Murray City Journal | August 2020

August 2020 | Vol. 20 Iss. 08

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MURRAY COMMITS TO RACIAL JUSTICE IN CITY POLICING

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

I

n a joint resolution, Murray City’s Mayor and City Council committed its public safety officers to equal justice, police accountability and racial justice in city policing practices. The resolution was approved unanimously at the July 7 city council meeting and presented to the Murray City Police Department.

A draft of the resolution was created by Mayor Blair Camp, along with Police Chief Craig Burnett. The mayor and the chief presented a letter to Murray residents earlier in June, explaining city policing practices in light of nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

In June, Camp announced his intention to create a joint resolution with the city council. According to Murray City Chief Communications Officer Jennifer Heaps, “In crafting the resolution, there were numerous discussions about accountability and policing practices until we developed the final document. We wanted a comprehensive and clearly worded resolution.”

The city’s purpose in offering a joint resolution was to make clear city policing practices to both residents and public safety officers.

“Transparency is a top priority for this administration, and it is important to document and share our commitment to police accountability and racial justice in city policing practices, while at the same time expressing support for our hard-working police officers,” Heaps said. “We believe our citizens deserve to know that the city will continue to provide ongoing training and community outreach programs, with a focus on Murray police officers salute during last year’s National Peace Officers Week observances. (Photo Courtesy Murray City) guarding against all biases. The Continued page 3

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The joint resolution by Murray City Mayor and Council states police units should reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of Murray. (Shaun Delliskave/City Journals)

Continued from front page r e s o l u t i o n also acknowledges that there is always room for improvement, particularly in a quickly changing society.”

A recent lawsuit was filed against Murray Police by a Black woman claiming that she was racially profiled by a police officer.

The woman asserts that due to her race, after she was pulled over for a suspected DUI, the officer required her to take numerous sobriety tests, and none proved that she was intoxicated. Despite that, the woman says she was arrested with no proof of intoxication.

Murray City denied the allegations of profiling and responded that it has thoroughly reviewed the incident and will defend itself in court. While the resolution passed after the lawsuit was announced, the drafting occurred beforehand.

“We hope that the resolution will serve as a reminder to everyone that the city has been, and will continue to be, committed to equal justice, police accountability and racial justice. It also confirms the city’s support to

provide essential training for law enforcement personnel,” Heaps said. “The resolution states that we are ‘committed to an introspective evaluation of ourselves as public servants and citizens,’ and we hope that this carries forward not only in law enforcement but throughout the city as a whole.”

The resolution also stated that police units and command staff, to the greatest extent possible, should reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of Murray. Murray’s police administration team includes one Black and one Latino out of five administrators. The resolution also applauded the Murray PD for its commitment to the city.

After the resolution’s adoption, Camp stated, “I think even more importantly than that, is what the statement makes in support of the police and of human rights.”

The Mayor also presented a draft ordinance regarding the creation of the Public Safety Advisory Board to the council during the committee of the whole meeting on July 21. In general, the board will be expected to become acquainted with the operation and activities of public safety departments (both police and fire). It will serve to review community needs, concerns, expectations and responses relative to police and fire services.

A few of the goals of the board will be to promote quality public safety services to all residents and to strengthen equal protection under the law throughout the community. l

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August 2020 | Page 3

SheTech Summit participants learn about technology, responses to COVID-19 and more

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

At the virtual SheTech Summit, Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox welcomed participants and encouraged them to get involved in the tech field. (Screenshot)

W

hen Gillian Ruppel was a ninth-grader at Riverview Junior High, she saw a poster in the hall about the SheTech explorer day summit.

“It was really cool,” Gillian recalled.

“I was just fascinated by so many different technologies and companies that allowed us to explore and learn about what they do.”

Since then, the Murray High student has attended every summit and this year, Gillian was on the student board that helped organize the event—although, it was held online, much like many activities because of the social distancing response to COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was still a good way to extend the opportunity to many high school students,” she said. “We heard from industry leaders, had group chats, discussions, and even held the tech challenge where we had to brainstorm

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ideas to solve a real problem.”

The SheTech conference, organized by the Women Tech Council, traditionally invites more than 150 science, technology, engineering and mathematics companies and colleges to share in-person hands-on activities from robotics to auto tech to 3D gaming to technology entrepreneurship opportunities with thousands of female high school students from every county in the state.

This year, in its first virtual Summit, participants heard from female STEM leaders in the state, including the recently well-known state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn, who shared with them about the Healthy Together app.

Dunn was followed by other female technology leaders who told the high schoolers how they stepped up to help with the response to COVID-19 from analyzing data to

identifying and assisting Utah companies to pivot to produce personal protective equipment.

Then, Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox welcomed participants and encouraged them to get involved in the tech fields. He even shared with them how his 13-year-old daughter is learning coding.

“As Lieutenant Governor, I get to see the way that tech impacts our state and more broadly, what the industry is doing here in our state,” Cox said. “Over the last 10 years, the technology sector in Utah has grown faster than any other state with one exception and that is the state of Washington and most of that is driven by Amazon. It’s not just that we’re adding all of these jobs in the tech center. These are really good jobs and jobs that drive our economy. Tech workers make an average of 81% more than those who are working in other industries in the state.

We’ve seen with this disruption in the economy that these jobs have the ability, many of them with people working from home, been able to keep generating revenue and keep expanding the economy.”

Several leaders in the STEM field also held workshops, including those by Adobe and Vivint Smart Home, that were designed to show high schoolers how they create, innovate and problem-solve.

Gillian, who took part in a three-week summer intern her sophomore year, visited many of those technology companies and learned the leaders’ pathways and what careers are available.

“The Summit was initiated by the leaders, but the girl board supported it. It made sense to hold it virtually since after all, it’s a technology conference. The student board helped to troubleshoot and pitch ideas,” she

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said.

Gillian’s favorite part of the Summit is the tech challenge. This year, it was on reducing the carbon footprint. Previously, Gillian has taken part in challenges that addressed traffic problems in the canyons, pollution and refugee concerns.

She said during her ninth-grade year, her group won the canyon traffic challenge by deciding upon a gondola that would connect with Utah Transit Authority in the Salt Lake Valley.

“We were trying to think outside of the box on a real-world issue, using technology for a solution,” she said.

Participants also could take part in industry and student challenges from defying gravity, binary basics and basic phone repair principles to hacking a website and saving the world with data. There also were creative sessions such as making elephant toothpaste, engineering your own musical instrument and vector art.

Those who completed as many challenges as they could in 24 hours were eligible to win prizes. Participants also received T-shirts in the mail.

“The SheTech program connects students to women in technology so we can learn firsthand from those in the field; it also can lead to having mentors or internships,” Gillian said. “It’s a great opportunity.” l

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Murray City Journal

Coronavirus pushes the first Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center shows into 2021

By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com

C O V I D - 1 9C O UP VD I DA-T1 E 9 SU P D C OCVO ID VDP IA D V -I 1D9- C 1U 9OPU DT-A1ET9SE U S COVID-1C 9 OUVPID DA - 1T9E SU P D C O V I D - 1 9 U P D AT E S

Jacobsen Construction officials led several different tours for city officials and dignitaries through the Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center during the city’s second annual Summer Summit. (Courtesy Taylorsville City)

F

or months now, the Jacobsen Construction team building the $39 million Mid-Valley Performing Arts southeast of Taylorsville City Hall has been racing the clock—and remaining on schedule—in an effort to finish the new facility in time for Christmas season performances. And despite the alarming rise in coronavirus cases across our state and nation, they were succeeding.

Unfortunately, however, COVID-19 has won that race. But, ironically, the virus here in Utah and the United States is not to blame.

Instead, the pandemic some 3,400 miles away, in Colombia, South America, is the culprit.

“The fixed seating we will install in the performing art center’s main auditorium—440 chairs—were ordered from a factory in Colombia,” said Jacobsen Construction Project Manager Doug Carley. “But unfortunately, the virus forced that factory to close for about 2 1/2 months. Now they are playing catch-up, and our seats will not arrive until late fall or early winter. We will have the building completely finished, and they will be the last things to go in. But that means the earliest the center can host a performance will be January 2021.”

Meanwhile, chairs for the art center’s smaller, “black box” theater are being made in the United Kingdom and have not been delayed. Materials going into the new facility are coming from four countries, with Canada and the United States joining the list with Colombia and the U.K. Jacobsen Construction officials shared that information and more during a series of several Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center tours during the second annual Taylorsville Summer Summit. City Council Chairwoman Meredith Harker was among those who donned a hard- hat and fluorescent construction vest to walk through the state-of-the-art facility.

“It was a cool and unique opportunity to

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HOW HOW CONVALESCENT CONVALESCENT PLASMA PLASMA HOW HOW CONVALESCENT CONVALESCENT PLASMA PLASMA HOW CONVALESCENT PLASMA HOW HOW CONVALESCENT CONVALESCENT PLASMA PLASMA HOW CONVALESCENT PLASMA HELPS HELPS TREAT TREAT COVID-19 COVID-19 HELPS TREAT COVID-19 HELPS HELPS TREAT TREAT COVID-19 COVID-19 HELPS HELPS TREAT TREAT COVID-19 COVID-19 HELPS TREAT COVID-19

Mayor Kristie Overson (L) was among those who got a firsthand look at the new Mid-Valley Performing Since the COVID-19 Since outbreak COVID-19 began, outbreak Grifols began, has Grifols made its hasexpertise made itsinexpertise plasma available in plasma toavailable the to FDA, the U.S. FDA, Since thethe COVID-19 outbreak began, Grifols has made its expertise in plasma toU.S. the COVID-19 Since theoutbreak COVID-19 began, outbreak Grifols began, has made Grifols itshas expertise made its inexpertise plasma available in available plasma to available the U.S.U.S. FDA, toFDA, the U.S. FDA, Arts Center construction progress during the Since city’s the BARDA and BARDA NIH/NIAID and NIH/NIAID to develop to clinical develop trials clinical to assess trials the to assess safety and the safety efficacy and of efficacy a potential of atreatment. potential treatment.

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visit the arts center, and I brought my husband STEP STEP 1 STEP 1 1 along as well,” Harker said. “The tour guides STEP 1 STEP 1 STEP 1 STEP 1 antibodies Obtain from those whowho Obtain Obtain antibodies antibodies from those from those who showed us each room and all of the inner ObtainObtain antibodies antibodies from those from who those who Obtain antibodies from those who Obtain antibodies from those who have recovered from COVID-19 workings. It gave me a newfound respect for have recovered have recovered from COVID-19 from COVID-19 have recovered have recovered from COVID-19 from COVID-19 have recovered from COVID-19 planners and engineers who have to think of have recovered from COVID-19 Human blood can be broken down into many parts like liquid which which Human blood Human can be blood broken can down be broken into many down parts intolike many liquid parts plasma, likeplasma, liquid which plasma, BRING THIS COUPON IN FOR Aliquid so many things ahead of time. I think I was Human blood Human can be broken blood can down be into broken many down parts into like many liquid parts plasma, like which plasma, which contains antibodies.

When the body becomes infected a plasma, virus, the containsHuman antibodies. contains antibodies. body When becomes the body infected becomes with infected awith virus, the with a virus, bloodWhen can bethe broken down into many parts like liquid which thewhich Human blood can be broken down into many parts like liquid plasma, contains antibodies. contains When antibodies. the body When becomes theevolve body infected becomes with ainfected virus,someone the with a virus, the most impressed by all the versatility the buildantibodies learn from the disease, then to beat it.

When antibodies learn antibodies from the learn disease, fromWhen then thebody disease, evolve to then beat evolve it. When to beat someone When someone contains antibodies.

When the becomes infected with a it. virus, the contains antibodies. body becomes infected with a virus, the antibodies learn antibodies from thelearn disease, fromthen thethe evolve disease, to then beatevolve it. When to beat someone it. When someone recovers from COVID-19, they will have the antibodies inplasma their plasma to fight ing provides. Besides plays and musical perrecoversantibodies fromrecovers COVID-19, from they COVID-19, will have they the will antibodies have the inbeat antibodies their in their to fight plasma to fight learn from the disease, then evolve to it.

