She stated the funding would be used to pay a small stipend for the artists

MillcreekJournal .com

Above: “Fire” by Millcreek artist Cara Jean Hall was on display at the Millcreek Library.

(Photo courtesy Millcreek Arts Council) Left: Artist Suzy Barton and cello player Aisha Zuitar from the December showing. Zuitar has played for several “Getting Visual at the Library” receptions before. (Photo courtesy Kate Scribner)

involved and provide for snacks at the monthly receptions.

Mayor Jeff Silvestrini also mentioned the receptions showcased musical artists playing for the public and offered local artists an opportunity for publicity through the cards purchased. In regards to the grant, the mayor said, “It enriches the culture of our community by having an event at the Millcreek Library and also encourages arts in Millcreek which is laudable.”

The grant of up to $1,700 is a nominal amount with significant impact according to the mayor. It passes within the communications budget, so the grant will not be an expense to be made in addition. At the conclusion of the hearing and discussion, the “Getting Visual at the Library” appropriation was passed unanimously by the city council.

Artist who would like to be involved can find the application online: www. millcreekartscouncil.org/getting-visual-at-the-library l

Framed photographs from the January show highlight a number of local photographers whose images were selected for a 2022 printed calendar with the theme of urban wilderness. (Photo courtesy Kate Scribner)

March 2022 | Page 21

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An open book

Life

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was eight when I ran away from home. It was the summer of ’76 and my mother did the unspeakable. She banned a book in our home.

In the stack of books I’d checked out at the library, there was a paperback copy of “Jaws” I instinctually hid from Mom because she could be irrational. The book cover, with its looming shark and nearly-nude swimmer, might make her think the novel wasn’t “proper” for an 8-year-old.

With a plateful of homemade oatmeal cookies, I sat on my bed engrossed in shark attacks. My bedroom door opened and Mom (without knocking!) entered my room to put clothes away. Her mouth dropped open when she saw what I was reading. She grabbed it out of my hands and banned the book from the house.

How dare she!

I fumed and realized there was only one answer to such blatant oppression. I got my red suitcase and packed a nightgown, a change of clothes, my toothbrush and a Nancy Drew book. I stomped down the stairs, ignoring Mom as she stood in the kitchen doorway with her arms crossed.

Before I walked out of the house forever, I told her I couldn’t live with her cruelty any longer. I walked two blocks to my Aunt Judy’s house and announced I was moving in because Mom was an unreasonable tyrant.

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I stayed the night, knowing Mom must regret her terrible behavior. I figured by the next day, she would be frantic with worry.

Served her right. (I later learned she’d called my aunt to let her know I was heading her way.)

When I returned home, I asked her if I could read “Jaws.” She said no. You can bet your sweet bookends I found a copy of “Jaws” and secretly read it cover to cover.

My effort to read banned books didn’t stop there. As I got older, I tore through Judy Blume's books, inhaled the “Flowers in the Attic” series, and absorbed “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Twice. My cousin and I would sit on the bookstore floor, reading salacious parts of popular bodice-ripper novels written by the queen of romance, Kathleen Woodiwiss.

Mom realized it was counterproductive to forbid me from reading books, and we ended up having conversations about racism, in-

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equality, sex and sharks.

I make it a point to read banned books, buy banned books, promote banned books and encourage my daughters to do the same.

I figure if a book is so powerful it has to be banned or burned, that’s a book I need to read.

Anything that gets people’s knickers twisted and touches a literary nerve goes on my toread list.

Parents and lawmakers are increasingly trying to create laws that shelve books that don’t fit in with their (mostly conservative) ideals. When that happens, society loses. Didn’t you read the (ironically) banned “Fahrenheit 451?”

I agree that 8-year-olds don’t make the best choices, but if we control the curriculum, frame the narrative, and put a conservative slant on history, we’re not doing those 8-yearolds any favors.

In January, when a school board in Tennessee banned the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel, “Maus,” parents pushed back.

The Salt Lake County Library System has dozens of copies of the Holocaust story where the Jews are depicted as mice, Germans as cats, and Americans as dogs.

I was happy to see it has hundreds of hold requests.

Looks like I’m not the only one making sure I read things that make me uncomfortable.

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