Murray City Journal August 2018

August 2018 | Vol. 18 Iss. 08

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A BOAT FIT FOR A QUEEN (OR KING) CALLS Murray home

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

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ruise any Murray neighborhood on a Saturday and you are bound to see various pride-and-joy projects sitting out in people’s driveways. For some it’s their muscle cars, Mustangs and Chargers. For others its sports cars, Porsches and Ferraris. For some it’s the classic elegance of Model Ts and Packards; and then there are the Harleys. However, for Arlen Nelson, wheeled transportation really doesn’t float his interest as does his “ship-to-shore limousine,” the Queen Mother.

“They don’t make them like this anymore,” assures Nelson. Indeed, 1901 yacht tenders were made by Consolidated Speedway and sold to the likes of Simon Guggenheim, Pierre DuPont, and E. H. Harriman, among others. Yacht tenders hauled these aristocrats to their larger yachts sitting off-shore. The Queen Mother originally belonged to pulp and paper tycoon Hugh J. Chisholm, owner of the International Paper Company.

The Queen Mother became a tender for one of the most storied yachts in American nautical history, the Aras. The US Navy acquired the Aras from Chisholm, and it was re-christened the USS Williamsburg. It patrolled the Atlantic during World War II and most notably was refurbished to serve Continued on page 5...

Arlen Nelson stands next to his 1901 yacht tender, the Queen Mother. (Photo by James Delliskave)

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August 2018 | Page 3

Ballet Centre to host International Youth Ballet Festival

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com The Murray City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Murray.

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s dancers say, “All the world’s a stage, so dance on it.” And in this case, it will be The Ballet Centre (4907 Poplar St.) of Murray’s stage, as it will host the fifth annual International Youth Ballet Festival from July 31-August 9.

The festival will offer a unique opportunity to bring together exceptional teachers in the disciplines of classical ballet, historical dance, and character dance with the Russian Vaganova Training. This 10-day learning experience concludes with a gala concert performance, Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Hillcrest Junior High School (178 East 5300 South).

“This festival will provide an experience for young students to learn from and work alongside professional dancers and teachers in group workshops as well as individual sessions,” explained Michelle Armstrong, artistic director of The Ballet Centre. “The festival will benefit emerging young ballet dancers ages 12 to 26 who are striving to become professional ballet artists and desiring to broaden their knowledge and skills in the art.”

Armstrong, who has been the artistic director of The Ballet Centre since 1992, is also the festival coordinator in Murray. She participated in the International Youth Ballet Festival in Russia for the last two years with her daughters and felt compelled to bring this experience to the dancers in and around Utah.

Through the festival, there is an opportunity to blend cultures, and Vaganova training taught by professionals will provide students with a different perspective and exposure to another ballet culture. Key events of the festival include daily classes/instruction for the participants, a two-day lecture demonstration on the principles of teaching classical ballet taught by the founder, Oleg Vinogradov.

Vinogradov is a Russian dancer, choreographer, and ballet director who has worked with major Russian ballet companies, such as the Kirov and Bolshoi ballets. He directed Russian ballet legends Mikhail Baryshnikov and Natalia Makarova as well as Rudolph Nureyev’s last performance at the Kirov Ballet. President George H.W. Bush invited him to set up the

The Ballet Centre will host the fifth annual International Youth Ballet Festival with acclaimed director Oleg Vinogradov. (Photo courtesy Ballet Centre)

Kirov Academy Ballet in Washington, D.C. “The audience can expect to see excerpts of the history of classical ballet through a timeline of how historical dance evolved into classical ballet. The concert is centered on a tribute to Marius Petipa, the grandfather of classical ballet as we know it today,” according to Armstrong. This year marks the 200th anniversary of Marius Petipa’s birth. The concert will conclude with excerpts of contemporary ballet. The pieces will be danced by all the participants of the festival.

“This festival is different in that it contains two lecture demonstrations available for ballet teachers to attend for furthering their education and sharpening their skills in teaching the art.

Another difference is the final gala performance that features all of the participants of the festival,” noted Armstrong.

“One can become more involved in ballet

by becoming a patron and donating/sponsoring students in need that are learning classical ballet, or by contributing to Vivat Ballet to enable the festival to happen in Utah in 2020,” Armstrong recommended for those interested in financially helping the festival or aspiring students.

For those wishing to learn ballet, Armstrong suggested, “Another way one can become more involved is to attend ballet productions. If one is interested in taking ballet, contact The Ballet Centre and investigate beginning levels for adults as well as young children. The faculty is highly educated in the art of teaching classical ballet with many years of experience.

We offer open adult classes at beginning levels, along with flexibility classes which provide opportunities and exposure to ballet. Along with the structure of ballet, it is a great way to remain physically fit.”l

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Murray City Journal

Continued from front page...

as the presidential yacht for presidents Truman and Eisenhower. The Navy, however, felt it wise during those years to replace the elegant mahogany-hulled Queen Mother with another steel-hulled boat, and Nelson’s boat was then bought by a private party. Interestingly, the yacht tender has outlived the yacht, as the Williamsburg was sold for scrap in 2016.

As a farm boy from Idaho, the only boats Nelson saw were the fishing boats trolling on lakes near his home. His rebellious teen years brought him to a crossroads, and Nelson felt he better find a way out of his troublesome behavior. “I joined the Navy to get straightened out,” Nelson said.

With the Korean War raging, the Navy sent Nelson to serve aboard the USS Cabildo.

He and his fellow crew members received two battle stars and also participated in the atomic weapons tests in the Marshall Islands. During this time, Nelson developed a great love for the sea and was planning on living in Long Beach, California, after his Navy stint; however, his brothers called and persuaded him to work for the construction business they started in Utah.

Still longing for his navy days, Nelson went on a quest to find the perfect boat to quench his sailing thirst. In 1976, he stumbled upon the Queen Mother in a Long Beach warehouse, abandoned and in disrepair, but the boat

called out to him. “My daughter was with me and said, ‘What about that one?’” remembers Nelson.

As a brother in the Nelson Brothers Construction company, Nelson felt he had the skills to bring the old boat back to life and bought it for $3,000. “It’s a displacement hull,” corrects Nelson when someone calls it just a boat. Displacement hulls are meant to move smoothly and slowly, like the liberty launches he was used to in the Navy, unlike the planing hulls that are built for speed.

After bringing in a nautical restoration expert, Nelson went to work restoring the mahogany, teak and other details on the antique boat.

“When I was finished, it was a brand new 1901 boat,” Nelson remarks. Replacement keel boards had to be steamed in order to fit exactly and be water-tight. Finally, after restoration, Nelson entered the Queen Mother in the Coeur d’Alene Wooden Boat Festival, where it won prizes for Best of Class and People’s Choice. It also was crowned “Most Elegant Craft” at the Lake Tahoe Boat Show. Still, Nelson gets a kick out of learning he is not the only one who is fond of these types of displacement hulls. “A friend gave me a magazine where [in a photo] King Olaf of Norway was driving a spitting image of mine.” l

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The time Murray took on the Chicago White Sox

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

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ove for baseball has always been strong in Murray; one only needs to look around town at the many baseball parks that serve as a testament to that affection. Much of that love goes way back to when Murray sported a professional baseball team and took on the major league’s Chicago White Sox. At the turn of the 20th century, baseball was quickly establishing itself as America’s pastime. A baseball league was already going strong in Murray, revolving around teams from each of the smelters. Highland Boy, Germania, and Woodhull teams found a perfect spot to play behind a brickyard—today’s Murray Park. These industry teams whetted Murray’s appetite for even more competitive ball games.

When the idea to create a semipro league for Utah was floated, Phillip Bentz, superintendent of Murray’s railroad station, leaped at the chance to create a ball club for Murray. Murray City’s enthusiasm to host a professional ball team impressed sports writers. “The Salt Lake Telegram” in 1908 gushed, “… the local boosters returned from Murray and announced that the smelter city had come through in a manner that would do credit to a big-league city.”

The Murray Nine, as they were called, was a founding member of the Utah State Baseball League, which included teams from Ogden and Salt Lake City. Also incorporated into that league were teams based at Fort Douglas and, most noteworthy, the Salt Lake Occidentals. The Occidentals were a barnstorming team formed in Los Angeles; but what made them truly notable was that they were an all African-American team who billed themselves as the “colored world champions.” With the addition of this team, the Utah State Baseball League was before its time in being racially integrated. In fact, whenever the Occidentals played, games would typically sell out, and they took the inaugural league title.

However, 1910 was Murray’s year. First, Phillip Bentz was elected mayor of Murray and held team meetings at city hall.

One of those team meetings was held to discuss an offer from Chicago White Sox owner Charles Comiskey to play an exhibition game. The White Sox held spring training in California, and Comiskey thought that since the train would be traveling through Utah on the way back to Chicago, he could give his team a workout. Bentz pitched his club as a worthy opponent for Comiskey’s Sox, and the game was set for March 30.

Bentz had a dilemma though: spring run-off had ruined his diamond, and Salt Lake’s Walker Field was flooded. So the Murray Nine had to play on Fort Douglas’s field. The other big dilemma the Murray Nine faced was a pitcher by the name of Cy Young. Murray had no answer for one of baseball’s greatest pitchers, and the White Sox trounced Murray 8 – 0. No Murray baserunner made it past second base. Still, sportswriters praised Murray’s determination, the “Salt Lake Herald” reported, “Their effort was mighty but that they died here and there mostly at the plate and at first.”

The White Sox game must have sharpened Murray’s skills; they took the league championship, beating the Occidentals in the 1910 championship series. In 1914, the Union Association minor league invited Murray, along with Ogden and Salt Lake to join. The bigger league meant more talented players, and Murray drafted former Cincinnati Reds Cliff Blankenship and future Red, Ike Caveney. Also playing was future New York Giants scout Mickey Shader. The team’s name changed to the Murray Infants, and its initial 1914 season started out great. Halfway through the season, however, the entire league was struggling.

By July, it was the end of the ballgame for the Infants; Murray’s professional baseball days were over.