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COVID-19, they will have the antibodies in their plasma to fight off the virus. off the formances, the center can also host wedding recovers from COVID-19, they will have the antibodies in their plasma to fight off the virus. off the virus.

You must off theprovide virus. a valid photo ID, proof of your current address and your Social receptions or business events, lots of things.” the virus.card to donate. Must be 18 years of age or older to donate.

Security oroff Immigration This second annual Taylorsville SumEXPIRES 8/31/2020 mer Summit was much different from the STEP 2 one a year ago, pre-virus, when thereSTEP was 2 2 STEP 2 STEPSTEP 2 convalescent plasma lots of hand-shaking and hugging at the Separate STEP 2 Separate STEPconvalescent 2 Separate convalescent plasma plasma Separate convalescent plasma Separate convalescent plasma Regal Crossroads & RPX Theater in Separate Tay- into its components Separate convalescent convalescent plasma plasma into its into components its components intointo its components lorsville. But city officials did once again itsits components into its into components components Plasma donation is similar to giving blood, except the blood is cycled through a provide food, this time from a CupbopPlasma fooddonation Plasma is similar donation to giving is similar blood, toofgiving except blood, the blood except is cycled the blood through isthe cycled a through a special machine that some the plasma before returning blood Plasma Plasma donation is similar topulls giving blood, except theout blood is cycled through a donation is similar to giving blood, except the blood is cycled through a truck parked outside the arts center. Now amachine special that machine pulls some that of pulls the plasma some ofout the before plasma returning out before thereturning blood blood a cellsspecial back the body. there, we can use special technology to separate Plasma Plasma isto similar donation to giving isFrom similar blood, to giving except blood, the blood except is the cycled blood through isthe cycled athethrough special donation machine that pulls some of the plasma out before returning the blood special machine that pulls some of the plasma out before returning blood cells back to cells the body. back From to the there, body. we From can there, use special we can technology use special to technology separate to separate multimillion-dollar international food chain, theto plasma into different components, one of which is the antibodies that can special machine special pulls some that of pulls the some plasma ofcan out the before plasma returning out before the returning blood the blood cells back tomachine the body.

From there, use special technology to separate cells back thethat body.

From there, we canwe use special technology to separate plasma into different plasma into components, different components, one which one is the of antibodies which is the that antibodies can toyears that can defeat the virus.

Plasma donation isof aof well-established process with cells back tothe cells the body. back From the body. there, From we can there, use special weof can use special to technology separate separate Cupbop got its start in Taylorsville. the the plasma intoto different components, one which the antibodies that can the plasma into different components, one which istechnology the is antibodies thatmany can defeat theofvirus. defeat Plasma the regarding virus. donation Plasma is a donation well-established is a well-established with many years with many knowledge safety for donors. the plasma into thethe plasma different into components, different one ofwell-established which one isprocess the of which antibodies is process the that antibodies can that years can defeat virus.

Plasma donation isthe a process with many defeat the virus.

Plasma donation is acomponents, well-established process with many yearsyears “We accommodated seven tours through ofdefeat knowledge of regarding knowledge safety regarding for the safety donors. for is the donors. the virus. defeat Plasma theregarding virus. donation Plasma a donation well-established a well-established process withprocess many years with many years of knowledge safety for the donors. knowledge regarding safety foristhe donors. the arts center, a total of 90 to 100 people,”ofofCarknowledge of regarding knowledge safety regarding for the safety donors. for the donors. ley said. “Mostly, I heard a lot of ‘wows’ from STEP 3 the visitors. Members of the community were STEP STEP 3 3 3into a medicine to deeply impressed. It was a great way to highlight Convert STEP 3 STEP STEPConvert 3 Convert STEP 3 into a amedicine our workmanship. I was excited to show it off.” a medicine treat patients Convert Convert into ainto medicine into medicine toto toto Finally, as for the bare open land west of Convert Convert into a into medicine a medicine to to treat patients treat patients treat patients treat patients We can purify and concentrate the antibodies collected from donated plasma the new Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center, treat patients treat patients Your local Grifols plasma Donor Center is NOW accepting to develop a special medicine for still sick with COVID-19 or possibly We can and concentrate thethose antibodies collected from donated plasma plasma Harker said work to install amenities and a Wepurify can purify and concentrate the antibodies collected from donated We can purifythose We andcan concentrate purify and the concentrate antibodies the collected antibodies from collected donated from plasma donated plasma protect who have not been infected.

With this medicine, doctors will to develop a special medicine for those still sickstill with COVID-19 or possibly to develop a special medicine for those sick with COVID-19 or possibly football field’s worth of open lawn will also We can purify We and can concentrate purify and concentrate the antibodies the collected antibodies from collected donated from plasma donated plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19. to develop a consistent special to develop medicine a special for those medicine still sick for those with COVID-19 still sick with or possibly COVID-19 or possibly have a and precise dosing of the antibodies that can fight COVID-19 protect those those who have been With this medicine, doctors doctors will whonot have notinfected. been infected.

With this medicine, will to develop aprotect tospecial develop medicine a not special for medicine those still for sick those with still COVID-19 sick with or COVID-19 possibly ordoctors possibly begin soon. protect those protect who have those who been have infected. not been With infected. thisserve medicine, With this doctors medicine, will will to possibly help them get back to life faster or as a temporary defense have a consistent and precise dosingdosing of the antibodies that canthat fight COVID-19 have a consistent and precise of the antibodies can fight COVID-19 protect those protect who have those not who been have infected. not been With infected. this medicine, With this doctors medicine, will doctors will have a consistent have and a consistent precise dosing and precise of the antibodies dosing of the that antibodies can fight that COVID-19 can fight COVID-19 until a vaccine is developed.

“The bidding process [was] still going If you don't have COVID-19, your plasma donations are still to possibly help them get back to life faster or serveorasserve a temporary defense defense to possibly help them get back to life faster as a temporary have a consistent have a and consistent precise and dosing offaster the dosing antibodies of the antibodies can fight that fight COVID-19 to possibly help to them possibly help back them toprecise life get back ortoserve life faster asthat a temporary or serve asCOVID-19 defense a can temporary defense until auntil vaccine is get developed. on for improvements on the property next a vaccine is them developed. needed to treat ais to multitude of illnesses. to possibly help to until possibly get help back get life faster back to orlife serve faster as aortemporary serve as adefense temporary defense until a patients vaccine isthem developed. a with vaccine developed. to the arts center (at our press deadline), but until a vaccine until is a developed. vaccine is developed. the work will begin soon,” Harker said. “Half of the [$3 million] funding for the project New donors visit www.grifolsplasma.com to is coming from the county. Because of the This medicine is thethe This This isis the find a Grifols Donation center near Thismedicine medicine Thismedicine medicine theisis the you. coronavirus, they had to make a lot of cuts This medicine This medicine is the is the on projects like this. But we count ourselves very lucky because our funding was not cut.

Tomore find out donating in our COVID-19 Convalescent Hopefully, whoever we hire to do that work For infomore visit -about WWW.GRIFOLSPLASMA.COM/EN/ENDCV19 Program call (866) 363-2819. will be able to get it done on time.” l

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August 2020 | Page 5

New faces in Murray School District schools to greet students in fall

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

Principal Heather Nicholas will welcome students to Parkside Elementary this fall. (Photo courtesy of Murray School District)

W

hen students at McMillian Elementary learned they would have a new principal this fall, they put on their reporter’s hats and asked the incoming principal, Hannah Dolata Hafemann, some questions.

Do you have a sense of humor?

“Definitely. I think it is important to laugh every day. Taking time to be silly helps me to not get too stressed out and to be good at the serious parts of my job. My family and I have a French bulldog puppy named Howie who is totally goofy and makes us laugh every day.”

Can you play an instrument?

“I don’t play any instruments, but I sing a lot. When I was a classroom teacher, I used to sing to my class during lessons because it helped us to remember things and it was fun.”

Can you fluently speak another language?

“I can speak some Spanish, but I am not fluent. I would really like to learn to speak French someday because my husband and my daughter both speak French, and I want to be sneaky and know what they are saying. I think it is great that some students and families speak more than one language. The job that I had before becoming your principal was to work with teachers and schools to help students who are learning English and speak another language when they are at home.”

How long do you plan on staying at McMillan?

“I don’t know how many years I will be your principal for, but since I am just turning 40 this year (right when school starts), I do know it is going to be a very long time before I retire.”

Dolata Hafemann, who responded to the fourth- and fifth-graders, said, “Those questions were so fun.”

Dolata Hafemann is one of several new faces students may see this fall when they return to school, either online or in the halls, depending on how the school year begins in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She is replacing Principal Joy Sanford, who retired.

Page 6 | August 2020

Whitney Anderson, former Horizon Elementary assistant principal, will become the school principal this fall. (Photo courtesy of Murray School District)

“I’m going to miss the kids so much,” said Sanford, after 25 years as an educator.

“The families here are incredible and the teachers are so in tune to the kids and instruction. The support staff is incredible. It’s a great place to end my career.”

Other appointments include Whitney Anderson, former Horizon Elementary assistant principal, becoming principal of the school as Principal Heather Nicholas moves to head Parkside Elementary. Nicholas replaces Brian Dawes, who resigned after 25 years of public education to explore working in the private sector.

“It’s been a wonderful opportunity to work at Parkside and Murray School District and the community just welcomed me,” Dawes said. “The kids were the greatest.

There was a diversity and uniqueness that I absolutely loved. It was hard not having that opportunity of closure to say goodbye in person.”

Vanessa Jobe has been appointed as assistant principal intern at Horizon and Jon Jensen will be Murray High’s assistant principal as Dolph Church retired.

All appointments were effective July 1.

Dolata Hafemann, Jensen and Jobe are all new to the district, coming from the Salt Lake City District. Dolata Hafemann was an English Language Development Specialist and has also worked as an elementary teacher, ALS coordinator and academic adviser.

Jansen, a former special education teacher and athletic director, has worked with atrisk and high-needs students at both Horizonte School and Highland High. He was Highland’s assistant principal.

Jobe was an elementary literacy coach and has worked as an elementary teacher in both private and public schools.

Dolata Hafemann said she’s excited to meet her students as a first-time principal.

Some students in teacher Ann Saltzman’s class emailed questions to her, such as “Why did you decide you wanted to become a princi-

pal, and why are you going to be the principal for our school?”

Dolata Hafemann said she decided to become a school principal because she loved being a classroom teacher.

“I want to help make sure that schools are a safe, fun place for kids to be excited about learning and for teachers to be happy and excited about working with students and families,” she said. “It is important to me that schools help all students to challenge themselves as learners and to do amazing things.

I’m going to be your principal at McMillan because Ms. Sanford is retiring and your superintendent, Ms. (Jennifer) Covington, and the Murray City School District team think I will be a good fit for your school community.

I can’t wait to meet you and your families. I have heard really great things about McMillan and am so excited to be a Mighty Mite.”

Another question asked, “Are you nice?”

Dolata Hafemann responded: “I think I am a nice person, and I try to be friendly and kind every day. There might be times when we have different opinions about something at school, but I will always listen to you so that we can talk about it and make a plan together with your family. I am looking forward to talking to you about what you like or maybe don’t like at school and how we can make being at school a great experience for all students.”

She invited students to email her or mail her a letter if there is anything more they would want to know before the school year begins.

She also has book suggestions for elementary students who want to get in a last-minute read before the school year begins. (See sidebar) Dolata Hafemann added she loves art and seeing it interwoven into curriculum, she likes to read and watch old movies. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and biology at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, her master’s degree in arts in teaching at Westminster College and her doctorate at the University of Utah in education policy and leadership.

Nicholas, after nine years at Horizon, will take the helm at Parkside Elementary, which will have its third principal in as many years.

At Horizon, which houses a Spanish dual-immersion program, Nicholas said she has built a community of diversity, welcoming nearly 200 out-of-boundary permit-students to attend the 325-student program.

