Millcreek Journal | October 2022

By Sara Milano | s.milano@mycityjournals.com

On Sept. 15, Millcreek residents and policymakers gath ered at the defunct Calvin S. Smith Library, 810 E. 3300 South, to discuss the temporary overflow homeless shelter that will be located there for 200 days this winter. City offi cials plan to accommodate about 100 individuals experienc ing homelessness in the space each night as the weather grows colder and sleeping outside becomes less viable. Mayor Jeff Silvestrini was unequivocal in his support for the overflow shelter, saying “in my view, it’s a moral imperative.”

Local residents who oppose the facility, however, were equally unyielding. “For the people who live on these two streets, it’s already a train wreck…we are in a high-risk situa tion for direct disruption of our lives and the police will only be there to clean up the mess after it happens,” a man who lives nearby told the crowd. Local business owner Trae Eller added, “We just found out two weeks ago. Let me tell you that we’re going to drop a bomb by your house in two weeks with no preparation time, no explanation… we’d be insane if we weren’t worried.”

The Utah State Legislature required each city in Salt Lake County to propose a location for the shelter. Many other proposed locations were not viable due to lack of resources or opposition from property owners. None of the other potential sites had an open floor plan, running water, and heating and cooling. In the end, Silvestrini explained, “The Calvin Smith Library was the only choice.” The facility was selected on Sept. 1, after which city officials hurried to make a plan for its operation and schedule a public hearing for residents. The Residents gather in the now defunct Calvin Smith Library for a public hearing about the temporary homeless shelter opening there. (Sara Mila no/City Journals)

Wasatch Charter School invites their neighbors to the annual Harvest Festival Oct. 15

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

Wasatch

Charter School at 1458 E. Murray-Holladay Road invites its neighbors to the annual Harvest Festival on Oct. 15. The event is hosted by the Wasatch Family Foundation and run mostly by its stu dents, kindergarteners to eighth-graders. The outdoor event runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Families will enjoy hands-on crafts, live musical performances, shopping local artisans and savoring tasty treats. Visitors will find art, homemade goods, a commu nity bake sale, food trucks and more,” said Lyn Spataro, member of the Wasatch Family Foundation governing board.

Some of last year’s highlights were a

pumpkin rolling contest, apple cider made by students while you wait, and donations from local bakeries. Popular booths included jew elry artists, fabric arts and wood turning. All funds raised support the school’s specialized programming.

Visitors are asked to park at Creekside Park adjacent to the school or at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints parking lots nearby which have given parking per mission for this event.

“Harvest Festival is a showcase for all we do,” Spataro said. “Infuse the season with magic all while supporting children’s educa tion.” l

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Harvest Festival takes place on the campus of Wasatch Charter School, 1458 E. Murray-Holladay Road on Sat., Oct. 15. Booths, student performances, food trucks and more will be there 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

Teachers, parents and students work together to make apple cider at Wasatch Charter School’s 2021 Har vest Festival. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

The popular apple cider stand which sold hundreds of freshly made cups of cider and taught students about production and business will be back at Harvest Festival in 2022. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

Hard work pays off for Skyline golf teams

By Daniel Olsen | d.olsen@mycityjournals.com

Last year, the Skyline Eagles boys golf team won a championship at the state and national level. They won another state title in 2022. While they did not go to nationals for a third straight title, one could make the case that a consistent powerhouse like this team should remain in the national rankings.

“We’ve won four state titles in a row with the boys,” coach Kenneth James said. “We were back to back national champions in 2020 and 2021. We were ranked No. 1 in the USA Today poll. We didn’t play in the national tournament this summer. We prob ably aren’t ranked nationally anymore be cause of that.”

Despite the break this year on the na tional scene, the 5A division knows there will be no days off with heavy favorite Sky line searching for their fifth straight state title. However, there has been a little bit of free time for their talented players to take advantage of.

“I do not do much outside of golf,” star senior Peter Kim said. “I like skiing in the winter time. I like music and I used to play piano.”

On the girl’s side, the team didn’t win a championship. However, they still fared well as they won region and finished fourth place overall in the state championships at the 5A level.

“On the girls team we have a girl named Ashley Lan,” James said. “We have her sis ter for two more years. The girls had a great year last year.”

The boys have played on several golf courses throughout the state, but they have also been to some amazing golf tournaments in the past few years on a national scale.

“We had the high school national tourna ment at Pinehurst for 2020 and 2021, and it’s my favorite course,” Kim said. “They’ve had the U.S. Open there on a different course.”

The U.S. Open will return to Pinehurst in 2024. By that point, Kim’s high school golf experience will be long gone and he will be in the next phase of his life.

“I’ll be deciding by the end of October what I’m going to do for college and start figuring it out,” Kim said.

Utah isn’t the easiest state to play year round golf in for the majority of people. With the exception of some courses in the south, the winters are too cold or snowy for most courses to remain open.

“When it gets colder I’ll practice on the simulator indoors and try to go down to St. George every few weeks,” Kim said. “There’s a couple tournaments I go to but not too many. There are only three or four tour naments in winter so most of my trips are for practice. I like to hit balls in driving ranges that have heaters.”