From that momentous start, Murray continued to invest in

baseball. During the New Deal era, the Works Progress Administration installed stone bleachers that still grace Murray Park’s softball diamond. Directly west of the softball diamond sits the Ken Price Field that hosted the 13-Year-Old Babe Ruth League World Series, and according to some, is a field worthy of another Murray Nine. l

James “Ike” Caveney went on to play with the Cincinnati Reds after playing for Murray’s professional ball club. (Photo: Sporting News Collection)

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Murray City Journal

A place to reach out with your feelings and lightsaber

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

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Students learn the ways of the Jedi and train with lightsabers at Integrated Martial Arts. (Photo courtesy Dan Berry)

H

ave you ever thought of using an elegant weapon from a more civilized age? Something not as clumsy or as random as a blaster but a weapon of a Jedi Knight? For the padawan’s (you “Star Wars” geeks know what that is) living at home, the 54th Street Gym (aka Integrated Martial Arts) offers full lightsaber training for all wannabe Jedi aged seven and above.

“While we initially began this class for kids we had a lot of parents and adults who wanted to participate as well. So it’s a fun way for kids and parents to bond,” said instructor Dan Berry.

54th Street Gym is actually on Commerce Drive (300 West). The gym recently moved to Murray from Kearns which is also known as Integrated Martial Arts of Utah (4070 South Commerce Dr.) where they plan to start the same programs for Murray and the general community.

One of the martial arts systems that the gym teaches is Filipino Kali and Japanese Kenjitsu. According to Berry, “Many of the movements and mythology in Kali and Kenjitsu are very similar to the lightsaber moves and mythology in the movies. While we would never teach a child how to wield a real sword or knife until they have the emotional capacity to do so, the lightsaber is a way they can learn and have fun and mimic the charac-

MurrayJournal .com

ters in the movies.”

Berry is the primary instructor with over 47 years of martial arts experience and numerous black belts in every system the gym teaches. He was coach and senior instructor for the Bihonte Combativos System that won the 1989 National Full Contact Stick Fighting Championships and coach for the World Full Contact Stick Fighting Championships in the Philippines.

The class meets for two Saturday sessions for three weeks where participants will be given an unbreakable polycarbonate lightsaber which they can purchase or can return at the end of the class. “We will introduce them to a very basic understanding of how to strike, defend and maneuver a lightsaber as well as participate in some basic self-defense,” Berry said.

The gym was started at the request of Michelle Nelson who had been a psychotherapist for Salt Lake County Youth Services for 28 years. Nelson saw a growing concern that increased bullying often times lead to depression and even suicide among youth in Kearns and surrounding communities. Nelson asked Berry to open a martial arts gym in conjunction with her nonprofit organization to provide Gracie Jiu-Jitsu “BullyProof” programs to kids who otherwise could not afford to participate.

Nelson’s organization then solicited funds from federal, state, municipal and private donors for these kids at greatly reduced and even free tuition. By providing Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Bullyproofing training the kids learn to develop the confidence to stand up to bullies and gangs. In exchange for free tuition, the kids "contract" to stay in school, keep their grades up, stay out of gangs, and be respectful to the teachers, parents, adults and other students. “Just kind of everyday stuff we would expect of any child,” notes Berry.

With her caseworkers, Nelson works with teachers and counselors to ensure that the kids were living up to their part of the bargain. If they didn't then they didn't get to participate in martial art activities until they did. “Martial arts have a strong appeal to kids and is a natural for influencing kids in a positive direction,” remarked Berry.

Berry has high hopes for the padawans. “Just have fun, learn to recognize the movements of lightsaber sparring that takes place in the movies so that when they watch the movies they will be able to emulate the characters and hopefully live up to the ideologies of the Jedi warrior.”

More information can be found online at www.54thstreetgym.com. l

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August 2018 | Page 7

Murray commemorates Independence Day with cars, chalk and cheer

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

M

urray Park hosted the festivities to the city’s annual Murray Fun Days that included chalk art, a coed volleyball tournament, car show, performances, activities and ended with a 30-minute firework show.

More photos of the event can be found at murrayjournal.com. For other great content—from videos about a new Spikeball league to our Park Madness bracket throughout July where residents could vote for their favorite park—check out the City Journals Facebook page and our website, mycityjournals.com. l

Murray City Fun Days included a chalk art festival where participants created works of art within a defined square in front of the Parks and Recreation building. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Cars lined the grass and pathways at Murray City Park for the Rockin Hot Rod Productions Car Show. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Participants competed in the water balloon catching competition. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Page 8 | August 2018

Attendees could check out various types of vehicles at Murray City Park. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Murray City Journal

Adults and kids alike could have their faces painted during the activities of Murray City Fun Days. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Cars such as a Chevy Camaro (left) had their hoods propped open for attendees to admire. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

SPOTLIGHT

Celeste Ristorante 5468 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Business Spotlights are a service offered to our advertisers to help them inform our readers about their businesses. For information on scheduling a Spotlight, please call us at 801-254-5974 or email us at ryan.casper@mycityjournals.com

W

hether you’ve recently returned from a vacation to Italy, or are searching for a piece of the Italy, or simply want genuine pasta, then it’s time to visit Celeste Ristorante (5468 S. 900 East).

From Los Angeles to Heber City to Salt Lake City, owner Paolo Celeste is well known for his authenticity, both in his persona and culinary creations. All food served at his restaurant is cooked by him.

Born in Forte Dei Marmi, Italy near the Versilia Beach of the Tuscany region, Celeste knows authentic Italian food. He grew up with it, lived it, breathed it. What started as a job to make extra money at his friend’s uncle’s restaurant transformed into a lifelong passion.

In 1987, Celeste moved to California with a friend where they opened what is now the famous Madeo restaurant in Beverly Hills.

His first foray into Utah came in 1994 when another friend opened an Italian place in Heber City.

“My boss told me, ‘You wanna go and see Utah? Wanna go and lead a restaurant?’ I said, ‘Why not, let’s see what’s going on in Utah,’” Celeste recalled.

While in Heber City, Celeste would make weekly trips to Salt Lake City for ingredients, but he noticed something about the state’s capital city, there was “no true Italian food.”

Fast forward a year to 1995 and Michelangelos opened in Sugar House. But due to health problems with his mother, they sold Mi-

MurrayJournal .com

chelangelos in 2004 for Celeste to return home.

Eight years later, Celeste came back to California to open another restaurant in Los Angeles. How did he end up in Murray? The persistence of Murray resident, Kim Candilora, who Celeste said, “kept calling me” saying, “Come back to Utah, we need you, we need your food.”

August 2017 marked the grand opening of Celeste Ristorante in the Murray strip mall near Dollar Tree and Big Lots.

The past 20 years have seen a lot of globe hopping from the Forte Dei Marmi native. But what’s maintained his passion for the restaurant business? At his heart, Celeste is an inventor.

“You create the food, I like to create things,” he said of his ongoing motivation to cook. “It’s something you have inside. You like or you don’t like it. It’s a tough job…I love it.”

Does he have a favorite creation? “I have many,” he said. “I love to make pastries. I love to make fresh pasta, stuffed ravioli. I love to cook fish. I grew up in the ocean so I love fish. It’s something unbelievable.”

The menu features insalatas (salads), zuppe (soup), le paste (pastas) and carni (meats) and pesci (fish).

Whether it’s his Ravioli Incavolati—homemade ravioli with ricotta cheese, kale, butter, sage sauce and Parmigiano cheese—or his Pesce Spada Griglia—grilled sword fish steak with extra virgin olive oil and lemon dressing—Celeste guarantees authentic Italian delights because it’s what separates his “ristorante.”

“Here (it) is 100 percent authentic Italian food. Many, many other restaurants they are not authentic,” he said. “I believe in my food. If you are doing good food, authentic Italian food, people can tell the difference. Especially a lot of people now, they go to Italy on vacation, come back and they find out this is the real thing.”

But don’t trust Celeste, trust your taste buds. “(People) need to come and try, that is the point,” he said. “I can talk and talk and talk, but you have to come and sit down, try the food and then you realize what I am talking about.”

Celeste Ristorante is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. To book a table, call 801-290-2913. To see the full menu and more information, check out celesteristorante.com. l

August 2018 | Page 9

Murray Amphitheater wraps up summer season with ‘The Secret Garden’

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

T

he Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of the children’s story “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, directed

by Brighton Sloan, runs August 10–11, 13, 16– 18, at the Murray Amphitheater, 495 E. 5300 South. Tickets can be purchased online at the arts in the park page of murray.gov.ut.

“The Secret Garden” is the story of a sour young girl who loses everything to a cholera epidemic in colonial India. She is sent to live with her gloomy Uncle Archibald in his massive estate in Yorkshire, England. Mary sets out on a path to discover the secrets of the house and her aunt’s abandoned garden. With the help of some new friends — Dickon, Martha, and Ben — she brings new life to the garden and to a bed-ridden cousin, Colin.

Ultimately, it is a story about forgiveness and rebirth. A tragedy is overcome with sunlight and love, as the characters find a new level of joy by cultivating the relationships around them.

Based on the 1911 novel of the same name, “The Secret Garden” is a musical with lyrics by Marsha Norman, and music by Lucy Simon. It premiered on Broadway in 1991 and ran for 709 performances. It won the 1991 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical and Best Scenic Design. Daisy Eagan, who originated the role on Broadway at age 11, was the youngest female recipient of a

Page 10 | August 2018

Tony Award.

Veteran director Sloan, who helms the amphitheater’s production, has a degree in theater arts from Brigham Young University and brings passion to her role. “I’ve been directing for 10 years, and I love it!” enthuses Sloan.

Twelve-year-old Lucie Murphy leads the cast as Mary Lennox. A West Jordan native, she played the title role in “Annie” last winter at the Empress Theater. “You have to have the right child to take the audience on this emotional journey, and Lucie is one of the most gifted child actors I’ve ever seen,” notes Sloan.

Logan Bradford plays Archibald Craven.