“There’s been a lot of building relationships, trust, home visits, making students and parents feel comfortable, giving parents the opportunity to share their talent and volunteer in classes,” Nicholas said. “It’s a great community.”

It’s a little easier for her, she said, knowing the school is in “really good hands” with Anderson.

“I’m sad to leave Horizon; there’s lots of fond memories,” Nicholas said. “But she’s

very capable and I’m happy for this community. I’m going to Parkside with an open mind and heart.”

Some of the parents at Parkside she already knows because they may have dual immersion students at Horizon, but their siblings attend the school alongside Murray Park. She intends to build those relationships and trust with that community.

“Iknow many kids may come from traumatic backgrounds, 61% are on free and reduced lunch, many may live in government-subsidized housing, and they’re the highest at-risk school in our district,” she said.

“But they’re also students who want to learn and the staff works very hard. I’m excited to see why it’s a great, awesome school and why there is a lot of people in their corner.”

Nicholas, who is a “huge U fan” even though she earned her bachelor’s in elementary education at Brigham Young University and her master’s in administration in education from Utah State University, is known to be in the classroom talking about chemical reactions before walking outside with students to see it firsthand by adding Mentos to Coca-Cola then leading them in a water balloon fight.

She’s been willing to dye her hair or be duct taped to a wall when students reach a reading or fundraising goal.

“I want them to see I’m human and make a connection. I’m a little fun, crazy, with foursquare, kickball, science experiments, reading books or in the lunchroom in the midst of kids,” Nicholas said. “I’m happiest when I’m around the kids.” l

Summer reads recommended for elementary students

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

S

tudents who want an escape but are respecting COVID-19 social distancing guidelines have a few weeks yet of summer vacation to escape through reading.

New McMillan Elementary Principal Hannah Dolata Hafemann, who herself is a bookworm, has recommendations for summer reading.

For young readers and “anyone who enjoys a good picture book that celebrates summer,” she recommends “C’mon Rain” by Karen Hesse and “The Raft” by Jim LeMarche.

Summer reads for older elementary students include “City of Ember” by Jeanne DuPrau—and she said to read the book before watching the movie—and “The Mysterious Benedict Society” series by Trenton Lee Stewart.

And “for any kid looking for a way to make a difference in the world this summer,” Dolata Hafemann recommends “101 Small Ways to Change the World” by Aubre Andrus. l

Murray City Journal

Murray Library still in demand during pandemic

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

Librarian Teresa McLeod reads a book on Murray City Library’s YouTube Channel. (Photo courtesy Murray City Library)

H

ow essential is a library during a pandemic quarantine? Very much so, if you are counting the number of viewers checking out Murray Library’s YouTube channel.

While the library locked its doors back in March, demand for the library’s services has been consistent.

“We offer hold pickup service (no-contact curbside pickup), electronic resources (e-books, e-audiobooks, streaming movies

and music), craft tutorials, language learning with Rosetta Stone, daily Facebook Live story times, and our digital Summer Learning Challenge,” Murray City Library Director Kim Fong said.

With the closure of schools and daycares, Murray Library has provided beleaguered parents a break by hosting a daily online story time to engage children.

“We started our StoryTube channel in 2013. It has changed over the years, but we have consistently provided online content for our viewers. Currently, we’ve seen an increase in views over the months since the pandemic forced us to close our doors,” Fong said. “We have a variety of programming on the channel, including crafts, science projects, magic tricks and, of course, stories.”

Library staff have come up with clever ways to make the presentation engaging.

For instance, when the book of the day was “Hungry Jim” by Laurel Snyder, children were read to by Librarian Teresa McLeod dressed up in a lion costume, mirroring the book’s protagonist.

However, children’s books are generally quick reads so the library brought one of its most popular programs, “Wiggle Worms,” online. The library calls it “a lively program of stories, songs, shakers and parachutes for

infants and toddlers up to 2.5 years of age and their families.”

During a recent “Wiggle Worms” broadcast on Facebook, Librarian Rebecca Mieure invited children to find their favorite stuffed animals and sing songs, such as “This is the Way We Say Hello” and “Bingo.”

Much like the rest of the pandemic world, the library has adapted its book checkout system to a take-out system. Patrons can visit the library’s website to place items on hold and receive a notification when their items are available.

They can then go to the library and pull into one of the hold pickup service stalls. A phone number posted on the parking stalls allows patrons to call or text a staff member dedicated solely to preparing the orders and taking them outside for patrons.

If people are unsure of what they would like, they can call the library’s main number (801-264-2580), and a librarian can assist them by recommending items and placing holds for them. Also, they have a “We Recommend” form on their website for people who would like to get more recommendations.

Adapting to the pandemic, the library has had to change its return policies. “When someone returns an item, we quarantine the

item for at least three days to ensure that any possible contamination is gone before we handle it and make it available for others to check out. In the meantime, we are not charging overdue fines,” Fong said.

During the pandemic, children’s books have been the most checked-out item, with e-book users checking out adult fiction. The library is now making plans for the future.

“We plan to offer library services on an appointment-only basis when we reopen. We will begin by offering computer use by appointment and will continue to roll out services by reservation as the situation allows,” Fong said. “We don’t have a definite timeline and will monitor the pandemic situation before adding more services. In the meantime, we will continue with our current offerings, which allow patrons to place an increased number of holds and check out an increased number of items.”

In the meantime, the library plans to announce the winners of its Summer Learning Challenge. The program was opened up to readers of all ages. A prize will be given to all those who finish the program: a book.

Murray Library’s StoryTube can be found online at murraylibrary.org. l

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What’s your legacy?

Local company, restaurants work to feed front-line workers

By Libby Allnatt | l.allnatt@mycityjournals.com

As part of the Helping Heroes program to bring meals to front-line workers, Nicholas and Company provides food, containers and delivery services. Restaurant partners donate time and labor to help prepare the meals.

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food distribution company in Utah is finding ways to give back amid the coronavirus pandemic while supporting the local economy.

Nicholas and Company developed an initiative called Helping Heroes in partnership with the Utah Football Foundation to help feed front-line workers with the help of local restaurants. Since the program began in April, almost 2,000 meals have been donated.

“The general public knows how hard the restaurant and hospitality industry has been hit during this pandemic,” said Nicole Mouskondis, co-CEO of Nicholas and Company along with Peter Mouskondis. “We are the behindthe-scenes part of the supply chain that gets restaurants all the products they need. When restaurants are in trouble, we’re in trouble, too.”

When the pandemic began making an impact in Utah this spring, Nicholas and Company created task forces to address different issues.

One of those issues was an excess of inventory as businesses closed their doors as part of the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The company worked to offload some products to local retail organizations, including Smith’s and Associated Food Stores, but they wanted to find a way to further help the community.

“We saw a lot of help going to feeding front-line workers,” Nicole said. “We noticed that we could create a win-win-win scenario if we helped ourselves, our customers and our community.…We figured that we could take the inventory we needed to donate, we could have our restaurant operators that didn’t have enough work for their workers, we could use their labor to make meals, and get those meals back out to the community.”

Nicholas and Company provides food, containers and delivery services, while the restaurant partners donate time and labor to help prepare the meals.

Cafe Trio was the first onboard, along with Culinary Crafts, Cuisine Unlimited and Stoneground Kitchen.

The facilities receiving the meals are all over Utah and include acute care centers that were heavily affected by the pandemic, Nicole said. Among the facilities are Rocky Mountain Care facilities, the People’s Health Clinic in Park City, the South Davis Metro Fire Department, Alta Ridge Assisted Living and Memory Care, and several others.

“It helped us to get products into the community, it helped our customers, and it helped the restaurants helping make the meals,” Nicole said.

She said they knew the project would be more sustainable if partnered with a nonprofit organization. One task force member had connections with the Utah Football Foundation, who were looking to do something to help with the crisis as well.

“Unfortunately, we’re still in uncertain times,” Nicole said. “We knew that we would only be able to sustain this program for so long with our own donations.”

Another way Nicholas and Company innovated during the pandemic is with the direct-to-consumer online market Nicco Marketplace. The public can place orders online then visit the company’s Salt Lake City facility to pick up an assortment of goods, including fresh produce, pantry staples and some non-food essentials.

Nicole said that giving back to the community is important because of the “philotimo” philosophy at the heart of the company, which refers to the Greek word meaning “the love of honor” and a duty to improve the world.

The mission has grown even more prevalent throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

“Regular consumers can help their own communities by supporting local business,” she said.

Nicholas and Company is the largest independent food distribution company across the Intermountain West. The company’s Las Vegas facility is part of the Helping Heroes program as well, providing meals through partnerships with local nonprofits to first responders in Las Vegas. l

Murray City Journal

Local principal influences state and national mental health initiatives

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

L

ocal principal Dixie Garrison, of West Jordan Middle School, has influenced education policies at national and state levels while serving as president of the Utah Association of Secondary School Principals.

Much of her work has been advocating to improve students’ mental health.

“As an educator, the biggest thing that you want to do is to have that effect on kids, to make their life better in some way,” Garrison said. “And if the message—or who I am and what I stand for and the work that I’ve done—if that trickles down to help save a kid and make their life better, then that’s the biggest thing I’ve been able to do. It’s not about trips to Washington, D.C.—which are really cool—but to have that platform.”

As Utah’s representative within the national association, Garrison met with legislators and advocated for funding for mental health and school safety initiatives and for inclusion policies for groups such as minorities and LGBTQ+.

“A lot of the state representatives are really receptive to our message—definitely the mental health and safety issues and Congress has provided funding around those initiatives,” Garrison said.

Federal funding for the 2019-20 school year increased $1.17 billion with Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants for school counseling and mental health programs. Another $10 million was invested in the Safe Schools and Education pilot program.

Last October, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced $71.6 million to improve student access to mental health resources and school safety measures.

In Utah, last year’s Student Support Bill provided $26 million to hire more school counselors, psychologists, social workers and nurses. It also helped fund mental health training and the Safe UT app. This year’s amendment defined standards for mental health screenings.

“This is the most important school counseling bill that we’ve had in our state history,” said Utah Rep. Steve Eliason at the bill signing in April 2019. “It appropriates a record amount of funding.”

Garrison’s own Jordan District has seen increased funding for mental health initiatives. Funds through a Project AWARE federal grant provided mental health firstaid trainings and social emotional learning curriculum. JSD committed to hiring a fulltime school psychologist for each elementary school with the $710 million mental health budget allocated by the school board in 2018.

JSD qualified for the maximum amount of Student Support Bill matching funding which they used to hire additional full-time therapists and counselors, reducing their counselor to student ratios to well below state and national averages.

MurrayJournal .com

Principal Dixie Garrison meets with then.-Sen. Orrin Hatch to advocate for education funding. (Photo courtesy of Dixie Garrison)

JSD also created a Health and Wellness Team to connect students and families with local mental health resources. This year, funding was used to sponsor more than 100 students to receive a free trial period of mental health counseling with community partners.

“That makes it not scary for a lot of families who have never explored it, who are scared about getting mental health services or who might just not be able to afford it,” said Health and Wellness Specialist Mckinley Withers.

The program had a successful first year and was a valuable resource when students lost access to school services this spring due to the pandemic.

Withers said mental health support will be imperative as students come back to school amid current health and social issues.

“We have been brainstorming with our counselors and psychologists, coming up with as many different strategies and ideas to address the unique nature of all the kids coming back,” Withers said. Each school’s administration team will have the flexibility to respond to their students’ needs within their own school culture.

Garrison anticipates her students at West Jordan Middle School will need extra mental health support this year. Even though her national position term has ended, she continues to advocate for mental health and for minority and LGBTQ+ support initiatives in her school and in the state. Garrison continues to

Local principal Dixie Garrison influences national education policies. (Photo courtesy of Dixie Garrison)

serve, as she has for the last seven years, on the Utah Suicide Prevention Advisory Board.