While golf is life for Kim, coach James realizes that there are many other responsi bilities that his other players have to balance.

“I hope they’re all playing some during their offseason,” James said. “Some played all the way through the summer. Some play other sports. I hope they continue to hit balls and work on what we’ve taught.”

While some golfers are superstitious, James tends to go with the same John Daly outfits just because it’s fun for him.

“I got a few more John Daly outfits since we won nationals last year,” James said. “It’s funny because kids from other teams will ask why I am not wearing them when I am in regular clothes. I try to stick with school colors as much as I can. I have some plaid shorts and USA flag shorts. I mix it up. Some people want to do the same thing before they come to the course or wear their favorite socks. Some don’t want their parents to watch them. Others like being watched. Every player is different. I try to abide by what works best for each of them.”

While some fall sports might not be get ting as much attention as football, James is hopeful that their efforts will be noticed.

“During COVID, golf took off,” James said. “It’s hard because it’s an individual sport. We make some announcements in school. It’s important to talk about the achievements your team has done. I’ve had to cut boys and girls the last couple years due to the popularity of the sport at Skyline. Other teams in the region had to cut more than I did. Some have way more try out than I did. If all numbers are up then it’s one of the things you can do. It’s good that our numbers are way up.”

The boys are in the middle of their sea son right now, while the girls season will kick off in spring 2023. There are high hopes for both teams.

“I really think we have some really hard workers putting in the time,” James said. “They are talented because they work so hard. They play year round if they can. I am pretty proud of that. I have a good string of boys and girls that have gone on to play in college. If we continue to work that hard, we have an advantage. We have really hard workers. In state, our region was success ful because we were prepared by the time it came. We have a talented region so we pushed each other.”

For Kim, a decorated high school golf career can’t be taken for granted.

“I’ve played tons of junior golf events over the summers and just won a big one,” Kim said. “It was an AJGA (individual) Tournament in Colorado. As far as the team with Skyline goes, I think it’s cool I got to

be a part of a team that dominated. They’ve won nationals two years in a row and state four times in a row. I was on three of those state championships. It will be cool to look back on this time when I’m older.” l

2020 National Championship from left to right: Sean Lam, Peter Kim, Charlie Thomas, Joseph Kim, Tyson Shelley, Simon Kwon and Abe Thomas. (Photo by Brian Shelley)

National Championship from left to right: Jackson Shelley, Sean Lam, Joseph Kim, Tyson Shelley, Peter Kim, Charlie Thomas, Simon Kwon and Daniel Chandler. (Photo by Brian Shelley)

State Championship from left to right: Charlie Thomas, Peter Kim, Spencer Clayton, Sean Lam, Jackson Shelley, Daniel Chandler, Landon Robirds and Jackson Rooker. (Photo by Kenny James)

Trophies include 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 5A State Championship trophies and 2020, 2021 National Championship Invitational Trophies. (Photo by Kenny James)

Residents weigh in on Millcreek’s energy tax to fund UPD

By Sara Milano | s.milano@mycityjournals.com

Local and nationwide labor shortages in law enforcement have resulted in a $2.5 million increase in Millcreek’s contract with the Unified Police Department. As a result of this increase, the city has chosen to imple ment a 6% municipal energy sales and use tax to help supplement the cost. This deci sion comes on the heels of a 4.57% increase in property taxes that was implemented in August, also for the purpose of funding the police department.

The city held a public hearing about the energy sales and use tax Sept. 12, where dozens of Millcreek residents gathered to voice their opposition or support for the tax increase. One woman held a cardboard sign that said: “No new windfall taxes,” and many others gave public comments lament ing the tax. Following the public hearing, the tax will be voted on and likely approved at the Sept. 26 meeting of the council (af ter press deadline). Because the city’s fiscal year runs from July to June, the tax will only generate six months of revenue for the city beginning next year.

This particular tax has never been col lected in Millcreek, but has been levied in several surrounding towns such as Sandy, Holladay, Cottonwood Heights and Salt Lake City. The council’s frequently asked

questions document about the new tax ex plains that “all cities are facing this problem of rising costs, especially in law enforce ment. Nine other cities in Salt Lake County, and various other entities, adopted tax in creases this year.”

The sales energy and use tax applies more unilaterally to Millcreek commu nity members than a property tax, which does not affect churches, schools, financial institutions, and nonprofit organizations. Millcreek’s Finance Director Lori Johnson hopes that the tax will generate “an overage of about $400,000” that will “carry forward to the next fiscal year.” However, even after increasing property taxes, implementing the sales and energy use tax, and pulling from the general fund balance, Mayor Jeff Silves trini suggested further tax increases will be necessary to keep pace with UPD’s contract.