He is a graduate of BYU and an accomplished vocalist who has performed with multiple choirs as well as in theaters like the SCERA Shell and Hale Centre Theatre. Aimee Pike plays Lily, Archibald’s dead wife. She has appeared with theater companies all across Utah, with roles including Rusty in “Footloose” and Morticia Addams in “The Addams Family.”

David Peterson plays Neville, Archibald’s distant brother. Anson Bagley plays Dickon. He has appeared in numerous shows at Hale Centre Theatre and has been featured on the popular YouTube channel “Working with Lemons.” “‘The Secret Garden’ has one of the most beautiful scores in musical theater, and our cast is filled with vocalists who can really do it justice,” remarks Sloan. “That said, I think the au-

Aimie Pike and Logan Bradford rehearse a scene from the upcoming Murray Park Amphitheater production of the Secret Garden. (Photo courtesy of Brighton Sloan)

dience is going to be blown away by our little leading actress, Lucie. She has a vulnerability and raw talent that make it impossible not to fall in love with her instantly.”

Rounding out the cast: Martha, Sydney Carl-

son; Mrs. Medlock, Chelsea Lynn Tramell; Fakir, Nathan Krishnan; Ayah, Teresa Jack; Captain Lennox, Samuel Wright; Rose Lennox, Amy Peterson; Ben Weatherstaff/Major Holmes, Jim Dixon; Claire Holmes, Rachel Hansen; Lieutenant Wright, Porter Bagley; Major Shelley, Mark Williams; Mrs. Winthrop, Megan Smyth; Alice, Jennifer Broschinsky; Mrs. Shelley, Camille Perkins; and Jane, Eliza Williams. The cast will handle such well-known songs as “The Girl I Mean to Be” and “Come to My Garden/Lift Me Up.” “Unlike many productions in the valley, our show will be using a live orchestra. While it is common practice for Murray Arts in the Park, this is a beautiful score that will only be enhanced by the live orchestra,” Sloan said.

Corey Purdue will handle set design with Larissa Anderson wrangling props and Josh Astle as stage manager. At the end of the baton will be music director Andrea Fife, and Sarah Bringhurst to provide choreography. Stephanie Bruckman will supervise costumes/makeup.

Sloan reflected, “The show takes you through some difficult emotional territory, and it’s tough to watch this little girl face so much death and cruelty. Then, to see the garden in full bloom and Mary surrounded by love for the first time in her young life is overwhelmingly touching.” l

Murray City Journal

Murray’s new fire chief also cuts above the rest

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

A

fireman must not only master the use of a hose and ladder but other tools like the chainsaw too. Murray’s new Fire Chief, Jon Harris, has raised the use of the motor ax to an art form.

Mayor and former Fire Chief Blair Camp announced that Harris would replace retiring Fire Chief Gil Rodriguez in June. “I have had the pleasure of knowing Jon Harris since he joined the Murray Fire Department in 1995 as a young rookie fresh out of the fire academy. He was bright and ambitious, and I knew immediately that he was destined to become a future leader in the department,” said Camp.

“I was raised in Atlanta, Georgia,” said Harris. “By loving, hard-working parents who taught me to appreciate and seize opportunities as they arise.” After high school, he graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder.

He notes, “That is where I fell in love with the western mountains, outdoor activities, and weather.”

He served over two years on the Eagle River Fire Protection District (ERFPD) outside Vail, Colorado. As part of that department’s residency fire program, he lived and worked at the fire station full-time while earning his firefighter I and II certifications as well as an associate degree in fire science. In addition, he was a ski

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patroller for Vail Resorts.

In 1995, Harris began his career with the Murray Fire Department. He credits Battalion Chief Brent Fulmer as being his mentor. "Brent taught me the value of achievement through hard work in the fire service. His high expectations were the driving force in becoming the person I am today."

As a battalion captain and chief, Harris was involved in obtaining property for and the building of two new fire stations on 5900 South and Vine Street. He also broadened his training by completing the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program and receiving his master's degree in Executive Fire Service Leadership in 2012.

Recently, Harris has been involved in working with Murray City and the Firefighter Union to update firefighters’ compensation.

As Deputy Chief, he was also able to observe outgoing Chief Rodriguez for the role he would later assume. "Through Gil's example of leadership, I have a better understanding of the big picture. With his guidance, I have a better perspective of how the actions and decisions made by upper management impact the department as a whole."

With the planned construction of a new fire command center, to replace the station on

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4800 South, Harris will be plenty busy in his first year as chief. Harris likewise plans to promote several initiatives including: initiating new firefighter cancer prevention measures, creating a strategic plan to handle Murray’s increased call volume, developing new incentives for firefighters to obtain a higher education, and encouraging physical and mental well-being while serving in the department.

“Because of his cool demeanor and pragmatic approach to problem solving, I am confident that Chief Harris will be very successful as he leads the Murray Fire Department in the coming years,” remarked Camp. “I’ve witnessed Jon’s entire fire service career and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to select him as Murray’s Fire Chief.”

Part of the new fire station move will include transporting some of Harris’s artwork. As a skilled chainsaw artist, Harris has donated a seven-foot-tall chainsaw carving of a firefighter as part of a tribute to the previous firefighters of Murray City. He has a collection of carved bears to rival the real ones roaming in the mountains he loves.

The chief enjoys endurance races and has participated in various triathlons and marathons, including the 2007 Coeur d'Alene Ironman Triathlon. One of his greatest personal ac-

Murray Fire Department Chief and chainsaw artist Jon Harris stands next to his carved homage to Murray’s firefighters. (Photo courtesy Jon Harris)

complishments was training for and completing the Wasatch 100 Mile Endurance Race in 2008. l

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August 2018 | Page 11

Students access real-life scientific resources to build dinosaurs

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

Students use museum resources and their imagination to create the ultimate dinosaur species. (Photo Alex Goodlett)

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ike scientists in a scene from a popular dinosaur movie, students teamed up with the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) to design the ultimate dinosaur species. Using Research Quest, a creative digital program developed by the museum, students determined the best combination of various heads, torsos, tails and legs from a digitized library of fossils scanned from the museum’s paleontology collection.

“We are getting some of the expertise of our scientists out there to kids and we’re getting objects out there—they’re looking at actual scanned fossils that we have at the museum,” said McKenna Lane of NHMU. Research Quest brings the museum resources to the classroom through the internet and is easily accessed from computer labs or classroom Chromebooks. Using digitized fossils and scientific materials, video segments from leading scientists and printable resources, students work their way through activities called investigations. The teaching resource—available to all Utah teachers—was developed by the museum in partnership with the Utah Educational Network and the University of Utah’s departments of Educational Psychology and Entertainment Arts and Engineering.

Kirsten Butcher, of the University of Utah’s Instructional Design & Educational Technology Program, said not all species of dinosaurs have been discovered so students are using the simulation to create a feasible design for a potential species using the same resources as actual scientists.

Students designed dinosaurs that

would most successfully perform in simulated tests of survivability, diet, reproduction and physical stability, based on the features of each fossil.

Research Quest provides teachers with three different investigations that engage students in actual paleontology work as well as the development of critical thinking skills.

“Critical thinking has been recognized as a huge concern for education for a long time,” said Butcher, “but it’s notoriously difficult to teach and to engage students in these processes.”

Research Quest uses a digital interface and a gaming style to appeal to students, while providing practice in this important life skill.

“We live in a very information rich world,” said Butcher. “It takes really strong critical thinking skills to sift through information, to make sense of information, to know what to do with that information.”

Another investigation, targeted to older grades, asks students to study a real-life quarry site where many dinosaur skeletons have been found. Students develop a theory of how the dinosaurs ended up there, based on available evidence. Then they debate with peers who interpreted the data differently and support an opposing theory.

“This is a real scientific question— there’s no one correct answer,” said Butcher. Students use the same resources that are available to paleontologists to develop their theories and then compare it to leading scientific theories.

“From the teachers we hear a lot that

it’s a really great tool for getting kids to construct evidence based arguments and that’s something they feel is really unique and valuable,” said Lane. “Students are gathering evidence to support an argument and communicating that argument— something they don’t usually get a chance to do.”

Another investigation gives students access to 3D digitized models of fossils found in the NHMU’s collection. Using observation and analysis, they determine what kind of dinosaur the bones are from.

Research Quest has been available for classroom use since the beginning of this school year and has been well received by students of all ages, said Lane. The program was initially targeted to middle school students but is adaptable for younger grades as well.

“I had to do a little preparation to scaffold the program since it’s a middle school-designed program,” said Kristine Jolley, a teacher at Midas Creek Elementary in Riverton. She said her students were excited to use the technology and were engaged in learning. She felt her fourth-graders benefitted from the challenge to think more critically in a fun way.

“The best part is just the fact that it is a cool subject and the kids enjoy it,” she said.

More information can be found at www.researchquest.org. l

Murray City Journal

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August 2018 | Page 13

Property tax hike approved, public hearing scheduled

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

I

t has been since 2006 that city leaders have adjusted property tax revenue, and property owners can expect to see a 45 percent hike starting in 2018. Approval for the tax increase took place at the June 12 city council meeting and a public hearing was announced about the tax levy rate on Aug. 14, 6:30 p.m. at city hall.

Many residents have argued that they actually have seen their taxes increase during the past 12 years. However, Danyce Steck, finance director for Murray City, clarified, “Truth-in-Taxation laws regulate the amount of property tax the City is allowed to collect to the same amount it collected the previous year.

This amount increases with actual new growth, but does not adjust for any changes in valuation for existing properties unless it goes through a public process. So even if values go through the roof, the City’s total property tax revenue will remain the same. It may change property by property, but overall the entire amount we are allowed to collect remains the same.”

Other taxing entities, such as Murray or Granite School Districts, Salt Lake County, and mosquito abatement districts, can affect property taxes. “We had one commercial property owner attend our neighborhood meeting last week who said property taxes on her property had increased by 62 percent in just three years.