“The work that I’m doing is really driven by mental health,” she said. “For me, it’s a real personal mission—I had a brother who

died by suicide. And so, I would say the suicide prevention is the biggest thing that I’m involved in— that’s the most imperative work.” l

August 2020 | Page 9

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ to devour Murray stage

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

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allying up Murray’s year so far: a pandemic, a protest, an earthquake, and now human-eating plants. “Little Shop of Horrors,” a musical love story with a carnivorous Venus flytrap, runs Aug. 14-15, 17-22, at the Murray Amphitheater.

To keep the actual fears of the COVID-19 pandemic at bay while hosting a musical production, Murray Cultural Arts will follow strict guidelines for performances.

“We use the Salt Lake County Health Department and Governor’s Events and Cultural Entertainment guidelines, which include an advanced cleaning regimen, and have significantly reduced the number of tickets to be purchased Are you a business leader?

At no cost, the ElevateHERTM Challenge is easy in order to follow social distancing procedures,” Murray Cultural Arts Manager Lori Edmunds to accept and will benefit your company. said. “We also offer free masks to those in need, Join businesses across Utah in and hand sanitizer is always available. We enour mission to elevate the stature courage online ticket purchasing, and because of women’s leadership. Take the we do not have assigned seating, we ask the ElevateHERTM Challenge and stand with patrons for their last name on our venue map other businesses as we pledge to elevate so Salt Lake County Health Department can women in senior leadership positions, in contact them if an outbreak occurs.” boardrooms, on management teams and Keeping actors and crew safe, Director on politcal ballots.

Adam Wilkins uses similar precautions during rehearsals.

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ing.’ The audience and cast are outside, socially distanced apart at 20% capacity, and no mask equals no admission. We are staying safe,” Wilkins said.

Wilkins, the theater arts teacher at Cottonwood High School, is no stranger to the Murray Amphitheater stage. He performed as Harold Hill in “The Music Man,” Mysterious Old Man in “Into the Woods,” and Officer Lock-stock in “Urine Town.”

“Little Shop of Horrors” follows a docile florist named Seymour and a talking Venus flytrap that he affectionately calls Audrey II, after his crush Audrey. Audrey, who Seymour pines after, is stuck in an abusive relationship with Orin, the bully, and Seymour lacks the confidence to pursue her.

While Seymour’s plant develops a taste for blood and eventually becomes famous, the larger it grows, Audrey II dispenses wisdom to the shy Seymour to help him win over its namesake.

As the plot hints, the play is a dark comedy that features ’60s style rock songs, including “Suddenly Seymour,” “Skid Row”— also known as “Downtown”—and “Don’t Feed the Plants.”

Playing the lead, Isaac Carrillo has been seen on stage in Sandy Amphitheater’s “Mamma Mia,” the Empress Theatre’s production of “She Loves Me” as Steven Kodaly, and in “Newsies” at the Draper Amphitheater.

Elaia Echeverria takes on the love-interest role of Audrey. Echeverria starred as Aunt Maddox in Plan-B Theater Company’s “The Post Office.”

In the role of antagonist Orin is Josh Bone, who recently appeared in the local pro-

duction of “Sweeney Todd” at Draper Historic Theatre. Doug Cahoon manages the killer puppet Audrey II. Supporting cast includes Teresa Jack as Crystal, Wendy Dang as Ronnette, Ashley Bates as Chiffon, Samuel Wright as Mushnik and James Carter as Bernstein.

Behind the baton will be Music Director Tamara Howell. Lily Hilden will make the calls as stage manager, with costumes by Assistant Director Maddiey Howell.

“Little Shop of Horrors” marked the second theater collaboration between songwriter Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman.

Their partnership includes the musicals “Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Aladdin.”

“It’s interesting to see and hear the similarities between the shows,” Wilkins said.

The play started as a 1960 Roger Corman campy horror movie, which included a young Jack Nicholson. Menken and Ashman adapted that to a musical in 1982. That musical, in turn, was remade into a 1986 Frank Oz movie starring Rick Moranis and Steve Martin.

Wilkins, tongue-in-cheek, notes that there couldn’t be a better time to stage “Little Shop.”

“As the world is seemingly spinning out of control with global pandemics, earthquakes, economic strife, and political upheaval, what better time to produce an end-of-theworld satire, complete with a horror comedy rock score and a giant carnivorous plant from outer space?”

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“Little Shop of Horrors” will be Murray Amphitheater’s only summer theater production. (Photo courtesy Murray City)

Murray City Journal

Planners offer first glimpse of Fashion Place West plans

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

The “Rialto Bridge” in Columbus, Ohio, could be a model for the possibilities of the Winchester Bridge in Murray. (Photo Courtesy Murray City)

T

hink about the Rialto Bridge in Venice, with its ornate façade and merchants’ shops lining the interior, spanning a historic canal. Now envision Murray with its version of the Rialto Bridge, but this time spanning I-215.

It’s not that far-fetched, and it’s included as a possibility in the newly released Fashion Place West Small Area Plan. After months of

meeting with and surveying area residents, business owners and visitors, Murray City’s Planning Division released an update of findings and possible improvements to the area.

The Fashion Place West small area boundaries are confined to I-15 on the west, State Street on the east, 6100 South on the north, and 6870 South at the southern border.

The city has contracted with VODO Landscape and Planning to formulate a plan.

After an initial open house in January, a second open house was scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, a public survey was posted online through Murray City’s and Utah Transit Authority’s social media websites.

Survey respondents rated better lighting as their No. 1 improvement priority in the area’s neighborhoods. Following closely behind were concerns regarding the improvement of sidewalks, the need for more crosswalks, and the benefits of additional shade trees.

Housing affordability ranked highest among respondents regarding housing issues.

Residents said they would welcome more cottage-cluster additions to the area; building apartments was the least supported option.

By far, traffic remains the most significant concern facing the neighborhood. Of

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those polled, the majority indicated that they just visit the area to shop instead of being actual residents of the community.

Connectivity, one of the critical areas that the plan addresses, focuses on the Fashion Place West TRAX Station. As a major transit hub, it sits nearly a half-mile away from Fashion Place Mall. Winchester Street, which connects the two, would be a prime target for improvement.

The plan states, “Transporting people from around the area, especially from the TRAX station to the mall, is key to continue the area’s economy. Well-established, pedestrian, bicycle and transit infrastructure could consistently be included through the area and safety features could be added.”

The plan calls for improved sidewalks and bike lanes along Winchester as well as landscaping and other visual enhancements, especially on the bridge that spans I-215. Two of the most immediate enhancements suggested are the addition of motorized scooters and the rerouting of UTA buses to drop mall patrons off directly at Fashion Place’s doors.

As said in the plan: “Consider rerouting the 209 bus route to stop directly in front of a mall entrance. The current mid-block stop location on Winchester Street forces riders to take a long route to reach the mall without

proper sidewalk infrastructure through the parking lots.”

Also included with improved stops, the plan suggests more frequent intervals between buses going to and from the TRAX station and the mall, thus implying that Murray could consider a partnership with UTA to provide more amenities for riders at the bus stops and the TRAX station.

The plan also cites a unique idea: transform the Winchester Bridge into usable space, similar to the High Street I-670 Cap (“Rialto Bridge”) in Columbus, Ohio. According to the planners, the idea behind the Columbus bridge development was “to heal the scar created by the interstate, the solution (by the city) was to…create pedestrian and retail space.” That type of development in Murray would require multiple agencies and complex arrangements.

Streetscape enhancements are among the most immediate impacts residents could expect to see in the area, along with bus schedule improvements and upgrades to the Cottonwood Street bridge that spans I-215.

City planners hope to submit a finalized version of the small area plan to the city council for adoption this year. l

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August 2020 | Page 11

Murray School District’s outstanding teacher, employee honored virtually

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

W

hen Grant Elementary second-grade teacher Jessica Porter received a call from Murray School District student services director telling her she was selected as the District’s teacher of the year, she had a bunch of emotions—surprise, disbelief, pride.

“He said he was sad he couldn’t tell me in person (because of the social distancing with COVID-19 pandemic) and then gave me the specifics about the virtual (Murray) Board (of Education) meeting, including that I should be prepared to speak,” she said, adding that nervousness added to the array of emotions.

With the community’s eyes’ glued to their screens, Murray School District Superintendent Jennifer Covington publicly announced Porter as the teacher of the year.

District support services director Rock Boyer announced Murray High custodian Jim Brown as the classified employee of the year.

In the nomination for Porter, it said: “Mrs. Porter has high standards for her students and never accepts anything less than their best effort. She helps them understand what they’re learning, why they’re learning it, and always provides them with the criteria that will allow them to gauge their own learning and success within a lesson.”

Her principal, Mindy Ball, said Porter is

a “masterful educator” and further explains her teaching method: “At any given time, students will be making models, working in partners to solve a problem, using independent skill sets or using whiteboards. Students know that Mrs. Porter is not only cheering for them, but cheering with them, helping them grow at every opportunity available.”

Porter, who said the first class she taught was now part of this year’s graduating class, thanked the Board and District leadership for investing in teachers.

“Thank you also for investing in me,” she said. “Thank you for the professional development opportunities. I am a great teacher today because of the belief and investment this district has made in its teachers. I am lucky to be in a profession where what I do truly makes a difference. My work is purposeful.”

Porter, who has taught 13 years—11 at Grant—said as a first-generation college graduate, she didn’t want to teach at first.

“I loved learning, but it wasn’t a value shared in my family,” she said. “I learned it was in the classroom where I feel confident and shine and can help my students’ shine. I love helping kids learn.”

Her enthusiasm spread, and her mother volunteered in the classroom for about a half-dozen years, so when she called to

tell her parents about the award, they were “thrilled”—as was her own family.

Now, Porter is spending some of her summer writing essays and updating her education resume as part of the teacher of the year application for the state award. The sign that was posted in her front yard announcing her award now sits in the garage.

“It was very heartwarming and validating to me, but having the support means more to me than the award,” she said. “I am incredibly humbled and honored to be recognized as one of the many teachers who are deserving of this recognition.”

Brown, who has worked for the District for 35 years before retiring in June, was known for his work ethic and professionalism, Boyer said.

As a custodian at Murray High, Brown was responsible and dedicated, often working late into the evenings to ensure high school activities were properly concluded and cleaned up, he said.

Murray High Principal Scott Wihongi said he has appreciated Brown’s dependability as a “steady fixture” at the school.

“He seldom takes sick days and he has always followed through with the duties he is assigned,” Wihongi said. “As Jim wraps up his career, I want to acknowledge the impact

Murray High’s custodian Jim Brown was named Murray School District’s employee of the year. (Photo courtesy of Murray School District)

he has had at Murray High for so many years.

Over the years, I have seen the cafeteria go from trashy, to hardly a sign of garbage, because Jim religiously roams around with the garbage can during the lunch period. He may come across as gruff, but he has a heart of gold and is willing to help anyone. Jim is old-school loyal, who shows up, gets the job done, and is absolutely dependable.” l

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Please call to reserve your seat: Grant Elementary’s Jessica Porter was named Murray School District’s teacher of the year. (Photo courtesy of Murray School District)

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Murray City Journal

GSD hopes higher teacher salary and detailed COVID-19 plans will entice quality applicants

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

T

he retirement of 19 long-term educators at Holladay area schools leaves a big gap in experienced teachers. Granite School District hopes that their newly approved pay scale will help attract and retain teachers, despite the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19.

“In general, we are still seeing far fewer graduates in the state of Utah than we have in the past, which requires us to do a lot of out of state recruiting in order to fill all of our positions,” said Ben Horsley, director of communications for Granite District.

“We are fortunately seeing about the same amount of applicants. There have been significant investments made to ensure our salaries are competitive with our surrounding districts, and that has been a great help in attracting high quality applicants,” Horsley said.

In a board meeting June 16, GSD presented their annual budget and plans for new teacher salary increases. Mitch Robison, director of budget development, reported a proposed $50,000+ salary for incoming qualified teachers with a bachelor’s degree. There will also be a 5% cost of living adjustment.