The state of Utah caps the sales and energy use tax at a 6% maximum, so “what we would have to look to if we needed more revenue is the property tax,” Silvestrini said. He explained that “unless we cut the budget by that amount, by 3%, we will probably need 3% more revenue to continue paying this contract.” He sympathized with resi dents, saying, “We hate this too, but it’s our job to make hard decisions sometimes and

funding our police department is maybe one of the most important services that our city provides to our community.”

Millcreek currently employs 61 fulltime police employees at UPD. Despite gen

eral decreases in crime over recent years, the city is ardent that residents want more police presence and enforcement of traffic viola tions, drug crimes and property crimes. The frequently asked question sheet warned res idents that “historically robbery and prop erty crimes rise during recessions. Now is not the time to decrease police services.”

While council members asserted the importance of funding police in the face of financial uncertainty, some residents viewed the state of the economy as a rea son not to levy additional taxes. Millcreek resident Thomas Wall said, “The trend in energy costs for the consumer is on the up and up.” He told the public that he expects energy costs to double in coming years. Wall explained that for him and other re tirees, “we can’t afford it…I’m on social security and I can’t take another kick in the pants…we are already taxed way too much.”

Deputy Chief of the Millcreek Pre cinct of the Unified Police Department Steve DeBry attempted to assuage the pub lic, offering his personal phone number and an opportunity to ride along with UPD for any resident who is curious about what the police do. The labor shortages and subse quent salary increases for law enforcement that caused the tax increases are unlikely to subside in coming years. With the energy sales and use tax capped at 6%, Millcreek’s city council will have to find another way to generate revenue for the police contract, likely by raising property taxes.

The energy sales and use tax will be one additional strain on their wallets when it is implementedwill take effect come Jan uary of 2023. l

Millcreek residents wait for their turn to give a public comment about the city’s new tax. (Screenshot Sara Milano/City Journals)

Millcreek chips away at fire danger one dead branch at a time

By Jolene Croasmun | j.croasmun@mycityjournals.com

With record high temperatures this past summer along with continued drought conditions, fire danger was, and still is, high.

By removing and chipping the dry debris from residential areas, people can help re duce the damage caused by wildfires. And that job was made easier during Millcreek’s annual Chipper Days in August.

Andrew Clark, emergency manager for Millcreek, said, “Following two wildfires in 2020 and one in 2021, fire mitigation along the urban-wildland area has been the focus of emergency management agencies.” Chipper

Days is sponsored by Millcreek Emergen cy Management, the Unified Fire Authority, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands along with the Mount Olympus Com munity Council.

The urban-wildland area is located in the neighborhoods above Wasatch Boulevard and the properties that border the wilderness areas near Grandeur Peak and Mount Olym pus.

This was a prevention activity that in volved residents and local officials helping to reduce the occurrence of wildfires by pre paring homes and yards to withstand an ember attack (when burning debris be comes temporarily airborne and is carried by the winds in a cluster) and minimiz ing the likelihood of a fire spreading to the home. Em ber attacks are one of the main ways homes catch on fire during wildfires.

Homes can ignite much more quickly due to the condition of the proper ty and surrounding area up to 200 feet from the foun dation. This area is called the home ignition zone.

People living in the mapped area were encour aged to dispose of heavy accumulations of ground debris, dead plant and tree material and vegetation un der wood decks, stairs and porches. The natural veg etation piles were placed along the street by Aug. 7.

“The UFA worked from Monday through Thursday clearing and chip ping away at 90 individual piles of debris and that this equated to more than 100 cubic yards of vegetative waste,” Clark said.

The debris was con verted to green waste or given to residents that re quested the chipped mate rial.

Clark said that Chip per Days will continue to be held annually and he added, “We will move the event farther west, should it be deemed necessary.”

David Baird, chair of the Mount Olympus Com munity Council comment ed on the council’s involve ment and said, “The MOCC has increased residential

Unified Fire Authority puts out a fire above the homes on Plateau Drive in a neighborhood below Grandeur Peak in August 2021. (Jolene Croasmun/ City Journals)

awareness of the direct and imminent risk of wildfires potentially decimating our commu nity. Every proactive step we can take to min imize dry fuels for wildfires in turn lowers our entire community’s risk of a catastrophic event.”

In regards to Chipper Days, Baird said, “The residents along the wildland interface

The fire of August 2021 behind homes on Plateau Drive in the neighborhood located below Grandeur Peak. (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

have greatly appreciated this annual effort. We thank the UFA and Millcreek City for dedicating time and resources to help us maintain our community by lowering our se rious risk of a devastating forest fire.” l

Chipping map area of homes along the urban-wildland interface in Millcreek. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Clark/Millcreek Office of Emer gency Management)

Needs Beyond Medicine reduces financial stress for cancer patients

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Acancer diagnosis brings up so much uncertainty. Along with the emotional and physical fears of possible surgery and treatment, cancer takes a financial toll on patients as well. Many patients miss work and people in rural areas might have to travel to get the chemotherapy or radiation procedures they need.

That’s where Needs Beyond Medicine steps in. The organization was founded by Philip Brown in 2006, and expanded to a 501(c)(3) in 2009. It offers living expense grants to cancer patients who need help paying for food, bills and transportation. The goal is to alleviate some of the stress that accompanies a cancer diagnosis.