When I did the research, I found the assessed value of the property had increased by over 86 percent since 2014,” Steck said. “This is certainly not usual, and I’m not sure if there were improvements on her property or other factors in the value increasing so dramatically. We did notify this owner of our findings and let them know that they had a right to appeal the assessed value with the county assessor if they felt it was unfair or incorrect.”

Murray’s tax increase will generate $2.9 million in new revenue; $2.3 million of that will go to pay for changes in salaries and benefits for firefighters and police officers. That amount will also cover the cost to hire an additional battalion fire chief, two crossing guards at Riverview Junior High School, and a school resource

Murray portion of a typical homeowners property tax will increase 45 percent and thus raise their total property tax bill by 5-6 percent. (Graph courtesy: Murray City)

officer for the American International School of Utah. Another $480,000 will be used for the construction of Fire Station 8.

According to the city’s website, the years between 2008 and 2015 were especially difficult for the city, with expenditures exceeding revenue each of those years. The only way the gap was filled and the city remained sustainable was with transfers from utility (Murray Power and Water) funds. In 2016, city officials imposed a local-option sales tax of 0.2 percent, which temporarily filled most of the gap for maintenance. However, priorities that were postponed for so long have now become more critical.

The city council approved a 55 percent tax increase for the Murray Library, which last received an increase in revenue in 2006. The Library Board intends to build reserves to support the construction of a new library within five years, as it does not currently own the land it is

CALL TODAY: 801-432-7003 Page 14 | August 2018

an $8.6 million water bond that will be paid back over 20 years. The city will essentially borrow this money to complete projects such as a water-lift station for the Walden Glen subdivision on the west side of Murray, a power substation re-build, two well replacements, and storm water drain-line upsizing. l

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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 CAN’T WE BAN FIREWORKS IN MURRAY? It’s good to note that our residents in and around Murray City enjoyed another successful 4th of July Fun Days event this year. I express appreciation to city staff and numerous volunteers for their great work, from the Rotary Club breakfast at 6:30 am to the fabulous professional fireworks program at 10:00 pm, and all of the great events in between.

As we celebrated our national and state holidays, a number of residents communicated concern over consumer fireworks, many of them asking if the city could or would consider banning consumer fireworks in residential areas. The short answer to that question is “no,” and I’ll explain why.

Consumer fireworks have been a part of the celebrations of Independence Day, Pioneer Day, and New Year’s Day for many, many years.

Prior to 2011, legal fireworks were only those considered “safe and sane” that did not exceed a height of 15 feet when discharged. In 2011 the Utah State Legislature passed House Bill 22 which legalized aerial fireworks in Utah. These aerial fireworks are commonly known as multiple tube fireworks, repeater fireworks, or “cakes” lit by a single fuse. Fireworks proponents argued that legalizing aerial fireworks would capture lost revenue that was going to neighboring states where these fireworks were already legal.

Following the new legislation, some municipalities initiated regulations on the newly legalized aerial fireworks. That prompted the legislature to step in and revise the law to prohibit the ability of a county or municipality to regulate the use of these fireworks, except in wildland interface areas and parkways, thus taking the regulatory authority out

of the hands of the cities.

Due to the number of complaints over the past several years about the mayor@murray.utah.gov aerial fireworks, the legislature amend801-264-2600 ed the law once again in the 2018 ses5025 S. State Street sion to reduce the number of days that the fireworks are allowed to be Murray, Utah 84107 discharged. Historically the fireworks were allowed to be legally discharged from July 1 - 7, and from July 21 - 27. Beginning in 2018, the fireworks are only allowed to be discharged from July 2 - 5, and from July 21 – 25. They are also allowed on New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year. The shorter time frame allowed for legal discharge this year was appreciated by many residents, including me.

So that’s the long answer. Murray City is not allowed to ban fireworks in our residential neighborhoods due to State Law (53-7-225).

I should note that not all fireworks are legal in Utah. Still banned are firecrackers, M-80’s, cherry bombs, bottle rockets, Roman candles, and single or reloadable mortars. However, it is often more difficult for enforcers to differentiate the legal aerial fireworks from the illegal ones.

Not everyone dislikes the fireworks. Many residents have expressed that for a few days a year, they enjoy the fireworks, and it appears that they are voting with their wallets! Fireworks sales generate millions of dollars for the state each year. So whether you love them, hate them, or are just indifferent, it appears the fireworks are here to stay unless enough State Legislators can be convinced to give the regulatory authority back to the municipalities that have to deal with the “fall-out” of fireworks.

Murray Public Works Department August 2018 Construction Notice Thank you for your patience as Murray City crews and contractors have completed 5300 South from Vine Street to State Street, Riverpoint Circle, and Auburn Drive. As the second half of summer begins, the City will rehabilitate the following roadways: 6600 South from 900 East to 1300 East, Emerald Isle Lane, Twin Willows Circle, Wood Circle, Hansen Circle, Butler Circle, Mar Jane Avenue, 5360 South, 1410 East, 5440 South, and Lakewood Circle. Other maintenance projects will include slurry overlays on the west side of the City and sidewalk rehabilitations in the neighborhoods near Longview Elementary.

To address pedestrian safety and improve active transportation in the City, new signing and striping will be added to 700 West from 5400 South to 6400 South. This will include improved crosswalks at all school crossings and bike lanes.

Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District is placing a new waterline on Vine Street from 900 East to 1400 East. Through traffic will be maintained but alternate routes are encouraged. The City is currently in design for next year’s roadway improvements on Vine from 900

MAYOR’S OFFICE D. Blair Camp Mayor

If you have questions, please contact the Murray Public Works Department at 801-270-2440

East to 1300 East. This will include storm drainage installation and improvements, sidewalk, curb, and a new roadway surface. Some widening will occur to create a uniform corridor and allow for continuous pedestrian access. For more information regarding this project, please refer to the Murray City website or contact the project team at murrayvinest@utah.gov or 801-946-6750.

Message from the Council During the cooler mornings and evenings of summer, I relish the opportunity to be outside and enjoy all our city and state has to offer in terms of outdoor recreation. The mountains, hillsides, and valleys contain an abundance of trails, hikes, and leisurely walks for whatever level of activity one may desire. In Murray City we appreciate having the Jordan River Parkway with five miles of paved trail containing recreational and educational resources minutes from the city streets.

The newly created Canal Trail is two miles stretching from Fontaine Bleu Drive to Wheeler Farm. Also constructed in recent years are several miles of bike paths throughout the city and we gather at an abundance of neighborhood parks for sports, reunions and picnics.

I don’t know about you, but it is very distressing for me when our beautiful environment is littered with garbage, trash and the ever increasing number of plastic bags caught in streams, fences, grass and along many a trail.

Plastic bags are a global concern poisoning and injuring marine life, entangling and suffocating birds, littering our streams, landscapes, beaches, and highways, clogging storm drains, and whirling around landfills. The plastic bags obstruct recycling machinery and increase the cost of processing recyclables. Synthetic plastic does not biodegrade, therefore, it sits and accumulates in landfills or pollutes the environment.

Senator Jani Iwamoto introduced the “Retail Bag Impact Reduction Program”, Senate Bill 244, in the 2018 Legislature. The purpose of the bill was to “encourage the development of recycling programs and education regarding the impacts of, and alternatives to, single-use retail bags.” Because disposal of single-use retail bags is a statewide concern, the bill proposed to charge a ten cent fee per bag at the point of sale. The fee was intended to motivate shoppers to utilize reusable bags of cloth, fabric or other durable materials with

the fee divided between the retail business, and the municipality, county or Department of Environmental Quality. The proceeds of the single-use retail bags were to be used for promotion of reusable bags; education on the impacts of single-use bags; access to recycling bins and facilities; and implementing strategies to prevent and remediate litDiane Turner ter. (A few bags and situations were listed as District 4 exempt.) Unfortunately, this bill was never introduced on the Senate floor. We believe it’s an issue that will be discussed during Interim Legislative committee meetings and may resurface in the future.

Many countries in the world have already placed a ban or a fee on plastic bags, such as, a number of African and Asian nations, India, Australia, England, Italy, Wales, Scotland and Germany. Areas in Mexico and some Canadian provinces have measures in place. Some South American countries have taken steps to reduce plastic bag use, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia. California became the first state to ban plastic bags and charge for paper, and other U.S. locations include Hawaii, District of Columbia, Seattle, Maine, New York, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico, along with areas in Oregon and Texas, and Park City, Utah.

But! You know ... we don’t need to wait for state legislation to do what is right for our environment. Let’s take action! Make this a citizen movement! All we need to do is begin today to discontinue using single-use plastic bags and bring our own durable reusable bags when we go shopping. It gives you a chance to make a difference by contributing in a positive way to our environment. Resolve to join me in this crusade!

MURRAY CITY COUNCIL Council District 1 Dave Nicponski 801-913-3283 dnicponski@murray.utah.gov Council District 2 Dale M. Cox 801-971-5568 dale.cox@murray.utah.gov Council District 3 Jim Brass 801-598-7290 jim.brass@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 Council Administrator Jan Lopez 801-264-2622 jlopez@murray.utah.gov

–Diane Turner | District 4 Council Member

Murray Library The summer is starting to wind down at the Murray library. However, we still have a few fun surprises coming up before the school year starts up again! Here are some of our upcoming events.

Get ready for the Firemen’s Squirt on Monday, August 6 at 2 p.m.

The annual Firemen’s Squirt is held at the softball field next to the swimming pool in Murray Park. Wear your swimming suit and prepare to get wet! There will be a special guest appearance from Murray the Library Dragon. All are welcome!

Don’t forget to join us on August 13 for our monthly Family Movie Night. We will be showing “A Wrinkle in Time” (PG) at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium. Complimentary popcorn will be provided for all attendees.

With school starting up again on August 20, all of our regularly scheduled after-school programs will be coming back. Be sure to check our online calendar for a list of all available activities and when they start.