Teachers needed to quickly learn about distance learning when school went online in March. Horsley feels that the new hires,

many of whom are recent college graduates and have likely used distance learning, will be prepared for the unique challenges that may come this school year.

“Our new hires are well versed in distance learning strategies having utilized them for their own learning. Regardless, we provide appropriate new and ongoing professional development for teachers to enhance their digital instruction,” Horsley said.

Horsley said the district doesn’t have specific numbers on teachers who chose not to return due to COVID-19 concerns. “I don’t have any detailed figures or numbers on [whether teachers have left due to health concerns] as of yet. It is still too early to see if any resignations or retirements are tied to a return to school this fall.”

The Utah Education Association has published several statements on their website as the situation unfolds. “UEA members need to know their rights and job protections.

A flowchart was created to provide answers and assist members in getting assistance and advocacy to make decisions about returning to work,” said UEA general counsel Tracey Watson.

UEA president Heidi Matthews has made several statements about the safety of

schools reopening. “I’m hearing from teachers all around the state who are fearful their school district plans don’t go far enough to protect them and their students. We urge each school district to seek educator input in their back-to-school plans,” said Matthews in a statement dated July 8.

“It’s important for us to get back to in-person learning, but we must make the transition in a way that does not unnecessarily endanger the health of our students and school staff. If we don’t prioritize the health and safety of school staff and properly accommodate high-risk employees, we fear schools may not remain open long,” Matthews said.

Matthews also acknowledged that communities of color, which represent large parts of Granite District, were hit “unequally” by the pandemic. This demographic is also statistically underserved in education. Matthews said extra steps must be taken to “close the gaps that were exacerbated” by school closures.

The homepage for GSD, www.graniteschools.org, states, “We are working very hard to provide a high quality, individualized learning experience for all of our students.”

The site has a link to help teachers with dis-

BEFORE, DURING & AFTER Committed to supporting you through every stage of your maternity care.

Granite School District showed teachers their appreciation with yard signs in the spring. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

tance learning and a link for a tech support request for families.

Horsley said that Granite is taking steps to make sure teachers feel that they are safe at work. “We have and continue to work with our teacher association on a variety of issues and questions regarding what classrooms will look like this fall.” l

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MurrayJournal .com

August 2020 | Page 13

How the Utah Sports Hall of Fame honors past, present, future

By Nichole Duffy | n.duffy@mycityjournals.com

A

s Utahns from across the valley search for ways to fill the void of sports, one organization has long been honoring sports past, present and future.

The Utah Sports Hall of Fame Foundation and museum has worked tirelessly to bring the best of Utah sports to the community.

Started in 1967 as the “Old Timer Athletic Association,” their goal was to highlight “hall of famers” which included athletes and administrators, but as time has progressed, so too has the organization. Now a nonprofit that prides itself on “preserving and honoring Utah’s sports heritage,” says Doug Toole, president-elect of the organization.

According to Norma Carr, the current president of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, their mission is to “Honor the past, lead the present, and award the future”.

The way they honor their mission is multifaceted, Toole explains, “The foundation honors the past by recognizing individuals in different categories; The Utah Sports Hall of Fame, the Distinguished High School Coaches Hall of Honor, Coaches of Merit Hall of Honor, Distinguished Service Award, and the Game Officials Hall of Honor.”

To date there has been 238 honorees inducted, from a diversity of sports and competition levels. From Jazz great Karl Malone to sports writer Hack Miller, you can see and learn about them all.

“The foundation leads the present by hosting a leadership symposium for coaches in January of odd number years,” Toole said.

“For the symposium we choose to use some of our people who are in the hall of fame and planned a leadership event. People can come and attend different sessions and learn different things from people who have been honored,” explained Carr. “Depending on who we pick each year people have a grass roots, small event where they can listen, learn and ask questions of hall of famers concerning leadership skills.”

Another exciting part of the foundation, and the third prong to its mission, is the Reams Scholarship “The foundation awards the future by providing six to eight $2,000 scholarships through donations from the Ream’s food store to high school seniors,” Toole said.

Carr expands on the program, “Started in 1990 and year to date have given out 228 scholarships, which translates to approximately $400,000 given to Utah high school students who attend a Utah school.”

These scholarships are available to any Utah student, and you don’t have to be an athlete to apply.

“The chair of the selection committee prepares a letter and sends it to all the high

Page 14 | August 2020

The Hall of Fame gallery (Courtesy of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame Foundation)

school counselors in Utah each year detailing the qualifications for the students to apply,” Carr said.

While the Reams scholarship uses money left by Paul Ream to help fund these scholarships, it is also funded by donations to the foundation.

The foundation does more than just honor the heroes of the past and the leaders of the future, but they put it all up for display for people to admire. The museum, which is located at City Creek mall (99 West South Temple suite 102), has welcomed more than 1,332 Utahns, 991 people from 51 different states, and 343 international visitors.

You can read biographies of the more than 200 inductees on its website at utahsportshalloffame.org.

You can read about Jim Shea, who in the 2002 Olympics, “became a third-generation Olympian.” Or if basketball is more your speed you could read about Natalie Williams, a graduate of Taylorsville high school, who went on to be named the “PAC-10’s athlete of the decade and became a four-time WNBA all-star.”

It doesn’t matter what sport you are into, they have it.

Even president elect Doug Toole was surprised by the two honorees of 2019, brothers David and Richard Barnes, who both swam at Skyline high school and later went on to swim the English Channel. They were the first people from Utah to complete it.

A statement from the organization puts it best, “The Utah Sports Hall of Fame Museum has brought the state’s sports history to life, while preserving and honoring the legacies of heroes and role models of Utah. These athletes and figures from across a broad spectrum of individual and team sports deserve to be showcased and celebrated, and their stories will provide inspiration to all who learn more about their accomplishments.”

Anyone who wishes to donate to the Utah Sports Hall of Fame can do so at: utahsportshalloffame.org. l

Murray City Journal

AUGUST 2020

FREQUENTLY REQUESTED NUMBERS Attorney .................................. 801-264-2640 Business Licensing .................. 801-270-2432 Cemetery ................................ 801-264-2637 City Council ............................. 801-264-2603 Finance Department ............... 801-264-2513 FIRE DEPARTMENT Administrative Office .......... 801-264-2781 Non-Emergency Calls ......... 801-840-4000 General Information................ 801-264-2525 Heritage Center (Sr. Center)..... 801-264-2635 Human Resources.................... 801-264-2656 Library .................................... 801-264-2580 Mayor’s Office.......................... 801-264-2600 Municipal Court....................... 801-284-4280 Museum .................................. 801-264-2589 Murray Park Outdoor Pool ....... 801-266-9321 Murray Parkway Golf Course.... 801-262-4653 PARKS AND RECREATION Administrative Office .......... 801-264-2614 Rain-out Information ......... 801-264-2525 Park Center (indoor pool) ........ 801-284-4200 Passports................................. 801-264-2660 POLICE DEPARTMENT Administrative Office .......... 801-264-2673 Animal Control ................... 801-264-2671 Code Enforcement .............. 801-264-2673 Non-Emergency Calls ......... 801-840-4000 POWER DEPARTMENT Administrative Office .......... 801-264-2730 After Hours Emergency....... 801-264-9669 PUBLIC SERVICES Administrative Office .......... 801-270-2440 Building Inspection ............ 801-270-2431 Green Waste Trailers ........... 801-270-2440 Planning and Zoning .......... 801-270-2420 Solid Waste......................... 801-270-2440 Water, Sewer, Streets.......... 801-270-2440 Zoning Enforcement ........... 801-270-2426 UTILITIES After Hours Emergency....... 801-264-9669 Billing Questions ................ 801-264-2626

murray.utah.gov

Mayor’s Message Making the Best of Tough Times As we move into August, I have to say that I have missed many of the fun activities that we usually enjoy throughout the summer. Many of the sporting events, Arts in the Park, Fun Days, and other activities that are part of our usual summer season did not take place this year. Even my own family reunion was cancelled! That said, the summer of 2020 is evidence of the spirit of innovation and creativity among our community. For example, I recently attended a “drive-through” wedding shower where the young couple stood in a shady parking lot and were greeted by friends from their cars as they drove through. Our wait in the drive-through line was rewarded with refreshments offered by the parents of the bride and groom. It was a fun and creative way to make the best of the difficult times we are experiencing.

Many transactions or communications that we used to do in person have become electronic or curbside over the past months. Ordering food over a phone app is quite common, and meetings over Zoom have replaced face-to-face interactions. Fewer citizens are visiting city offices as they take care of their business remotely.

We recently opened our brand-new, state-of-the-art headquarters fire station at 4848 South Box Elder Street without the fanfare of a public open house. We are extremely pleased with the facility and will be anxious to give tours to the public when the time is right. Directly east of the station our new city hall will begin construction without a public groundbreaking ceremony due to pandemic restrictions.

We are pleased that we have been able to reopen our popular parks, including our swimming pool, even though the number of swimmers allowed at a time are fewer than previous capacity. I have observed during

MAYOR’S OFFICE

D. Blair Camp -Mayor mayor@murray.utah.gov 801-264-2600 5025 S. State Street Murray, Utah 84107

this pandemic that our residents want to be out appreciating nature, soaking up the sunshine, and enjoying activities.

These past few months have been challenging for all of us. The pandemic, an earthquake, and civil unrest have moved all of us from our comfort zones. As your mayor, I am proud of the way Murray residents and businesses have responded to the challenges. While a few have criticized, most of you have been helpful to neighbors, supportive of local business, and have looked for ways to make the best of tough times.

Our senior citizens have been impacted immensely by the pandemic. Many of our seniors rely on each other for social interactions, and the closure of our senior recreation center during this pandemic has had an overwhelming effect on many of them who are feeling lonely during this time of isolation. While our senior center staff continues to explore options for programs and activities that can be safely accomplished, this has been a difficult undertaking. I hope we can all be aware of those seniors in our neighborhoods and reach out to them with helping hands.

There is a Japanese proverb that says, “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” Murray has a long history of standing up before, during, and after hard times, and I am certain that the current hard time will be no different. While it may be easy to retreat into our homes and keep to ourselves during these times, I salute those of you who are actively reaching out and providing help and service to your neighbors in need. That’s what we’ve done before, that’s what we’re doing now, and that’s what we’ll do in the future.

Murray City is Now Served by Salt Lake County Animal Services An exciting change for Murray City! As of July 1, 2020, Salt Lake County Animal Services is honored to serve the 2-legged and 4-legged residents of Murray. Salt Lake County Animal Services is the largest no-kill municipal shelter in Utah and provides shelter for all types of lost and abandoned domestic pets.

On average Salt Lake County Animal Control Officers have 15 years of experience in animal welfare and are specifically trained in all areas of domestic animal care and livestock handling.

SERVICES AVAILABLE TO MURRAY RESIDENTS: • 24/7, 365 days-per-year field operation – call dispatch at (801) 743-7000 • Free microchips and vaccinations for cats and dogs (by appointment) • Humane education and community outreach programming • Find out more about additional services and programs at AdoptUtahPets.org The Murray Shelter will remain open and will be operated by Salt Lake County Animal Services.

STRAYS: If you find stray or abandoned animals in Murray you can take them to: • Murray Shelter – 5624 South 300 West, Monday – Friday, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Salt Lake County Animal Services, 511 West 3900 South, Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (Closed Sundays and holidays) • Call dispatch for an Animal Control Officer at (801) 743-7000 Licensing: Your current pet license is valid until the renewal date. Licenses can be renewed at the Murray Shelter or Salt Lake County Animal Services. If you have questions about licensing, please email animal@slco. org or call (385) 468-7387.

Adoptions: Visit us online at AdoptUtahPets.org.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all adoptions, return to owners, and other services are done by appointment at this time.

Follow us on Facebook @Salt Lake County Animal Services to stay up to date on events, workshops, FREE spay/neuter clinics, and more! We look forward to serving you and your furry family!