“I don’t think people realize the toll [cancer] takes, along with everything else you’re dealing with in your life,” Brown said. “We help current cancer patients with non-medical costs. That includes transpor tation, groceries, rent or anything consid ered non-medical. We also do education outreach.”

A longtime advocate for cancer ed ucation, early detection and care, Brown has his own connection to the disease.

His mother passed away in 1996 after an 18-month-long battle with ovarian cancer. His mission is to raise awareness about cancer screenings in the hope more lives can be saved.

The concept for Needs Beyond Med icine started when Brown was going to school to earn his bachelor’s degree. He got an internship working with doctors, nurses and social workers who created a task force to help cancer patients. Brown eventually took it over and has helped nearly 2,000 people with the nonprofit’s relief program.

Because the group is not aligned with any specific hospital or provider, people across the state are eligible for its services. Patients are usually referred to Needs Be yond Medicine by a social worker who knows what the individual is going through.

“We’re Utah-based and cover the whole state. I think people don’t realize we help a lot of people in the rural towns who have to travel a few hours a day to get treatment,” Brown said. “We can work with all the cancer programs in the state, which is unique, so we’re able to help all the pa tients.”

On Friday, Nov. 4, Needs Beyond Medicine will hold its annual canSUR VIVE gala at the Cottonwood Country Club (1780 Lakewood Drive) in Holladay, from 5-9:30 p.m. The fundraising event lets cancer survivors tell their stories and helps raise money for the organization with a raffle and silent auction. All proceeds go to help Utah cancer patients with living ex penses.

Needs Beyond Medicine helps an av erage of 15 people each month as they go through their cancer journey. For informa tion about sponsoring the canSURVIVE gala or to donate items for the raffle and silent auction, email Brown at info@needs beyondmedicine.org. To learn more about the relief program, visit needsbeyondmed icine.org.

“It’s shocking that each year we’ve done this, we’ve made a profit. Even the first one, which is kind of mind-boggling. I’ve been told if you’re making money, you should keep doing what you’re doing,” Brown said. “It’s a public event and we just accept donations at the door.” l

state also allocated funds to help operate the facility, so the shelter will be at no expense to taxpayers.

Millcreek Councilmember Thom De Sirant, who represents District 2 where the shelter will be located, reiterated the may or’s emphasis on moral obligations to the community, saying, “We have to take care of our neighbors, whether that’s the people that live in this neighborhood or the people who don’t have a house to live in.” Residents who oppose the overflow shelter chafed at the characterization that they lacked empathy toward people experiencing homelessness.

Trae Eller, who owns a nearby barbeque restaurant, said, “First of all, stop acting like none of us care. We care about the homeless people, that’s insane and it’s insulting. We’re not you. We don’t live a distance away to be safe so stop it. It’s unfair you’re demonizing us because we’re concerned.”

To assuage safety concerns from local residents, Millcreek plans to hire two addi tional police officers to patrol the building and the surrounding area. People who opt to sleep at the shelter will be bussed in from a homeless resource center at 7 p.m. each night and bussed out at 7 a.m. the next morn ing. They will be searched for weapons or drug paraphernalia upon arriving at the shel ter, and their bags and personal belongings will be stowed away from them while they are sleeping. There will be plumbed trailers

outside and people will be supervised when they need to use them. There will not be food served at the facility.

Millcreek resident Andrew Gruber spoke in support of the shelter, imploring the public to “think about the experience of be ing bussed into a place at 7 o’clock at night, having to sleep here not in your home, and having police cars all around you. And then you get bussed back out at 7 a.m. It sounds awful.” He reminded the public that “no one gets sent here involuntarily, they have to ask for help, they have to say, ‘Please give me a place to stay that’s not on the street.’”

While he was speaking, one woman interjected, yelling, “They don’t say please, they expect it. And they’re high anyways.” This comment was met with several boos from the crowd as she rushed out the door. Gruber continued: “I am proud to live in a community like Millcreek that is compas sionate and doing our part.”

One of the most compelling public comments was given by Erin Vistnes, a Millcreek resident who lives one block away from the library. She works as a case man ager at the Fourth Street Clinic in downtown Salt Lake City. She explained that “last year there was not an overflow shelter avail able for any of my patients until…the end of January. So my job at the clinic…was to tell people every single night that they had to sleep outside. I’m 24 years old. That is a devastating responsibility for me and my

fellow case workers to take on. So when I saw the news article yesterday that Millcreek and my neighborhood was taking on the re sponsibility of hosting the shelter, the relief I felt…was unbelievable.”

Vistnes became visibly emotional at this point, saying, “Last year, we also hosted our annual vigil for folks who passed away in Salt Lake City who were homeless, we had to memorialize 117 people. In 2019, it was 75. And the jump in those numbers has to be due in part to the fact that there was not an overflow shelter.”

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall called the overflow shelter “a historic plan,” mostly because surrounding areas have not taken on the onus of hosting people expe riencing homelessness in the past. Histor ically, Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake have borne the responsibility of sheltering unhoused people.