Along with our many after-school programs we also have various book clubs available for all ages. We have our very fun and interactive Magic Tree House book club for ages 5+. On the first Wednesday of every month, we will have a fun discussion about a book from the Magic Tree House book series followed by an activity highlighting the themes in the book. For kids in grades 4-6, we have our Reading Rocks book club which meets on the second Monday of the month. Each month a book is specially chosen by one of our outstanding Children’s Librarians. For junior high aged students, we have our Teen Book Club which also meets on the second Monday of each month. This book club focuses on current YA books; there is usually a half hour discussion of the book followed by a craft that has something to do with the themes from the book.

As always, if you have any questions about these events, please feel free to call us at 801-264-2580 or visit our events calendar on our website at murraylibrary.org All of these events are free and open to the public and do not require tickets or registration.

Monday - Thursday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Visit us online at murraylibrary.org OR CALL US AT

801-264-2580

166 East 5300 South Murray, UT 84107

Murray Library Home

Murray Library Calendar

august 2018 Murray Arts Beat

For additional information, please contact Lori Edmunds at 801-264-2620

MUSEUM MEMES June Meme Winner #1: Caption by Marion Brimhall

Resident on Display Original artwork by Murray resident artists are displayed in the central display case at City Hall. Our featured artists will be Larry Limberg (pictured) in August and Ruth Johnson in September.

June Meme Winner #1: Caption by Michael Shoemaker

The Secret Garden WIN 2 TICKETS to America’s Music & Dance / Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra performance at Murray Park Amphitheater. To enter, create an original caption with the photograph below.

Photo and rules can be found on the city History Webpage at www.murray.utah.gov

Presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. Book and Lyrics by MARSHA NORMAN, Music by LUCY SIMON. Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Murray Arts in the Park – Family Night Concert Series: August 13 – Company B

|

September 10 – Mixed Nuts

7:00 PM | Murray Senior Recreation Center

Updated Hours and Closure Schedule for the Park Center and Outdoor Pool Competition pool will be closed for deck replacement from August 1 – Labor Day. We hope to have it open to the public during the first week of September. Labor Day Tri will be held at the outdoor pool. Swim teams will not hold water workouts in August.

Park Center closure begins August 19 through September 3.

Several projects will be completed during this year’s closure, including new lounge flooring and functional training area, and new steps on our south staircase.

The basketball courts will be closed for floor refinishing

beginning on Friday August 17 – tentative open on Saturday, September 1. The rest of the Center will remain open through August 18.

Water classes will run Monday – Friday the weeks of August 20 and August 27 at the outdoor pool in the mornings. The outdoor pool will not be open during the weekdays other than classes. SLCC classes may access these classes during The Park Center closure.

The fall fitness schedule begins on Tuesday, September 4.

The Kidzone schedule will resume at that time as well.

Murray Senior Recreation Center Upcoming EvEnts: Brunch: on Monday’s: Aug. 13, 20 & 27, from 10 a.m.-noon Massage every Thursday: noon-4 p.m. - $36, registration required Medicare Counseling: Tuesday, August 21, noon-2 p.m., registration required Sleep Disorders - Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 10:30 a.m.

Recycle Presentation: Friday, Aug. 24 at 10:30 a.m. (free) Vital Aging: Tuesday, Aug. 28 at 10:30 a.m.

AARP: Tuesday, Aug. 28 at 10:30 a.m. (free) Heart Health Don’t Skip a Beat: Friday, Aug. 31 at 10:30 a.m. (free)

Utah Shakespeare Festival

Summer Concert Company B

We will charter a bus to visit the Utah Shakespeare Festival on August 27-29. Join us as we see three classic William Shakespeare plays this year—Henry VI, Othello and The Merchant of Venice.

The August Summer Family Concert will feature Company B, Monday, August 13 at 7:00 PM. Evoking the music of the 30’s and 40’s, à la Andrews sisters, COMPANY B is a vocal trio that will pack your dance floor with their energy and tight harmonies backed by a band of Utah’s premier jazz instrumentalists. The ladies also double on various instruments such as the banjo and trumpet.

The cost is $350 per person (double occupancy) or $425 (single room) and includes two nights at the Abbey Inn, chartered bus, dinners at Rusty’s and Milt’s, and three plays.

Travelers may register for themselves and one other person.

Cancellations must be made prior to Friday, July 20 for a full refund. After July 20, trip refunded amounts will be on a case-by-case basis.

Senior Recreation Center Open House Mark the date of Monday, September 10, 5:00 – 8:00 PM when the Murray Senior Recreation Center will host the annual Open House.

Discover what the Center can do for you and your family. There will be food for purchase and the final free summer concert featuring the always fun group Mixed Nuts.

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

Park Center Labor Day hours 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

No Kidzone or classes.

Leisure pool will honor adult time until 11 a.m.

Toys and slide will be on at 11 am until close.

Outdoor Pool closes for weekdays beginning August 20, except for the 8 a.m. Aqua Fit classes.

• The pool will be open the weekend of August 25-26.

• The pool will be open the weekend of September 1-2.

• Labor Day hours 10 a.m.-6 p.m., then closed for the season.

Classes help homeowners learn about water conservation

By Lana Medina | l.medina@mycityjournals.com

L

iving in a desert state, some Salt Lake Valley residents are making it a mission to conserve water.

Utah received limited snowpack in the mountains, and local water officials say they’ve had to dip into reservoir water early this year. But Shaun Moser, an instructor at the Conservation Water Garden in West Jordan, said even heavy snowpack years aren’t an excuse to waste water.

“Conservation should be an ethic here in Utah. More often than not, we’re in some kind of drought here,” Moser explained.

That’s why state officials have been pushing to implement a statewide water conservation campaign called Slow the Flo. It’s designed to educate residents and also to encourage changes in residents’ landscapes, including using less grass in their yards.

Dani Workman, a West Jordan homeowner and mom, said she’s trying to make small changes to her landscape to reduce water use.

“We water our lawn twice a week and watch the weather to decide what days will be best to do it,” Workman explained. “For our garden, we collect rainwater in barrels from our downspouts and use that to hand water our garden. Not only is it free, but it saves a little bit of water and money.”

Moser said the average lawn only needs 20 minutes of water every other day during the hottest months. In the spring and fall, grass only needs 20 minutes of water approximately 1-2 times a week.

But Moser said it’s even more important to cut back on the grass in your yard. The average sprinkler system isn’t designed to water any lawn area smaller than 8 feet wide, such as park strips or sides of a home. The Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District offers monthly classes to give residents examples on how to cut back on sod grass at Localscapes.com.

“The style of landscaping that has been adopted here in Utah really doesn’t fit our climate.

The English style of landscaping developed in an area that gets rain a lot of time,” Moser explained about landscapes filled with grass. “Here in Utah we need irrigation systems to keep things alive.”

Cynthia Bee, outreach coordinator for the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, says Local Scapes offers a small reward to residents who take their classes teaching water conservation and implement changes to their own landscape.

“We’re not calling it an incentive, because it’s not enough to cover costs for changing your landscape,” Bee explained.

The small bonus is up to $.25 per square footage in a landscape, but the real benefit is reducing water.

To learn more about Local Scapes, the next beginner class will be at 9 a.m. on Sept. 1 at the Conservation Garden Park at 8275 S. 1300 West in West Jordan. You can sign up for Local Scapes 101 on LocalScapes.com l

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MHS graduate Dillon Hale’s dream of playing professional hockey takes big step forward

By Carl Fauver | carlf@mycityjournals.com

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“I’m the only head coach the North Iowa Bulls have ever had and we have never had a Utah kid in our program. But Dillon has shown us some skills and raw talent that make me think he might really be able to help us.”

That high praise for 2018 Murray High School graduate Dillon Hale comes from a man who has guided his junior hockey team to four league championships in the past six years, coach Todd Sanden. And although Dillon has not yet made the final 25-man Bulls roster, the coach is confident he will, through a couple of final tryouts this month.

“We have to replace nearly our entire roster this year,” Sanden continued. “All but three of our players have moved up to the next level of hockey. We now have 40 players trying out for 25 positions on the team. If Dillon continues to show us what he has so far — the improvement we’ve seen, so far — I think he will be our first-ever player from Utah.”

The 40 North Iowa hopefuls will tryout August 3-5 in Minneapolis. They can’t hold tryouts in their own community, because they play in a multipurpose arena. Iowans love their hockey in the winter, but right now the ice has been replaced by dirt and straw, for summer horse shows.

This week’s tryout will trim 40 players to 30, with the Bulls final tryout coming at the end of the month. In between, Dillon expects to attend a two-week hockey training camp in Minneapolis, something coach Sanden advised him to do.

All this excitement for his son Dillon is giving Tim Hale a severe case of déjà vu. Dillon’s father – and head coach of his Murray High School club hockey team – went through exactly what his son is doing only 30 years ago.

“These junior hockey teams are pretty unfamiliar out here (in Utah), but they are a way of life in the Midwest,” Tim Hale said. “Back in 1986 to ‘88, I also played in Mason City. The teams arrange volunteer families to host the players. You become part of those families. It was a great experience for me and I think Dillon will enjoy it too.”

Just two months after graduating from Murray High School, Dillon Hale (55) is moving to Iowa to begin what he hopes will be a career in professional hockey. (Tim Hale)

The hockey world can be a small one. Tim said one of the north Iowa assistant coaches is a man he played against back in the day. And another of his former opponents is the father of another young player trying to make the Bulls’ roster this year, along with Dillon. In fact, Dillon will stay with that family during his twoweek, mid-August hockey camp, because they live in the Minneapolis area.

For his part, Dillon said his initial two-day tryout with the Bulls, in mid-May, was challenging at first. But he felt confident by the time it ended.

“I had never played hockey at that speed before and it was kind of intimidating at the beginning,” Dillon said. “But I ended up scoring a couple of goals and getting some assists in the scrimmage games. That tryout involved new

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players and returners. When they selected the all-star team, I might have been the only player to make it who had never played in the league before. So that felt pretty good.”