Message from the Council Money! Revenue! Expenditures! Reserves!

These terms are spinning in my head after the daunting eight weeks spent pouring over department budgets and making significant decisions on behalf of Murray citizens. Each year the City Council has the vital responsibility Dale M. Cox of adopting the annual City budget and District 2 capital improvement program. This is always a demanding task, however this year huge challenges were before us!

The budget process actually begins with the Mayor; his meetings with department directors and the finance director result in the Mayor’s Tentative Budget, which then comes to the Council no later than the first City Council meeting in May. The City Council then meets with departments to discuss and determine final budgets by the end of June.

Based on the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, the City Council found itself in unprecedented times of uncertainty. During the third quarter of 2020, the economy of the country shut down in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. Record numbers of individuals are currently unemployed and as the economy reopens, unknown decreases in the revenue streams of the City are expected.

The Murray City Council has chosen to take a cautious approach to the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2020 by examining each revenue item and expenditure to make conservative, deliberate, and thoughtful decisions on behalf of the residents and businesses of the City. The Council took three major steps in merging the Mayor’s budget with Council principles.

1) Budget sparingly at the onset of the fiscal year respecting the unknowns of the economy. The Council requested department directors to: a. Decrease General Fund expenditure budgets by an additional four percent overall. b. Remove travel and training funding that was not essential to maintain required certifications and license renewals. c. Scrutinize overtime budgets for possible reductions.

2) Municipalities are service based organizations where employees are the core of service delivery and primary to maintaining optimal quality of life. The Mayor’s budget included citywide compensation increases and the council, recognizing the experience, knowledge and expertise of City employees, and after much deliberation, decided to maintain that funding in the budget.

3) Preserve the stability of City finances by maintaining General Fund reserves at 17.9% with the intent to restore to 25% as revenue increases to acceptable levels. The fiscal year 2020 – 2021 budget utilizes nearly $3 million of General Fund reserves to compensate for an anticipated decrease in revenue.

The Budget is based on revenue projections that decrease by 10% overall including sales tax revenues that decrease by 15%. Operational expenses in the General Fund have been decreased by 11% overall. Additionally, the capital improvement program has cut expenditures from over $8 million last year to approximately $3.7 million for the coming year.

The City utility funds operate on a fee structure; therefore, some decreases were noted in expenditures, however their budgets were not severely cut. Capital projects in the Power Fund, Storm Water Fund, Water Fund, Wastewater Fund, and the Central Garage Fund will continue in order to ensure essential infrastructure stability.

Realizing the huge impact of the coronavirus on City residents, the City Council determined that this is a time for recovery and rebuilding and no City property tax increases would be proposed this year.

The City budget is a living document, changing as necessary through the year and it is the intent of the Council to review revenues monthly and react to actual receipts as required to maintain the solidity of City finances.

Dale Cox, District 2

CITY COUNCIL Council District 1 Kat Martinez 385-743-8766

kat.martinez@murray.utah.gov Council District 2 Dale M. Cox 801-971-5568

dale.cox@murray.utah.gov Council District 3 Rosalba Dominguez 801-330-6232

rosalba.dominguez@murray.utah.gov Council District 4 Diane Turner 801-635-6382

diane.turner@murray.utah.gov Council District 5 Brett A. Hales 801-882-7171

brett.hales@murray.utah.gov Executive Director Jan Lopez 801-264-2622

jlopez@murray.utah.gov

Murray Senior Recreation Center Although the Murray Senior Recreation Center remains closed for the protection of its vulnerable participants, we are looking at and implementing ways to serve the 55+ population in a fun and safe manner.

We have been and will continue to offer lunches for pickup Monday through Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., to those who give us 24 hours advanced notice. Cost is $4 per lunch and a lunch order can be made and paid for by calling 801-264-2635. Credit cards will be taken over the phone. Lunches consist of ham, turkey or roast beef sandwiches, white or wheat bread, or wraps, burgers or bratwursts.

Car Bingo will take place every Wednesday in the west parking lot from 9–10:30 a.m. You must call to register in advance and play will be limited to the first 20 cars. Volunteers will escort you to a parking spot (social distancing) and give you four different Bingo cards per person (maximum of two people per car). Bring your own marker and mask, honk your horn once if you need

the number repeated and twice if you have Bingo! Prizes, including gift certificates and Village Inn pies, will be given to the winners of each game.

Remember to stay in your car, wear your mask and don’t idle your car while playing (it’s against city ordinance).

The popular golf season is underway. The cost to join is $10 and there is a green fee and prize fee for each tournament you wish to play in. Modifications to each tournament will be made, i.e. no shotgun starts, one person to a cart, etc. Because of these restrictions, we are limited in the number of golfers we can register for each tournament. Upcoming tournaments include July 27 – River Oaks, August 10 – Old Mill, August 17 – Eaglewood (Scramble Format) and August 24 – Bountiful Ridge (Scramble Format). For more information and a complete schedule, call 801-264-2635.

We have decided to cancel this year’s trip to Tuachan and will try and reschedule for next year. We apologize for any inconvenience

#10 East 6150 South (one block west of State Street) For information on these and other great programs call 801-264-2635

AUGUST 2020

Vine Street Improvement Project

Summer

1830 E

1525 E

1705 E

Additional Improvements • Road widening • Dedicated bike lane • Continuous sidewalk

Map not to scale

2020 Fall

2021 Winter Spring Summer

Design

Stay informed of project progress by joining the email list. Send an email to info@murrayvinestreet.com with “subscribe” in the subject line.

Phone: 855-663-6800

Vine St Rodeo Ln

Continuous sidewalks Bike lanes Center turn lane Upgraded utilities Roadway shoulders Improving drainage system New roadway surface Minimizing impacts to adjacent properties

(Resurfacing throughout)

Rainsborough Rd

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Project Length

1300 E

The overall goal of this project is to provide a safe and complete street for everyone by providing access for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.

This will be accomplished by:

N

le ink nW Va

Murray City is preparing for the engineering design of phase two of the Vine Street Improvement Project from 1300 East to Van Winkle.

Fontaine Bleu Dr

1300 East to Van Winkle Expressway

2022

Fall

Winter Spring Summer

Fall

Winter

Preconstruction Construction

Schedule subject to change

Email: info@murrayvinestreet.com

Website: www.murray.utah.gov

Lori Edmunds: 801-264-2620

2020 ARTS IN THE PARK SEASON For updates and full schedule, please visit the Cultural Art Homepage at www.murray.utah.gov or follow on Facebook @murraycityculturalarts Tickets for Little Shop of Horrors are available online at RegTixs (smashpass.com/murraycityevents) or at the Door. (Please PRINT OUT tickets and bring to the Gate) Tickets $10 $8 for Child/Seniors. **Limited seating available at the Murray Park Amphitheater.

Two friends from Millcreek produce face shields for hospitals and others in need

By Kathryn Elizabeth Jones | k.jones@mycityjournals.com

W

hen Nick Arbanas and JP Thomas became friends in the fifth grade, they had no clue that one day they would be producing face shields during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, when the warning bell rang, Arbanas and Thomas figured they could pitch in and do their part. Both engineers and graduates from the University of Utah, they had the skills and the 3D printer and industrial cutter to “provide a solution to everyone who needed it,” Arbanas said. Three years ago, Arbanas and Thomas started DroidForge (https://droidforge.com), an online business that specializes in custom 3D printing, laser cut and CNC parts.

Arbanas’ mother, who has worked as a nurse for 30 years at the University of Utah Hospital, took in the mocked-up prototype they made (instructions were obtained from print files offered at blog.prusaprinters.org/) and showed her friends.

They loved it.

When the University ended up making their own shields (for legal reasons) there were many other hospitals and individuals in need of the shields, and the two friends were eager to get the orders out.

“It was about a 50/50 split between individuals and hospitals,” Arbanas said, speaking

of just three months ago when the orders were coming in heavy. “People would fill out the order form on our website and come and pick them up or have them shipped to their address.”

“People from the Moran Eye Center came over to my house and picked up their order three times,” Arbanas said. The Center’s outreach included Tahiti, Nepal and the Navajo Nation.

Shipments of the face masks traveled in multiple Utah locations as well, to a hospital in Idaho, and to hospitals as far away as Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska and Tennessee.

“We used up 60 rolls of CD filament which translates to printing roughly 15 miles of filament for this project and a total print time of over 2,000 hours,” Arbanas said.

Through GoFundMe, Arbanas and Thomas raised enough money to produce and donate 1,700 face shields.

Still, there were struggles to be had.

Sourcing the materials, for one. Their first run of 550, obtained from Austin, Texas, was a one-time deal. When the friends contacted the company a second time, they were informed they’d “run out.”

“I contacted every plastic distributor I could find,” Arbanas said after the sobering news. “We finally found someone in China

to help us out, but we paid an arm and a leg for shipping.”

As for labor, Arbanas and Thomas did most of it. Occasionally their siblings volunteered, but most of the work was done by them.

When a PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) group contacted them from Salt Lake, the two were thrilled.

“While we could cut a few shields at a time, they could cut 15 at a time, and that was really nice. We just picked up the cut face shields and brought them home.”

It took on average 11 assembly hours to make eight face shields, and “though the 3D printers didn’t have to sleep, we did,” Arbanas said. Both friends work full-time jobs and the shield work took most of their evenings.

“Many people have thanked us for the high quality. We’ve received a lot of really good feedback,” Thomas said.

Currently, the two friends have only materials left to build about 200 shields.

They said it is hard to predict what the PPE situation will look like in the future and that requests from hospitals and others have declined since they first started shipping these at the beginning of April.

Though the two friends are not currently working on face shields “sourcing materials

CELEBRATING

is a real challenge right now, and the lead times are around three to four weeks,” said Arbanas. Both said they will be “keeping a close eye on the PPE situation as winter approaches.”

“There may be a second spike in COVID cases,” Arbanas said. “If a need arises, we will be ready to make more shields for the people that need them most.” l

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replenishcompost.com August 2020 | Page 19

Cottonwood High snags best orchestra from Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

I

n a typical year a packed theater of high school students eagerly await the announcement of the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards; this year instead had them at home watching screens.

In a world that has gone virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the first-ever live streaming of the awards show, presented by the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, announced state winners, including Cottonwood High for best orchestra performance in the fall 2019’s performances of “Matilda.”

Perhaps one of the only ones who wasn’t intently watching online was Cottonwood High’s instrumental director, Amber Tuckness, who immediately learned of the honor through social media and texts from friends.

“I immediately sent an email to my students afterward, telling them how proud I was of them,” she said. “It’s a nice recognition, and I’m thankful that they were honored. We had a huge pit full of musicians and this award validates us. So many high schools don’t have live pit orchestras anymore, but we do and that is one of the reasons our musicals are so successful. Recorded music is not the same feel and it’s harder for the actors.”

Tuckness said that typically pit orchestra students are learning music on their own time; it is not part of their grade. Rehearsals may take 50 hours in advance and then, another 10 days of practicing with the actors.

“We make it fun and have each day follow a theme. For example, this year, with ‘Matilda,’ we had a yellow theme day in

Cottonwood High School performing arts students had something to cheer about: best orchestra performance in the school’s performance of “Matilda” announced virtually at the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards. (Amber Tuckness/Cottonwood High)

honor of Miss Honey and even ate honey snacks. We always have quesadillas in the pit and play trivia and just have it be a fun, bonding experience,” she said.

Tuckness said that after the judges watched their performance, they came to the stage and talked to the students.

“The kids got the immediate feedback from the judges and got complimented on providing live music to the show. It was a fun show to do,” she said. “I’m glad they did the virtual awards ceremony; it was one less

Cottonwood High’s orchestra pit of “Matilda” recently won best orchestra performance from the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards. (Amber Tuckness/Cottonwood High)

Page 20 | August 2020

thing to take away from the kids this school year.”

Cottonwood wasn’t the only area school to be recognized. Hillcrest High tied for best choreography with “42nd Street” and Anthony Tibolla of Juan Diego Catholic High won best supporting actor.