Mayor Silvestrini and Salt Lake Coun ty Councilmember and Deputy Chief of the Millcreek Precinct of the Unified Police De partment Steve DeBry are hopeful that the shelter will help alleviate the presence of homelessness in Millcreek, as well as pre vent injury and death from sleeping outside. In spite of mixed views from Millcreek res idents, the homeless overflow shelter at the Calvin S. Smith Library will open to home less adults each night beginning Oct. 15 until April 30. l

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Nature’s Virus Killer

Copper can stop a virus before it starts

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First football team for deaf students starts season

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

The Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind has established its first-ever coed football team.

“For several years we have been wanting football,” Associate Superintendent of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind Michelle Tanner said. “Now USDB is going to provide eight-man football. We plan to challenge other schools throughout the state and maybe other deaf schools around the country.”

Derrick Coleman, a deaf football player at UCLA, was not drafted into the NFL. His sto ry includes being picked on as a kid and being told he would never make it. He said, “They didn’t call my name, told me it was over, but I’ve been deaf since I was three, I didn’t lis ten.”

Coleman eventually signed as an undraft ed free agent and spent parts of eight seasons in the NFL and was part of the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl-winning team in 2013. He wanted to prove that it can be done, no matter what.

The players at USDB may not have as pirations for the NFL, but playing football is important to them.

“We are not really focused on the wins and losses,” head coach Brian Tingley said. “We are giving them the opportunity to have the experience. They might not get this at a bigger school. In this game, a hearing player

The 11 players on the first ever team for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. (Photo courtesy of USDB)

has no advantage over someone who is deaf.”

The Eagles played their first games Sept. 2 and 14 at Judge Memorial High School. The Whitehorse Raiders and Al tamont Longhorns will forever be the team’s first opponents.

This season is only the beginning of a tradition the school wants.

“This will be an amazing season. This is a great opportunity for students who are deaf,” Tingley said.

The USDB teachers and staff en courage students to overcome challenges. Many sports are not available for children who are deaf.

“When I was a kid I played football, but I had no deaf peers,” senior Jordan Paredes said. “After I heard about this league I was excited to be with deaf peers and learn more about the games. I was very excited that there was finally a team. I hope we win, we would love to have peo ple show up and cheer us on.”

Paredes figures he has played 12 years of football. He currently attends Kenneth Burdett School for the Deaf in Ogden, Utah.

USDB currently has three campuses. KBSD in Ogden, Jean Massieu School of the Deaf in Salt Lake City, and Elizabeth DeLong School in Springville. With all three schools combined, they currently have 12 players on the roster.

“We want more players, both boys and girls. We are advertising to get more students to come out and play,” Tingley said.

The rules for eight-man football only vary slightly. The games are played on an 80-yard field and offensive forma tions are slightly different, only five play ers need to be on the line of scrimmage.

In Utah high school football seven schools play eight-man football: Rich, Whitehorse, Altamont, Monticello, Wa ter Canyon, Whitehorse and Monument Valley.

“This is the first year that this pro gram has been developed. Our vision is to have a coed team and football is an op portunity for our kids to build connections and learn more about themselves and the community. We can change school cul ture,” Tingley said. “I think it is important this first year to build sportsmanship and see what happens going forward.”

“I have always wanted to play foot ball,” sophomore John Deitz said. “It is my favorite sport, and I watch it all of the time.”

When asked if they were ready to play Deitz waved his hand slightly from side to side, which means somewhat or maybe. l

The USDB lines up against Whitehorse in its first football game. (Photo courtesy of USDB)

Comcast and the USDB Foundation partner to help unique students

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Serving more than 5,000 students statewide, the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind and USDB’s Educational Support Services pro vide education and accessibility technology that make a real difference in a child’s life.

Comcast, the largest home internet ser vice provider in the country, has provided grant funding to the USDB Education Foundation so these unique students can have the technologi cal needs vital for their education and growth.

Assistive devices and digital learning pro vide sight and sound that connect children to the world and improve their overall communi cation. Use of these assistive devices gives stu dents a higher chance of success as a confident and independent adult.

“Comcast has been a really great com munity partner this year,” said Amy Zaharis, USDB Education Foundation executive direc tor. “They gave us funds that support the stu dents with assisted technology. There’s a lot of awesome technology our students can use that helps them, and they need a lot of different things, and those things are expensive.”

While the state provides funding to cover the basics for the campuses and programs at USDB, sometimes families need help procur ing hearing aids, glasses, white canes, magni fication devices, unique technology and other assistive devices. With Comcast’s donation to the program, several deaf and hard of hearing

students, and children who are blind and visu ally impaired can get the resources they need.

It is imperative that students have technol ogy and assistive devices to help bridge the gap caused by their hearing or vision loss.

“If you can believe it or not, hearing aids are not covered by insurance,” Zaharis said. “We do assist families with children who are hard of hearing.. Hearing aids are really expen sive and we help some kids with purchasing those.”