The goal of most junior league players is to spend a year or two in the system, to prove themselves worthy of earning a scholarship to compete in a prestigious college hockey program. That, of course, could then lead to earning a living playing the sport they love. “(Dillon) is still a bit of a raw player,” Sanden concluded. “But he had some very impressive (goal and assist) numbers (while playing for his Murray club team). And he made adjustments quickly as we worked with him during our first tryout. It’s fair to say (I and my coaching staff) are all surprised we found such a quality player from Utah.”

“I think Dillon was the only player from west of the Mississippi River invited to the Bulls initial tryout,” his father added. “Now he’ll have to prove himself again. I think his making the team will be based on his attitude.

If he shows them he’s coachable and willing to work hard I think he will do well.”

“I’d like to play one or two years at this (junior hockey) level, and then hopefully earn a scholarship to play for a school like North Dakota, Denver University or Minnesota-Duluth,” Dillon concluded. “Going back there for tryouts will be a little intimidating. I’m going all by myself. But there’s nothing else I want to be doing now, so I know it will all be worth it.” l

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Top five ways to avoid an accident

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ccidents are inevitable. Or are they?

We’ve all met someone who says (more like “claims”) they have never experienced a car accident before. While we might doubt the veracity of such a statement, there are countless ways to avoid those nauseatingly time consuming situations — the ones where you wait for law enforcement on the side of the road (or middle of the intersection), deal with insurance companies and figure out finances for fixing the fender.

There are countless ways to avoid an accident, here are the top five.

1. Attitude You probably weren’t expecting this one first. As a driver, you control over 3,000 pounds (or more) of metal that can cause incalculable damage. Driving with maturity and the right mindset makes a world of difference. Speeding to beat another car to the exit or to get back at the person who cut you off a minute ago may give you a moment of satisfaction, but is it worth the risk and ramifications?

If all drivers commit to having a responsible attitude, imagine how much less we’d find ourselves in bumper to bumper traffic waiting to pass the accident.

2. Speed From 2012-2016, 40 percent of motor vehicle traffic crash deaths in Utah were because

Page 22 | August 2018

of speeding, according to Utah Department of let someone else go first.

Public Safety’s crash data.

This also applies when driving in poor Slowing down isn’t going to kill you, but weather conditions. Heavy rainfall and snowflying past others just might. storms blot windshields and make roads slick, 3. Distraction adverse circumstances to traveling safely. BaStay focused. Keep your guard up. Though sics become even more vital like keeping your you may be a phenomenal driver, others aren’t. distance from the vehicle in front of you.

Be aware of your surroundings by paying 5. Maintenance attention to what’s in front of you and checkThe best way to avoid car malfunction is ing your mirrors. Knowing where everyone else the maintenance of said car. is helps avoid collisions. If you’re distracted Ensure tires and brakes are operating withby your phone, music, or billboards with cows out issue. Keep fluids to their proper levels. writing on them, it limits your response time to Oil changes and car washes make a difference. what another driver may being doing in front of These simple, but effective maintenance tips enyou. sure your car remains a well-oiled machine (pun 4. Defense intended). l This was one of the first concepts taught in driver education and one of the first we forget: drive defensively.

Failing to yield caused 12 percent of deaths from 20122016 in the same data mentioned before. That comes to 154 people who died Here are some ways to avoid a car accident, like this one. (Photo by David Shankbone) because they didn’t

Murray City Journal

MurrayJournal .com

August 2018 | Page 23

Bike lanes are here. Now what?

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

C

yclists can rejoice that new bike lanes will be opening on 700 West this summer. This will add to Murray City’s designated bike lanes on Winchester and Vine Streets, and bike routes on 4800 South and 5900 South. Future plans include bicycle lanes on Murray Boulevard and 500 West, and UDOT is planning for bicycle lanes on 900 East. Most bike lanes either connect with the Jordan River Parkway or the new Canal Trail.

Roads with bike lanes have standing signage and bicycles painted on the surface to let both automobiles and cyclists know that additional rules apply. These rules include that both cars and bicycles need to stop at stop signs and red lights, watch for pedestrians, stay within speed limits, and drive in the same direction as other traffic. Bike lanes also give cyclists a space apart from cars, where they can safely and comfortably travel without having to integrate with automobile traffic. State law requires motorists to provide three feet of clearance between their vehicle and a cyclist.

“Bike lanes are an integral part of the city’s General Plan that was approved in 2017,” explained Murray City spokesperson Jennifer Heaps. Several years ago, a group of Murray residents and businesses organized under the name Cycle Murray. The group, headed by Keith Bateman, encouraged the city to focus on constructing more bicycle lanes.

“About five years ago, I learned that in

Page 24 | August 2018

Cyclists, like these two young riders, will soon have bike lanes on 700 West. (Shaun Delliskave/City Journals)

about 2003 Murray City had incorporated some great concepts for bike lanes and paths in the city’s General Plan, but as of 2013 nothing had been done,” said Bateman. He reached out to Mayor Ted Eyre and Director of Public Works Doug Hill about following through on adding bike lanes.

The General Plan states, “Multiple modes of transportation are thoughtfully considered for every street as it is established and/or up-

graded.” It also states, “Site design standards for developments should prioritize pedestrian and bicycle access, not just consider automobile access. Bicycle and trail networks should continue to be coordinated with neighboring communities and the regional system.”

“As a result of these efforts, Mayor Eyre organized a Bicycle Task Force. Initially (then) Councilman Blair Camp was directing our efforts on the Task Force, but later Mayor Eyre

felt it was an executive function for the city and he took over guidance of the Task Force,” Bateman said. “Mayor Eyre became a dedicated advocate for making biking safer in Murray, and now Mayor Camp is also actively pursuing this vision.”

As a result of the Task Force’s work, Murray implemented dedicated bike lanes on Vine Street from the Murray Central TRAX station to 900 East and made some adjustments to Vine Street from 900 East to Van Winkle Expressway to make biking much safer. This year there are some major structural issues being addressed on Vine Street from 900 East to 1300 East, and Murray has plans to implement full bike lanes through this area in 2019.

According to Heaps, “One of the most challenging aspects of establishing bike lanes is working to minimize impacts to vehicular use and on-street parking on the city’s narrow streets. Many of Murray’s through-streets are not sufficiently wide enough to accommodate traffic lanes, bicycle lanes, and on-street parking.”

“The ultimate goal is to have protected and totally separated bike lanes, such as those on 300 South in downtown Salt Lake,” noted Bateman. His organization has now expanded into Cycle Wasatch. In 2017, Bateman’s organization recognized Murray’s efforts by awarding it the first Bike Friendly City Award. l

Murray City Journal

Murray District’s teacher, employee of year selected for their hard work

T

his fall, the state will announce its candidate for the 2019 Utah Teacher of the Year, but don’t expect Murray School District’s nominee, Jason Carpenter, to be focused on waiting for the notification.

As an eighth-grade history and ninth-grade honors English teacher at Hillcrest Junior High, Carpenter was selected as the District’s teacher of the year for his hard work.

“I want all my students to improve,” he said. “I insist that they work hard and learn by doing, all 180 days of the school year.”

In his class, students have a 1-to-1 ratio of Chromebooks and are able to research topics that may turn into history presentations.

For example, Carpenter’s history students may have watched documentaries, listened to his lecture and read from their textbook in addition to researching primary sources for a group presentation on “what makes a colony unique” when discussing the 13 colonies.

In English, he has literature circles where students explore 15 books and focus on writing, reading and comprehension so they are able to write argumentative essays or analyze speeches in U.S. history.

“I feel I need to give students the skills to succeed. I teach history so they can learn from it, our mistakes and triumphs we made as a country and our mistreatment of others. And English, they will never get away from it. We always need to have communication skills, be able to read and write,” Carpenter said.

The education, history and English triple major with a French minor graduated from the University of Utah and is currently studying to earn his master’s degree in history by fall 2020.

“I’m learning alongside the students to improve my content knowledge,” said Carpenter, who has gone to several U.S. battle sites to gain a deeper understanding of American history. “I want to share what I learn with them.”

That’s why Carpenter said he was “very surprised” when his principal, Buck Corser, and Asst. Superintendent Scott Bushnell pulled him out of his class recently to let him know he was selected as the District’s teacher of the year.

“I was just shocked,” said the teacher who has taught at Hillcrest since 2009, after attending Grant Elementary, Riverview Junior High and Murray High. “I wanted to teach in Murray and feel lucky I was able to find a job here.”

Earlier in the spring, Carpenter was joined by other teachers and employees of the year for each Murray District school at a luncheon, recognizing all of them. Among the teacher nominees were Melissa Keating, Grant Elementary; Trudy Burton, Horizon Elementary; Lawren Whipple, Liberty Elementary; Chris Calderwood, Longview Elementary; Cynthia Richards, McMillan Elementary; Todd Thompson, Murray High; Lisa Pereira, Parkside Elementary; Kathie Webster, Riverview Junior High; and Cherran Zullo, Viewmont Elementary.

MurrayJournal .com

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

Hillcrest Junior High teacher Jason Carpenter will compete for the 2019 Utah Teacher of the Year after being named as Murray School District’s teacher of the year. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

The classified employee of the year nominees included Fidel Garcia, Grant; Sydney Baird, Hillcrest; Nicole Wintch, Liberty; DeAnn Swensen, Longview; Dee Heath, McMillan; Jean Bayles, Murray High; Tiffany Kastelic, Parkside; Chris Stephan, Riverview; Tyler Walker, Viewmont; Megan Kunzler, district office; and this year’s District winner, Miriam Luna of Horizon.

“After I received the award, I couldn’t speak,” Luna said. “I could only smile.”

Both winners received an engraved clock as well as a movie theatre gift card.

Luna said that she was overjoyed for being named her school winner before being acknowledged as the District’s choice.

“I received a letter at home. I was excited and crying. It came from being a hard worker

and always smiling and being willing to help.

If you work hard, good things come,” she said.

After being honored May 10 at the Board of Education meeting, the computer aide who teaches keyboarding and coordinates dual immersion and SAGE tests, was greeted by classes, congratulating her, after a school-wide announcement was made.

“I’m always willing to help whether it’s in the cafeteria or as a crossing guard,” she said.