It was Hillcrest High’s first time winning best choreography, said Chelsea Lujan, dance teacher and choreographer for the show.

“Once we decided on the show, I let the kids take the initiative to learn the (tap) steps,” she said. “If they learned them by August, then they would be on stage in the musical. Some of them watched videos, some took classes and some already knew how to tap so when we came together in the fall, we had a core group who could help teach the rest of the cast.”

About 90 cast members—productions company, dance company and 30 other dedicated students—provided extra help for other 80 members of the chorus, who found themselves dancing in the aisles during the performances.

“We had tappers helping non-tappers and they fed off each other and got more and more excited. They wanted to do their absolute best and succeed. They know what a Hillcrest musical is and our expectations and they put forth that effort, work hard and value that to create something that is spectacular. What was fun about the students learning it was hearing students tap in the hallways, shuffle under their desks—but I think it drove the teachers crazy,” Lujan said.

The cast watched the awards individually, about 50 of them group chatted together.

“They were really happy they were honored for their hard work and saw how much what they did was appreciated,” Lujan said.

“It was a little sad to be away from each other during this, but I’m glad they got the recognition.”

Juan Diego Catholic High theatre director Joe Crnich also is glad his student got recognized for his performance.

“I’ve worked with Anthony since his eighth-grade year and he has continued to grow and grow, and he just had a great breakout moment,” he said. “We were working on the reprise of ‘Footloose,’ when Rev. Moore (Anthony’s character) confesses to the congregation and we needed to see that moment when he puts the burden down.

It just wasn’t there. But during the performance, Anthony found it and figured out a way to make it work, emotionally, and let us in. It was magical.”

Tibolla, who already was named a finalist, watched the live stream when it was announced he won—and not only was a trophy in the mail to him, but Tibolla was awarded a $1,250 scholarship and invited to compete in the CS Music Competition.

“At first I didn’t know what to do,” he said. “My family was sitting in the living room, and I was in shock when I heard a very loud scream. My grandparents and aunt and uncle called and texted. Then, I got a bunch of texts congratulating me. I was a little sad that we weren’t there as a cast to celebrate because we’re like family. The whole thing was and still is surreal; it’s a very big honor that I’m very grateful because it is what I want to do.” l

Murray City Journal

Doors open at county libraries as phased reopening continues

By Kathryn Elizabeth Jones | k.jones@thecityjournals.com

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Librarians record programs for kids to watch online. (Photo courtesy Sara Neal)

N

ot being able to walk into a library to browse and check out books has been tough for many people during the coronavirus shutdown.

Bethany Wursten, a frequent patron of the Hunter Library, said she always enjoyed picking out her books, looking through them, and making sure they were what she wanted.

That process changed a bit due to the pandemic.

Beginning May 26, when curbside pickup was put into place, Wursten started putting in her order via the library’s website, waiting for her time, and picking up her books at the front of the library. “Other than one time, when the system was down, everything has run pretty smooth,” she said.

“It was nice and easy. With a toddler, I didn’t have to worry about dragging him in,” she added.

In fact, she was surprised at how much she liked it.

Utah County Library Director Jim Cooper said curbside pickup has been successful.

“We’ve had a great response to the temporary changes at the libraries,” he said.

Over 300,000 plus items are currently checked out, and eBook learning, including language learning, has expanded 140%.

More patrons than ever are taking part in online Storytime and STEM classes. The 72hour quarantine of items has been an ongoing process, as well as the shift in picking up holds at the front of the library, but Cooper said he has been happy with the results.

Though the physical library doors have been shut for a time, the county libraries have still been running, just differently. And with

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the continued phased reopening of branches on July 20, patrons can now enter their respective county library—something that hasn’t happened since May. After setting up an appointment, patrons enter their library at their designated day and time. There will be a “one-way pass holds area where they can pick up their books, as well as an area of displays,” Cooper said, adding that the displays are sort of a, “I think I’d like to check this out” opportunity.

Of course, masks are still the order of the day, but, hopefully, patrons will enjoy this phased reopening.

“Our greatest concern is the safety of our staff and the public,” he said. Case in point: When the system went down in July getting it back up was “our first priority. It was important that we protect the public’s privacy.”

Computers are not available for use, nor the rental of rooms, but Cooper said they are continually “inventing processes with the staff. We are asking, ‘How will this work?’ and trying things out.”

“We want people to get into their hands what they want and need for their life.”

As patrons wait for a full opening of the library, Cooper suggests those with young families go online for Storytime. “It is more popular now than when we had it inside the library. We stream it live, and it is archived.

You can watch it at your leisure. We used to have about 30 kids participating in Storytime, now hundreds can participate.”

Plus, anything in the library can be checked out, he said. “If it’s not at your library location, we can transport it to where you are.” l

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Midvale CBC staff and volunteers continue to provide critical care for community

By Sarah Morton Taggart | s.taggart@mycityjournals.com

he Midvale Community Building Community (CBC) clinic provides affordable medical and dental services that are needed now more than ever. But the clinic has come close to closing its doors since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“It was a little scary at the beginning,” said Mauricio Agramont, executive director of Midvale CBC. “We had a tough ethical decision to make. We have to serve our community and at the same time, maintain our volunteer providers’ safety. We made the decision to keep the clinic open with the providers willing to come serve the community.”

The University of Utah School of Medicine normally provides medical students and instructors to operate the medical clinic.

When they were no longer available, Dr. David Sundwall, a long-time volunteer, offered to run the clinic on Tuesday and Wednesday nights to keep it open.

At first, services were limited to prescription refills and follow-up phone calls to established patients.

“Everyone still needs medicine refilled, even during a pandemic,” said Agramont.

“We were able to help a lot of people who had no other access to other clinics.”

Dr. Cleo Stephanides Cheney offered to

provide emergency dental care.

“The biggest challenge we faced at the clinic was being able to see patients with limited time, equipment and staff,” Cheney said.

“Our main goal at the height of the pandemic was to keep patients out of hospital emergency rooms for dental pain to lessen their exposure to COVID-19 and to decrease the burden on the emergency medical staff.”

“She came here every time there was an emergency,” said Agramont. “And our staff had to be here to put charts together. Their commitment to serve the community is remarkable.”

During the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff was kept to a minimum to decrease the risk of exposure.

Generally, there have been three people running administration, obtaining supplies and scheduling patients.

“There were limited types of procedures that we could perform in an effort to limit any respiratory aerosols created by dental drills,” Cheney said. “Because we were limited to emergency treatment only, I offered temporary treatment and extractions until patients could be seen when permission was given to continue elective dental treatment in May.” Patients are screened for COVID-19

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Dental assistant Jose Torres has been assisting community members at the Midvale CBC Clinic throughout the pandemic. (Sarah Morton Taggart/City Journals)

Murray City Journal

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• • • • Maria Cala (left) and Mauricio Agramont ensure that the Midvale CBC clinic’s charts are up to date and the entry is stocked with masks and hand sanitizer. (Sarah Morton Taggart/City Journals)

symptoms before entering the clinic and are required to wear masks and apply hand sanitizer. All doctors and assistants wear full personal protective equipment (PPE).

“We have to use safety equipment at a high rate,” said Agramont. “The physicians and assistants put on gowns and masks, treat the patient, then change the whole ensemble.”

At one point the clinic was again on the verge of closing, this time due to lack of protective gear.

“Salt Lake County really stepped up and provided the PPE needed to continue the

clinics,” said Agramont. “Without their help, we would have ended services in May.” Cheney was also able to donate N-95 masks from her private practice.

“I feel so lucky to be able to volunteer at the Midvale CBC and be of service to the wonderful people who really need treatment,” Cheney said. “At this time, I am the only dentist who provides care for patients on Fridays.

We have a very long patient waitlist. To continue to serve our Midvale community, we need more volunteer dentists and more resources.”

Other challenges have kept Agramont on his toes. The usual cleaning crew quit once

Dental assistant Jose Torres prepares a set of dentures at the Midvale CBC Clinic in July. (Sarah Morton Taggart/City Journals)

the pandemic hit, so the clinic hired people from the community.

“They weren’t planning on working, but they stepped in because I needed someone to clean the clinic,” said Agramont. “If that piece doesn’t fall into place, the whole operation falls apart. From the most basic tasks to the most difficult, everyone stepped up to the plate.”

Eventually, the medical and dental clinics, located at 49 W. Center St., opened back up for non-emergency care. The hours vary, so the best way to make an appointment is to call 801-574-6172. That number will also connect community members to resources and education about COVID-19.

“We’re educating our families in respect of the symptoms and learning what to do if they’re exposed to someone who is positive (for COVID-19),” Agramont said. “What is quarantine, what do you do during the time after testing but before you get the results?

Community workers are answering all these questions.”

Midvale CBC is one of several organizations being funded to do this work by the Office of Health Disparities Reduction at the Utah Department of Health.

Other key funders that keep the clinic running include the Making A Difference Foundation, the United Way and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“So many people are stepping up to help others and doing more than they usually do,” said Agramont. “That teamwork kept the clinic working. I don’t think I’ve ever worked harder than I have these last three months. And the work is just starting. We have these people’s health in our hands. It’s a Jose Torres (left) and Maria Cala prepare for a patient at the Midvale CBC Clinic in July. (Sarah Morton big responsibility that we take seriously.” l Taggart/City Journals)

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Implicit to explicit – the bias experience

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

L

et’s talk about bias. Hold on, I know— stay with me here. Terms like prejudice, bias, and systemic racism have been strewn all over our national discourse during the last few months. In attempting to keep up with some of these national conversations, I realized I could probably use a refresher on the definitions and differences of prejudice, implicit bias, explicit bias (yes there’s two types of biases), and ‘ism’s (like racism, sexism, face-ism, and the like). Writing out these concepts will help me refresh my memory, so this is really more for me than it is for you dear reader.

I tend to think of these terms as building upon one another. Prejudices are the foundations upon which biases are constructed to create the final product of ‘ism’s. And all of these things exist on the land, or discipline, of in-group and out-group relations. So let’s start with the foundation of prejudice.

In 1997, psychologist James Jones defined prejudice as “a positive or negative attitude, judgment, or feeling about a person that is generalized from attitudes or beliefs about the group to which the person belongs.” In 2006, Todd Nelson narrowed this definition in a bit by defining prejudice as a “biased evaluation of a group, on real or imagined characteristics, of the group members.”

Implicit bias has been defined as “attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner.” The thing to remember with implicit biases is that they are unconscious.

Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences Calvin Lai reminds us that implicit biases tend to act just outside of our own awareness.

Implicit biases are based, sometimes rather falsely, on lived experiences and social behavior. They create feelings and attitudes towards individuals we perceive as being part of the out-group.

Social Psychologists Tajfel and Turner wrote about how humans tend to cognitively categorize humans into ‘us’ and ‘them’ categories. The natural categorizations humans tend to use are appearance, ethnicity, gender, and age.

One important thing to remember about implicit biases—we all have them. And if I don’t think I have any implicit biases, that’s a bias too: Princeton Professor Emily Pronin termed it the Blindspot Bias.

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Explicit biases take our implicit biases out of the unconscious and materializes them into external behavior. Perhaps a familiar example of explicit bias comes from the common adolescent belief that the opposite sex has “cooties.” (Men are from Mars after all.)

We’ve developed a negative bias for people who are different from us, in this example by gender categorization, and have determined that such difference means that those individuals are part of the out-group. We then show our bias through external behavior.

This is where some important individual work can be accomplished. If we are able to reflect on and check our own implicit biases before they manifest into explicit biases, we might be able to reduce some biased behavior in the world. However, if implicit biases remain unchecked, explicit biases create real-life consequences, even when seemingly minimal.

In 1948, psychologists performed a study where they requested hotel reserva-

tions under two different names: one commonly known as Jewish, the other was not.

They found that Mr. Lockwood was able to make a reservation 93% of the time. While Mr. Greenberg was only able to make a reservation 36% of the time.