The national grant from Comcast supports digital literacy training to help students with the technology. Students who are blind can learn how to access apps and software, plus have ac cess to smart glasses equipped with an HD cam era to magnify a computer screen or classroom.

The USDB provides overhead and ad ministrative resources for the foundation which allows 100% of donations to go directly to stu dents.

There are campuses in Salt Lake City, Ogden and Springville, and a classroom in St. George. In addition to the campuses, education for the majority of these unique Utah students is offered by USDB teachers who travel to schools across the state through outreach programs.

“Everyone deserves to have the same ad vantages and many of the children the founda tion supports might not be able to,” said Ioana Platon, Comcast community impact specialist.

“They might not be as likely to pursue educa tional or career pursuits they don’t think they can do. With our grant, we help provide tech and assistive devices used to bridge the gap.”

Comcast is focused on accessibility and providing the highest possible experiences for all of its customers. This grant will help students learn how to use the different technologies and help them live better lives.

For more information about the USDB Foundation, visit www.usdbfoundation.org.

“We love to have community partners and Comcast has been such a great community part ner for us this year,” Zaharis said. “It’s great to have community support, just to help our kids with the extra needs they have. We welcome Utah businesses and individuals alike to make donations to the foundation.”l

Students at the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind receive assistive devices and training through a Comcast community grant. (Courtesy of Todd Keith.)

Double, double toil and trouble for witches of yesteryear

By Annabelle Larsen | a.larsen@mycityjournals.com

DAVID MUIR

What’s a witch? Throughout human history, the definition has changed. Witches have been defined as people casting spells or calling upon spirits for help, or to bring about change. Many witches were seen as pagans doing the devil’s work. Others were known as simple natural healers and called wise women. Mostly, this choice of profession or life was simply misunderstood and societal fear took over.

The prosecution of witches took hold in Europe during the mid-1400s when many people confessed, often under torture, to a variety of witch-like behaviors. Within the next century witch hunts were common, and most of the accused were executed by burning at the stake or hanging. Women, who were single, widowed, and those who lived on the margins of society, were the usual targets. Between the years 1500-1660 there were about 80,000 suspected witches that were put to death in Europe; 80% of them were women. Germany had the high est witchcraft execution rate while Ireland had the lowest.

What started this witch hunt and the witch hysteria that followed was in part caused by the publication of a book “Mal leus Maleficarum,” which was written by a German Catholic clergyman in 1486. The book usually translates as “The Hammer of Witches,” and was essentially a guide on how to identify, hunt and interrogate witch es. The book labeled witchcraft as heresy, and became the authority for Protestants and Catholics at the time trying to flush out witches living among them.

Although the witch hunt was far larg er in Europe than it was in the Americas, most Americans are familiar with the Salem Witch Trials more so than what happened in Europe. The New World, at the time, had fallen under many hardships and trials in cluding a war between the French and Brit

ish, a smallpox epidemic, and the ongoing fear of attacks from Native American tribes. The tense atmosphere was ripe for finding scapegoats, and these tensions are one of the reasons historians suspect led to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-93 in Massachusetts.

The witch trials initially began when 9-year-old Elizabeth Parris and 11-year-old Abigail Williams began suffering from fits, body contortions, uncontrollable screaming, and odd behavior. As more young women began to exhibit symptoms, hysteria ensued. Three women were accused of witchcraft as an explanation to this problem. The three women were Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne and Tituba Indian, an enslaved woman owned by Parris's father. Tituba eventually confessed to being a witch, but she then be gan accusing others of using black magic on June 10, 1692. Bridget Bishop became the first accused witch to be put to death during the Salem Witch Trials. Between 1626 and 1730 there were around 150 people who were accused of witchcraft and 18 were put to death. While women were the main vic tims, there were six men who were also con victed and executed during this time.

Massachusetts wasn't the only state in the Thirteen Colonies to be obsessed with witches and witch hunting; it also spread throughout the rest of the colonies, but it was most prevalent here. Historians specu late that much of the hysteria and the rea sons for the fits, body contortions, and un controllable screaming first displayed by the two girls could possibly be from a poison ous fungus, found in the eastern U.S., that causes spasms and delusions.

So as people go about this year’s Hal loween season and make-believe (or real) witches are safely out and about, it’s inter esting to remember a time when this wasn’t so. l

An artist’s rendition of the trial of a suspected witch. (Courtesy of History.com)

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Eagles overcome early season setbacks

Photos by Travis Barton

Junior Ella Hall plays a pivotal role in midfield for the Skyline Eagles who, after dropping its first three games

responded by going 8-1 over its next nine games to close its region schedule.

Matea Liddiard was part of the group that defeated Murray 4-2. The Eagles finished the regular season 10-6 and were awaiting their playoff seeding at press time.

USA Wheelchair Football League to highlight amazing athletes

ove United is the largest grassroots adaptive sports pro gram in the world. Based in Maryland, the nonprofit part nered with the National Football League and the Bob Woodruff Foundation to create the USA Wheelchair Football League, the first-of-its-kind league for adults with disabilities.