Luna, who is a native of Guadalaraja, Mexico, also serves as a translator.

“The best part of interpreting is to make them feel comfortable, so parents can ask questions of the teachers, learn how to help their students and be of help, anytime it’s needed,” she said. “I just want to bring a smile and help everyone.” l

August 2018 | Page 25

Cottonwood High speech team makes points at nationals

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

T

his fall, Cottonwood High’s speech and debate team can build upon its success from this past season – including the first time in recent history they have sent team members to compete at nationals.

Twelve members of Cottonwood High’s speech and debate team made their points against hundreds of others who qualified for the Grand National Tournament. Cottonwood students qualified for nationals at the qualifying tournament in mid-March hosted by Juan Diego Catholic High School.

For some Cottonwood students, competing at the Grand National Tournament hosted by the National Catholic Forensic League May 26, meant walking through their high school graduation and less than two hours later, flying to Washington, D.C. It didn’t seem to deter senior Nour Bilal, who won the first round in original oratory, where students prepare original orations on a topic of their own choosing for a memorized presentation up to 10 minutes. Her speech was about coming to the U.S. from Syria.

Junior Mac Gough won the first round in the dramatic performance with a humorous interpretation of “The Book of Mormon Musical.”

Other Cottonwood students competed in

Cottonwood High’s speech team competed at the national competition in Washington, D.C. (Cottonwood High School)

oratorical declamation, oral interpretation of literature-prose and poetry, extemporaneous speaking and student congress.

“It is so great,” Cottonwood High speech

SPOTLIGHT

and debate coach Adam Wilkins said. “It’s a fantastic experience for the students to not only compete against the nation’s best, but to tour the nation’s capital and represent their schools

and the state. We (were) very stoked to go.”

The team took in some of the sites around Washington, D.C., on the National Mall, spending time at the Smithsonian as well as several national monuments and memorials.

Wilkins, who has been the coach for the past five years, said Cottonwood focuses on speech rather than debate topics.

“As a theatre teacher, I can help them with their prepared speeches, so that is where I can best assist them,” he said. “They spend so much time researching, practicing, revising and preparing for competitions. It’s their love and their hard work that has paid off this year.”

About 20 competitive teammates have presented at 15 tournaments throughout the school year.

“Our goal this past year was to win region.

We not only did that, but we did very well at state in addition to taking a large group to nationals,” he said. “This experience allows our kids to listen to students from across the nation.

It gives them the chance to have greater exposure and to build their self-confidence.”

At state, Cottonwood placed in the top 10.

This fall, about half of the team will return.

“It’s a great experience we can build on.

We have a great mindset coming off of a winning season,” Wilkins said. l

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Page 26 | August 2018

Kim Bolinder.

VertiSource HR® recently announced a new partnership with Salt Lake City neighbor, CUI Agency. The partnership expands VertiSource HR®’s insurance portfolio, to the benefit of their client partners, and elevates the Midvale-based, woman-owned company to the level of their big name corporate competitors.

CUI Agency is a family-owned insurance brokerage and risk management firm that has been in business since 1969. Their consultative approach and cost-effective strategies, as well as their negotiating power with leading carriers, all afford their partners the best coverage at the lowest possible cost. CUI understands the changing liability landscape and proactively provides professionals with integrated insurance solutions that may include Business Liability, Trucking, Surety Bonds, Directors and Officers Liability Insurance, Professional liability and Commercial Property Liability, Employee Benefits and Workers Compensation.

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Everything is all in one place and can be accessed with one login, from any device. Rick Whatley, Director of Marketing and Sales, said, “We have grown tremendously over the last few months and we wanted to provide the most relevant, modern application possible to match the needs of our client partners’ on-the-go lifestyles. Our new cloudbased platform enables us to offer world-class HR services for the entire employee lifecycle.“ For more information about how VertiSource HR® can help your business, call 855.565.VSHR (8747) or visit www.vertisourcehr.com. l

Murray City Journal

New Viewmont, AISU principals, Murray High assistant principal focus on student learning

N

ew Viewmont Elementary Principal Jennifer King can be found taking walks with her two rescue dogs or curled up, reading a book — that is, when she isn’t busy doing her educational duties, volunteer activities or supporting her two kids in gymnastics and mountain biking.

“I love to read,” she said. “I looked forward to going to the library every Saturday with my mom.”

King said Dr. Seuss books are amongst her favorites.

“Dr. Seuss is so powerful on so many levels. It’s an amazing teaching tool for the young — all the way through college,” she said.

King is replacing Matt Nelson, who has served as principal at both Viewmont and Grant elementaries, and will become East Midvale Elementary principal in Canyons School District.

Along with King as a new Murray School District administrator is Laura deShazo, who joined Murray High School as an assistant principal the last four weeks of school in the spring replacing Theresa Mbaku, who returned to Salt Lake School District.

At nearby AISU, Tasi Young will take the helm as principal replacing Nathan Justis.

Nelson, who also worked at Riverview, Murray High and Parkside, appreciates serving in Murray District.

“I’m grateful for the trust they’ve given me to teach and be principal,” he said.

Nelson has made an impact from teaming up in 2010 with Parkside teacher Cal Beck to create an ongoing partnership with the Salt Lake Valley Health Department to create a garden where students would plant and harvest vegetables that could be served at school. Later, as Grant’s principal, he teamed up with an Eagle Scout and his dad to create a garden for that community.

Nelson said there have been moments of fun amongst the learning as well ¬— as he tried out a slip-and-slide made of shaving cream and dyed his hair blue as a reading goal incentive at Grant or was decorated as a Christmas tree at Viewmont for students who exhibited positive behavior.

“I’m going to miss all the kids, teachers and the people. It’s really been great knowing so many people in this close-knit community,” he said.

Being part of the community is key to King as well.

“I want them to feel safe and included at school so they can be the best person they can be and truly learn,” she said, adding that she hopes to review safety drills and communication to make sure they’re effective.

As King is meeting with school and district personnel this summer in preparation for the school year, she anticipates getting to know people and the community, not immediately make changes.

“Every school is unique and each has dif-

MurrayJournal .com

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com ferent reasons why it’s successful and that is what I need to learn about Viewmont,” she said.

“I want to take a step back, watch and get to know the school culture. I’ll have a presence and an open-door policy.”

King said she already has heard about Eagle Rallies and Yes Days and plans to continue those programs.

“I love that the PTA is so involved and is supporting positive behavior and having a strong impact,” she said.

King, who comes to Murray from the Park City School District, moved around while growing up as her dad was a Marine.

“Home was Utah since my mom was from Utah and I have grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins who lived here,” she said.

While spending much of her childhood in the Deep South, she came to Utah and earned her bachelor’s degree in history. She earned her master’s in education at Florida State University on a two-year scholarship and began her teaching career there before earning her administrative licensure at Utah State University.

King also has her national board certification.

“I love teaching. When I was asked if I had any desire to go into administration, I said, ‘No. Teaching is just amazing,’” she said.

However, after 13 years, she was asked if she would be an instructional coach part-time and she accepted that while continuing to teach in the classroom.

“I saw the impact on students and could reach more students than beyond my classroom,” she said.

In time, she took a position in the district office, where she continued to impact more students.

“I’m still in the classroom every day – it’s just a different kind of interaction through a different lens,” she said.

She plans to continue supporting teachers and helping wherever she’s needed in Viewmont classrooms as well as on the playground or in other parts of the school.

“I want to establish relationships with the kids and interact with them,” she said. “The educators that stuck out to me were the ones who got to know you, your strengths and weaknesses and who supported you and pushed you to be more successful and develop those areas where you could grow.”

Similarly, deShazo is settling into her role as Murray High assistant principal, returning to the school where she once taught computer information technology, website design and Microsoft certification classes in the business and marketing department.

“My passion is students,” she said. “It was a difficult decision to leave Murray High, but I saw the possibility to reach students statewide with career opportunities and to create an initiative that would impact more than one school and it was a great opportunity.” deShazo worked for the Utah State Board

Jennifer King will become Viewmont Elementary principal as current principal Matt Nelson, posed here with students as Maui from “Moana,” has taken a position with Canyons School District. (Jamie Cheney/Viewmont Elementary)

of Education as a career and technical education coordinator, helping students earn certifications and training or steering them toward an advanced degree. During her tenure, she visited every high school in the state.

“Eighty percent of Utah high school graduates don’t go on after graduation so getting a certification or training was a leg up. It was a success story to hear students say they got a $1 or $2 raise because of a skill they learned in high school,” she said.

Murray High students are one of the state leaders in taking concurrent enrollment courses, with 42 percent of the juniors and seniors enrolled, she said. In addition 86 percent are taking career and technical education classes and 28 percent are enrolled in advanced placement courses, with the last number on the increase.

“Murray High’s student body demographic is changing as we’re more diversified (than when she taught seven years ago at Murray) and that is a positive for the student body,” deShazo said. deShazo, who skis and competes as a triathlete, is looking forward to teaming with Principal Scott Wihongi, who also recently returned to Murray High after working in Corner Canyon High administration in Draper, and serving under Superintendent Jennifer Covington, who was deShazo’s mentor when she began teaching at Murray High.

“I know Jennifer Covington as a teacher and personally saw her leadership so I know Murray has strong leadership,” she said. “I’m grateful to be back.”

AISU’s Young, like Murray High’s deShazo, is familiar with the school he is returning to this fall as he was a member of the founding team of the school. More recently, he comes from Utah County where he has been the head of Meridian School since 2010, where he was known for working with organizations worldwide to implement education innovations for the increasing global demands that students face.

Young received his bachelor’s and his juris doctorate in business management from Brigham Young University. l

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MISSION STATEMENT The Murray Chamber creates synergy among professionals. We facilitate the creation of long lasting business relationships between members that are based on trust, value, and cooperation. We provide tools to connect education, service opportunities and interaction between members.

RIBBON CUTTINGS

We had the honor to host two ribbon cuttings for Murray businesses during July.

Congratulations to Bette Jean Young with Anovite! Her ribbon cutting was a success and very fun!