In a 2012 study, Moss-Racusin, Dovidio, et al., sent in the exact same materials to apply for a lab manager position. However, one of the material submissions had a female name, the other had a male name. They found that overall the male applicant was offered the job more often than the female applicant.

In addition, the male applicant was viewed as more competent, and was offered a higher starting salary, along with a career mentor.

Countless other studies have shown the link between prejudice, implicit bias, and direct experience, such as studies done by Lewicki, Henderson-King and Nisbett, Hamilton and Gifford, Whitley, Brewer, Duckitt, Gawronsky, Allport, and Sherif.

Lastly, power. I like to think of ‘ism’s, like racism and sexism, as a group’s explicit bias with power behind it. One of my favorite people of all time, Dr. Paul White from the University of Utah explained it like this: “Prejudice is an attitude, and ‘ism’s add a dash of superiority and social power.” l

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Murray City Journal

Go online to support local performing arts

By Sarah Morton Taggart | s.taggart@mycityjournals.com

M

onths into a pandemic, when it’s best to limit large gatherings, what are performing arts organizations to do? For the Midvale Arts Council, Quick Wits and the Midvale Main Street Theatre it means creating online content and engaging with audiences in creative ways.

“We were given notice that there were guidelines for how to open up, but I just didn’t feel comfortable doing so,” said Tammy Ross, owner of Midvale Main Street Theatre.

The Midvale Main Street Theatre had cast one production and was about to begin performances of another when the pandemic reached Utah in March. Both productions, “Company” and “Next to Normal” have been postponed until 2021. In the meantime, to bring in revenue and keep actors engaged, the theatre is preparing to stage its first online production.

“We’re trying to figure out how to make it work,” Ross said. “Rehearsing over Zoom calls is quite the adventure. Especially when someone needs to sing harmony, because there’s often a lag.”

“Disenchanted! The Stay at Home Version” is about traditional fairytale princesses who aren’t happy with how they are portrayed in their Disney movies.

“It’s funny, it’s a little sassy,” Ross said.

“Sleeping Beauty will be hosting her show, and all the sudden Belle will come on and sing her frustration with having to talk to inanimate objects.”

“Disenchanted!” was first performed by the Midvale Main Street Theatre in 2019.

The three main actors are reprising their roles, though the script has been modified by the playwright, Dennis P. Giacino to fit the online format.

The 60-minute performance will be prerecorded and streamed on Aug. 21 and 22 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased online at midvalemainstreettheatre.com.

The Midvale Main Street Theatre is also taking donations.

“As a for-profit company, a lot of arts grants aren’t available to us,” Ross said.

“We’re holding on by our fingernails for the moment. If we wait for the right time, things will work out and we’ll get through this.”

The Midvale Arts Council’s programming has also gone online until further notice.

“The Midvale Arts Council Board of Directors has had numerous conversations with the Midvale City Council, staff, and mayor centered around keeping our patrons, community, and participants safe,” said Stephanie Johnson, treasurer of the board. “As such, the Midvale Arts facilities and programs won’t be opening back up until the green phase of reopening for Midvale City. It was a decision that we did not come to lightly but ultimately was the easiest hard decision we have ever made.”

Instead, the council has been busy producing a slew of content to entertain anyone in need of a smile. A unique standout is a production of “Macbeth” where volunteers were given a scene to produce in any style they wanted. Some scenes were filmed with actors, while others use toys, puppets and even text messaging to convey Shakespeare’s famous play.

The council’s summer concert series is also available to anyone with an internet connection.

“Melanie Beardall was bound and determined to still make something happen,” said Wade Walker. “So she organized a series of virtual concerts—one a month for the summer. While the concerts haven’t burned down the internet with viewers, we hope that it’s still a way for the Arts Council to keep people engaged in the arts during the pandemic.”

Walker, who is currently serving as president of the Midvale Arts Council Board of Directors, will perform with his brothers, Verdon and Kevin, on Friday, Aug. 7.

Normally part of Harvest Days, this year the concert will take place at the Performing Arts Center and the only person in the audience will be operating a webcam.

Kevin Walker (left), Verdon Walker and Wade Walker perform in the Midvale Arts Council’s Patriotic Virtual Celebration on July 3. (Screenshot via Midvale Arts Council)

Midvale residents act out a scene with puppets in the Midvale Arts Council’s online presentation of “Macbeth.”

(Screenshot via Midvale Arts Council)

“There’s not a theme per se other than the general idea of let’s forget about the pandemic and think of simpler times,” said Walker. “So we’re doing a medley of old TV theme songs (in honor of all the binge watching people are doing during the pandemic) and singing some of our other standard oldies that people seem to like.”

The concert will also include patriotic songs.

“We love the freedoms we have here in the U.S. but recognize that not everyone in the country feels the same freedoms we’ve felt,” Walker said. “One of the lyrics we sing from Barry Manilow’s song ‘Let Freedom Ring’ is about passing the dream of freedom along to others until no one’s denied its song.

That lyric seems particularly applicable and poignant right now in our country.”

The Walker Brothers have experimented with prerecorded and live streaming events Cassidy Ross (left), Alexandria Zinov and Makayla Conner Marriott will reprise their roles as fed-up fairytale since the pandemic began. princesses in Midvale Main Street Theatre’s virtual production of “Disenchanted! The Stay at Home Version” “The biggest con is that we don’t have an on Aug. 21 and 22. (Photos courtesy Midvale Main Street Theatre) audience to engage with,” Walker said. “Sing

MurrayJournal .com

along songs are a little harder to do virtually than in person. One of the pros, however, is that we won’t have to watch our families roll their eyes at us when we share a corny joke.”

Quick Wits, Midvale’s professional comedy troupe, has also been providing entertainment on computer screens for audiences at home. Anyone can watch videos of the “2020 Virtual Summer of Fun” for free on the Quick Wits Facebook page. For the experience of watching a live performance, log on at 9 p.m. on Saturdays.

The Midvale Arts Council’s Facebook page is also the place to watch their content.

Anyone wishing to donate to the council can send payments to admin@midvalearts.com via paypal.com.

“Right now with the pandemic we have been so grateful that even though we can’t be together physically, that our community is doing so much to help lift one another emotionally,” said Johnson. “We need to do what we can to take care of each other, especially right now.” l

August 2020 | Page 25

Finding the calm in a heart

Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Council | District 3

I have always loved the Fourth of July. Our family activities over the years have ranged from driving up the canyon to the Brighton Breakfast or riding parades.

In the evening, we’ve had the tradition of lighting fireworks with our neighbors. I love to celebrate America and appreciate the incredible and miraculous history of our country. This year our family enjoyed watching, “Hamilton” and gained an even greater appreciation for our Founding Fathers.

As I reflected on our celebration of America, I’ve thought a lot about the creation of our country, as well as the issues facing our country today. I have no doubt that the events that transpired during the Revolutionary War, the incredible feat of developing our country’s Constitution, and many other events during this time were truly miracles.

So let’s talk about modern times.

This year was interesting. Besides a pandemic, earthquake, and fires, we have civil unrest that has escalated in our own cities.

Without getting into details of these highly emotional and often politicized specifics, I think it’s safe to say that most of us have seen the incredible divide in

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Whether upset by destruction during downtown riots, a crazy busy governor’s race, or other family issues, I’ve needed to remember where peace really comes from and how to find that calm in my heart.

In the past I’ve struggled with anxiety - an ailment that seems to run in my family.

Being able to look at things with a pragmatic viewpoint, relying on my faith to help me through, and getting enough sleep at night are some of the things I’ve learned to do to help me have that calm in my heart. It’s not easy, and there are many things that are out of our control, but relying on my higher power, keeping my friend and family relationships strong, and taking care of myself are things that seem to help.

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our society.

No longer can we share a political viewpoint without others going on the attack.

Social media has become a civil war of sorts where people seem to have lost all civility and respect for their fellow humans. This Fourth of July was interesting for me. As an elected official, I wanted to post something on my public Facebook page to honor the day, but I even found myself scratching my head… not sure how to post something that wouldn’t create drama, or could be politicized. I’m finding more and more that posting about puppies seems to be the only safe play on social media.

I am grateful for our country. I know that America is an incredible place and we all have much to be grateful for. But right now some have their anxiety on high alert as we continually see news reports of riots, Covid cases on the rise, racial divide, earthquakes, and other crazy 2020 issues.

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Murray City Journal

Take It Outside

Life

Laughter D ND AN A by by

PERI KINDER PERI KINDER

For the last five months, we’ve been locked up with our families for 17 years. Each day is another long, hot trek to bedtime. Parents break their brains thinking up creative ways to entertain their kids during this “summer vacation” that started in March and threatens to continue through fall. The phrase “Families Can Be Together Forever” is now a terrifying prophecy.

Here’s what we’ve learned: Sometimes video games ARE the answer.

Celebrities share Tik Tok videos about being “stranded” in their $6.5 million log cabins where everyone has their own TV, floor, masseuse, trampoline and personal chef. I’m not belittling their suffering, I’m just . . . well, I guess I am.

For common folk, trampolines are as hard to find as Lysol wipes. Puzzles, board games and sidewalk chalk are valuable commodities on the black market (along with livers, since we’ve been day- drinking for

months).

Everyone is heading outside to escape.

Extended families stretch the “No large gathering” rules to the max because COVID wouldn’t ruin the annual family reunion, right? Lakes, canyons, national parks and camp sites are packed with people who thought they were the only ones who needed a break from looking at the same dirty carpeting for one more day.

I’ve been on several hikes this summer, sometimes with the puppy, sometimes with the grandkids. Not necessarily relaxing, but at least we take the fight to a different location.

My latest hike was tackling Bell’s Canyon with my daughter and three of my grandkids, including a 3- and 4-year-old. If that sounds like something out of a Stephen King novel, you are correct.

Before we even started up the trail the complaining began.

“I’m so hot.” “The trail is too steep.”

“The dirt is too dirty.” “I’m so thirsty.”

My daughter told me to shut up and set a better example, but it was too late. The littles were soon echoing my whines at super-high decibel levels. I ended up confiscating water bottles after a good portion was dumped onto the trail to make mud. I explained to the toddlers what happens when you dehydrate. They didn’t care.

It took roughly five days to make our way to the reservoir where the kids splashed in the cool water, tossed wet sand at each other, threw crackers at the ducks, slipped on the rocks and screamed at the dragonflies.

I considered calling in a rescue helicopter, figuring the expense was worth not having to walk back down the trail. Instead, we bribed the kids with McDonald’s, promising processed chicken parts if they’d walk faster than a drugged porcupine. We made it back to the car exhausted, sunburned and

grumpy – just like a normal summer hike!

Backyards are also being used to their fullest. Our luxurious backyard pool (a 6’ wading pool from Walmart) is usually a weird shade of green and full of dead bugs, but that doesn’t stop us from soaking in the probably dangerous water, eating popsicles. If I don’t get sick from COVID, malaria might be another option.

The grandkids set up a tent a couple of weeks ago, hoping to have a backyard campout.

They roasted marshmallows over the grill and climbed into their sleeping bags only to be shaken awake two hours later by a microburst that threatened to carry them to Oz. Everyone was safe, but traumatized, which seems to be the status quo in these crazy times.

Returning to school is the big debate right now, followed by what should be a strange Halloween and holiday season.

Sure makes eternity feel like a really long time. l

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Phone Number Correction from Last Month

REAL ESTATE 10 Questions to Ask ® Before You Hire a REALTOR

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August 2020 | Page 27

Is Your Retirement Secure? Š 2020 Wealth Management CPAs

Given the current political & economic environment, many Murray residents are worried about their future.

Two

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10 Reasons You Should Schedule a FREE Consultation 1.

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Learn how to avoid being taxed on your social security benefits.

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Discover the pitfalls of probate and the steps you can take to avoid it.

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Learn why a living trust may be more effective than a regular will and why you may need one.

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Learn how to receive long-term care benefits while remaining in your own home.

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Learn when you should not put your children on your bank accounts and property titles.

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WealthCPAs.com

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