Working with Salt Lake County, the league will host a wheelchair football tournament Oct. 22-23 at the Salt Palace Convention Center (100 S. West Temple St.) with nine teams, 20 games and dozens of athletes. Games will be held on three fields from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Admission is free.

“We use adaptive sports to push what’s possible for peo ple with disabilities and show all the ways that people with dis abilities can integrate into society, just like everyone else,” said Karalyn Stott, Move United senior program manager. “We’re excited to be coming to Salt Lake to spotlight all of our athletes and highlight the amazing things they’re able to do on the foot ball field.”

Salt Lake County adaptive recreation manager Taylor Smith has been an official with the league since they announced the program in May 2020. As the only female official, she’s worked at tournaments in Tampa and Chicago, and is excited to help bring the USA Wheelchair Football League to Utah.

“The NFL and the Bob Woodruff Foundation donated funds to make this program start happening for those veterans who wanted to stay competitive and continue doing things they love, even after they were injured,” Smith said. “[Being an of ficial] is stressful but it’s really fun and amazing. These guys try so hard and they really want to be there. You can’t ask for anything more of people who just want to play.”

Many athletes participating in the tournament are military

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

veterans, excited to participate in a team sport. This event high lights the athleticism of the sport which is competitive and fastpaced.

“So many of them lost that team feeling when they were injured overseas so they’re excited to feel that brotherhood and family again,” Stott said. “Others played the sport as a kid and got injured and now get to get back to a sport that they didn’t think they’d be able to play again.”

The wheelchair football tournament is one of the ways Salt Lake County is bringing adaptive sport programs to the state. Other adaptive recreation opportunities offered through the county attract people from all over Utah, and even Idaho and Wyoming, to take part in the athletic events.

With the popularity of pickleball, the county just an nounced an adaptive pickleball program that will run from Oct. 29-Nov. 19 at the Copperview Recreation Center (8446 Harri son St.) in Midvale.

The six-week program includes 90 minutes of instruc tional-based practice along with scrimmages and matches. For more information, visit slco.org/adaptive.

“This will be a new sport that we’re bringing in,” Smith said. “We haven’t done adaptive or wheelchair pickleball in the past. It will be our first one and we’re really excited about it because most of the population have really gotten involved in pickleball and we want to bring it that to the adaptive world.”

Salt Lake County has offered its para programs for 20 years and Smith said no one else in county recreation is offer ing adaptive programs, although several private companies do wheelchair sports.

The county has two groups, one for intellectual disabili

ties and one for physical disabilities because sports are played differently based on the population. Adaptive sports are open to all ages, but most wheelchair programs are geared to ages 5-15.

“It’s available for anyone who is open to playing, we’ll bring them in with open arms,” Smith said. “I think sports is valuable to anyone in the world. You learn communication skills, learn how to calm yourself down, you’re learning how to work hard and persevere through challenges in your life, so I think sports are vital in how you’re dealing with everyday sit uations.” l

Members of the USA Wheelchair Football League will compete at the Salt Palace Convention Center Oct. 22-23. (Photos courtesy of Move United)

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Incorporating culture into language classes during Hispanic Heritage Month

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

Thousands of Granite School District stu dents take Spanish classes every year. For many, it’s their first insight into not just the language but also the culture of Spanishspeaking countries. Hispanic Heritage Month in September and October gives teachers an opportunity to show their students how culture and language are entwined.

“We don’t tell our teachers to implement culture in their classes, but when you under stand culture, your interest in the language grows. Cultural immersion through food, mu sic, dance and art increase interest,” said Noemí Hernández-Balcázar.

Hernández-Balcázar is a Fine Arts Spe cialist in Curriculum and Instruction in Granite School District. She is also a working local art ist with close ties to Mexico.

“In Mexico people appreciate culture a lot. Art is accessible because on Sundays the mu seums are free, so that’s what people do. We have a rich tradition of film, art — everything,” Hernández-Balcázar said.

Hispanic Heritage Month became an offi cial U.S. holiday in 1968. It begins Sept. 15 be cause that’s the day when five Latin American countries celebrate their independence. During the month, Hernández-Balcázar runs several workshops and classes on Day of the Dead and other cultural celebrations.

At Olympus High, Spanish teacher (and native of Spain) Chantal Esquivias likes to in clude cultural discussions in class. In Septem ber, she dedicated a class period to discussing Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

Esquivias shows the class a slide of the Kahlo painting “Self-Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States.” She asks them to use it to answer the pregunta del día, or, question of the day.

“I went to the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City with my family once. I don’t re member a lot — I was about 10 years old,” said junior Will de la Garza during the class discus sion.

de la Garza has Hispanic heritage through his dad’s family. He said his Spanish fluency used to be much better when he was younger and the family traveled through Mexico often.

“I’ve taken Spanish in school for two years, but I actually spoke it when I was young er,” de la Garza said.

“When my dad’s family came to the U.S. from Mexico, they dropped a lot of their cultur al practices — it was lost because of prejudice. But I am proud of it. I love celebrating the dif ferences. I love that I have a last name that’s different,” de la Garza said.

de la Garza said that his Spanish comes in handy when he’s out in the community and meets someone who speaks Spanish and not English. It happens sometimes while he’s at work at The King’s English bookshop.

“Making an effort to speak Spanish helps people feel more comfortable,” de la Garza

said.

Brock Perreca is also in Esquivias’s class. He’s a senior who’s taken Spanish off and on since eighth grade.

“I really like having a native speaker for a teacher. (Esquivias) teaches us about culture, differences in accents and funny jokes from other countries. If I wasn’t in this class, I’d have no idea about other traditions and holidays,” Perreca said.

He said Hispanic Heritage Month is a good idea because learning about other people’s dif ferences makes you more well-rounded.

“I think it’s important to have knowledge of what other cultures are out there, especially if you’ve only lived in one place most of your life. It makes you a more understanding person, which is good because our world is so connect ed,” Perreca said.

Hernández-Balcázar agrees, but adds that if people were more open to accepting other cultures as “normal” instead of “other,” we might not have to have specific dates to cele brate them — they’d be part of our everyday lives.

“When you are Hispanic, you are Hispan ic every day. This celebration has a lot to do with representation. Multicultural art education is important: if students don’t see themselves represented in art, they don’t own the creative process or the arts in general,” Hernández-Bal cázar said.

Hernández-Balcázar grew up in Mexico and now lives in Utah and works with many dif ferent cultures in the art and education worlds. Her experiences have informed her idea of what is “beautiful” or worthy to be called art.

“The things I grew up with, the things that give me comfort and what I teach to my children, are part of my everyday life. Hispan ic culture has so much to offer, and Hispanic Heritage Month gives us an opportunity for multicultural education,” Hernández-Balcázar said. “We study these things because they are important, they deserve respect and equal ap preciation.” l

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Spanish teacher and native of Spain Chantal Es quivias takes a day during Hispanic Heritage Month to teach her Olympus High students about artist Frida Kahlo. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

It’s like pulling teeth

T here are lots of people in this world who scare me, like toddlers, Christian nationalists and the barista who always compliments my shirt, even when I’m wearing a blood-stained hoodie.

But dentists! Dentists are a higher level of fear. I'm sure they get tired of being compared to the sadistic den tist in “Little Shop of Horrors” but if the tooth fits…

My dentophobia is rooted in an experience when I was 5 where many of the details are still slumbering in my subconscious, waiting to burst when I’m least expecting it. The only thing I remember was the dentist was not my friend.

is a privilege.

My rational mind knows all those things, but I’ve never left a dentist’s office thinking, “Hmmm. That wasn’t too bad.”

I recently had my first root canal, which didn’t ease my fears. At all. I was upfront with the endodontist and told him I didn’t like him very much.

“I understand,” he said.

“No, really. I loathe you,” I said.

“Yeah, I get that a lot.”

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

I start ed dreading my annual checkup. Mom would write our dentist’s name on the bathroom mirror in red lipstick, so she’d remember to schedule the appointment. But every time she wrote it, I’d take a wet washcloth and wipe it off. I’m sure she never noticed the smeared lipstick or the dripping-wet mirror.

Now that I’m older, I should be braver, right? I should be grateful I don’t have a medieval dentist who also works as the village butcher, barber and blacksmith. I’m lucky I’m not Tom Hanks in “Castaway” when he uses an ice skate to knock out his abscessed molar. Modern dentistry

We went from there. He offered me nitrous oxide be cause if I’m going to be root-canaled, I’d rather be float ing somewhere near Venus. After I was nice and drifty, he told me I’d feel a little pinch as he numbed my mouth. Then he proceeded to nail my face to the chair while the nurse handed him a Black & Decker drill. He laughed ma niacally, donned a hockey mask ala Jason Voorhees and started excavating my back teeth.

At least, that’s how I remember it.

After the root canal, I had to make an appointment with my dentist to put a crown on my tooth. I called the receptionist who said I could schedule time on Sept. 12 at 2:30 a.m. or wait until June 2023. Typical.

I don’t know why I’m still terrified of all things den tal. The smell of a dentist’s office makes my stomach roll. The sound of a drill makes my jaw clench, which makes it really hard to work on my teeth. When it was time for my crown appointment, I sat in my car for a good 15 minutes, giving myself a pep talk.

“You’ve got this,” I said. “You’re a big girl.” “Nope. I’m going to Starbucks,” I responded. “No, you’re not. You’re going to act like an adult

and walk in that office.”

I stuck my tongue out at myself and went to get my crown. Not a cool crown like a Dutch sapphire tiara but a porcelain crown that I’m afraid to chew with. I’m pretty sure my dentist has a hook for a hand and he proceeded to stab my gums repeatedly, probably just for the fun of it. And then it was over. For now.

I’d rather face a zillion zombies, a multitude of mum mies, a van full of vampires or a ton of toddlers before seeing the dentist again. He’s the scariest monster I know.