Learn more at anovite.com.

Congratulations to Axe Arena! A ribbon cutting was held prior to our Business After Hours for July. Great space to have fun with friends, corporate events, or work off some stress. Thank you Elvin Lau and staff for a great evening! Axe Arena is located at 6212 South State Street. Murray City.

SEEKING SPONSORS/GOLFERS! Register TODAY for our Murray Youth Scholarship Tournament. Open to everyone. Membership or golf experience not required!

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15TH Annual Youth Scholarship Golf Tournament Top Golf (920 West Jordan River Blvd) Come help us make a difference through scholarships for the Murray Youth Chamber & Council. Call the chamber for further details at (801) 263-2632 or info@murraychamber.net

UPCOMING EVENTS EVERY FRIDAY:

Eggs & Issues Friday Breakfast Meeting open to the public!

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For event schedules or meetings, go to our website at www.murraychamber.org or MeetUp. WE INVITE YOU TO BECOME INVOLVED!

www.murraychamber.org Page 28 | August 2018

Optimism, refinished gymnasium big parts of Murray HS volleyball program

By Carl Fauver | carlf@mycityjournals.com

M

urray High School volleyball team members will be selected following tryouts August 6-8. But as of press time, it wasn’t known exactly where those tryouts would be held, due to a massive refinishing project on the school’s gymnasium floor.

“That old floor has not been changed in 15 years, back when I was still coaching girls’ basketball,” said Lisa White, now the co-athletic director at Murray High. “The work crews are replacing some of the wood that was damaged when a fire Murray High School volleyball players will see a completely different look from this sprinkler went off three one, after work crews complete the refinish on the school’s gymnasium floor. (Murray or four years ago, after HS) being hit by a softball. elected as a team captain last year – along with The new gym floor will also have a completely Isis Beh and Emily Mears.” different color scheme, with our new Spartan However, Humphreys does admit, the two logo painted on center court.” graduated seniors were her most valuable playMurray High School Principal Scott Wi- ers last year and are a big loss. Charity Brower hongi added the school’s logo also had to be fielded volleyball scholarships before choosing, changed for legal reasons. The previous logo instead, to attend Utah Valley University on a looked exactly like the one used by Michigan track scholarship. And the coach said, “CassiState University. dy Ross could have also received a volleyball “Due to copyright issues, we had to come scholarship, but chose to attend Southern Utah up with the new logo,” Wihongi wrote in an University on an academic scholarship instead.” email. “The new color scheme will include Prior to being named head volleyball black borders, black (basketball) keys, with or- coach a season ago, Humphreys was an assisange lettering and lines. The black will contrast tant in the program while Cheryl Jones was the better with the orange bleachers (which are not head coach. When the school reshuffled things, being changed or redone). The floor will also be Humphreys moved up to the varsity team, while much lighter, which will brighten the gym up.” coach Jones remained with the program, taking The new Spartan-head logo was designed over as head coach of the freshman team. She by school art teacher Eric Himle to commem- returns to that roll again this fall. orate Murray High School’s 100th anniversary, “Since our freshmen don’t actually attend celebrated in the 2016-17 school year. our school yet, they play matches once a week Second year head volleyball coach Dan- in a separate league,” Humphreys explained. ielle Humphreys is as excited as everyone else “Coach Jones does a great job preparing them that her team’s home floor will have a sparkly to move up to the next level.” new look. But since hers is the first team that Once the new teams are selected – varsity, will make use of it, she just hopes it will be fin- JV, sophomore and freshman teams – the girls ished in time. will participate in a four-day volleyball “camp,” “The work is supposed to be completed leading up to their annual appearance in a Skyin time for our tryouts, August 6 to 8,” Hum- line High School pre-season tournament, Auphreys said. “But the last time I spoke with our gust 17 and 18. The Spartans first home match, head custodian he said ‘Good luck with that.’ on that new floor, is August 21, hosting Maple So we’ll see. If it’s not, we’ll hold tryouts in the Mountain. auxiliary gym.”

After placing sixth in state in 2015, the Like the floor they will be playing on – at Murray girls are 0-4 in state tournament matchsome point –Humphreys believes this year’s es over the past two years. But coach Humvolleyball team also has potential to provide phreys is confident they can reverse that trend fans with a sparkly new look. this season.

“We only lost two seniors off of last year’s “We should place in state this year,” she varsity team and have a lot of strong talent predicted. “And the region championship race coming back,” the coach said. “Three seniors I should be between Skyline, West and us." l expect back are Abbie Hughes – who the girls

Murray City Journal

Former Murray High standout gets taste of celebrity life in North Dakota this summer

By Carl Fauver | carlf@mycityjournals.com

I

f you have ever wondered what it might be like to be Mick Jagger, Steven Tyler, Paul McCartney or Bono, a former Murray High School baseball star can tell you a little about it… at least on a small town scale.

“They treat us like rock stars up here,” Drew Staley said. “These Dickinson, North Dakota baseball fans saw their local college program eliminated. Now we’ve come along and they love us. We sign autographs during batting practice and host little league camps for kids. It’s been insane being a celebrity.”

The “we” Staley refers to are members of the Badlands Big Sticks collegiate summer baseball team, playing home games in North Dakota’s Stark County seat of Dickinson. The team is named for the rugged natural rock formations (Badlands) common to both North and South Dakota. And Drew is one of the players helping them live up to the second half of their name.

“I’ve always been known as a pretty good hitter, and I’m batting about .380,” Staley said. “That makes me the second best hitter on our team right now and fourth best in our 8-team league.”

Not only are the Big Sticks brand new this season, but so is their entire Expedition League, with teams in North and South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming. The team will play 64 games, through mid-August.

Staley said they play in front of several hundred fans nearly every night – particularly for home games – and he’s thrilled his college coach recommended him to the league.

Aaron Sutton has spent the last two seasons as head coach of the Montana State University-Billings baseball team, where he has amassed a 50-30 record in league play.

Last season he was named coCoach of the Year in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. He’s also the one who delivered the disappointing

MurrayJournal .com

Former MHS baseball player Drew Staley will return to Montana State University-Billings this fall and hopes to be their starting third baseman next spring. (msubsports.com)

news to Staley last spring, that he would be red shirting his freshman season.

“I was upset when coach Sutton first told me I would be red shirting,” Staley said. “But later it made sense. I’ve gotten a 100 times better playing (for the Big Sticks). Also, the guy I was playing behind (at third base) in Billings is an amazing player. I doubt I would have beaten him out no matter how hard I worked. So I’m glad I saved a year (of collegiate

baseball eligibility).”

That former MSU-B starting third baseman – Kaleo Johnson – was drafted in Major League Baseball’s 32nd round by the Tampa Bay Rays.

With him moving on, Staley has high hopes of starting for the Yellowjackets at the defensive corner next spring.

In the meantime, Drew and his father, Paul, are both excited about the North Dakota experience.

“It’s an unbelievable

league and he is getting so much good experience,” Paul Staley said of his son and the Expedition League. “He doesn’t earn a salary (in order to maintain his amateur status for college play). But he lives with a sponsor family and his food is provided. They play nearly every day, almost all summer. The practice will help him a lot when he returns to Montana.”

Staley expects to have time to spend at least a few days at his parents’ Murray home – after the Big Sticks season – before his September 1 due date back in Billings.

One of the things he hopes to do is reconnect with a couple of former Murray High School baseball teammates who are now a year behind him, on their collegiate baseball journeys.

“I keep in touch with Jayden Sinju and Easton Brinton who were both juniors on the Murray team, when I was a senior,” Staley said.

Sinju was a Deseret News first team all-state outfielder this past season, and is moving east.

“I decided in March I wanted to play baseball at Nebraska Northeast Community College next year, even though I have never been to the campus,” Sinju said. “I saw everything I needed to see during a virtual tour on line. I like the coaches and they offered me a full tuition scholarship. A year from now I hope I can play in a summer league like Drew.

Maybe we can even be teammates.”

This year’s Deseret News honorable mention baseball player from Murray, pitcher Easton Brinton, plans to play next year at Mesa Community College in the Phoenix area.

Meantime, Staley has a couple of weeks left to enjoy the rock star lifestyle afforded to 19-year-old baseball players who are lucky enough to spend their summer in Dickinson, North Dakota. l

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Making sense of cents

T

by

CASSIE GOFF

he importance of saving money has been emphasized ever since I was a child. I was bombarded with the sentiment from my parents, my teachers and from the media. “Save Big” marketing messages have been in my life ever since I have been able to make sense of my senses. Lately, I’ve been wondering why. Why do we need to save money?

As soon as I was old enough to receive a paycheck, my parents told me to put at least 10 percent of it into a savings account, if not more (hopefully one that accrues interest). They always told me to keep a $100 comfort pillow in my primary checking account and to keep a significant safety net.

When I would ask “Why?” their response was always, “In case of an emergency.” What if the car breaks down and you need to pay for a pretty hefty repair? What if you break a part of yourself and need to pay for medical expenses? Saving money was to keep myself out of debt when outstanding situations arose.

In school, we were required to take financial planning classes. We received instruction on how to budget, how to buy a house, how to get the best agreements for car payments, and how to plan for retirement. The essentials

for our personal budgets, right? Buy a car. Buy a house. Save enough to retire on time. Saving money was to maintain a comfortable lifestyle to transport ourselves, shelter ourselves, and take care of ourselves in old age.

As soon as we reproduce, we start saving money for our children.

I’ve always heard that one child costs $20,000 per year, on average. Offspring are expensive. On top of that average support, parents tend to save for their children’s future (aka a college education). Parents also tend to want to leave their children something of merit when they pass.

So, we save money for emergencies, for a comfortable lifestyle, and for our offspring. Besides those canons of saving money, what else do you

save money for? What do you put value on? What do you not mind spending full price on and what do you absolutely need a coupon for in order to buy?

It may be food. Some people don’t mind paying money to go out to eat multiple times per week at real restaurants (not fast food joints). Other people will stock pile coupons and go to different grocery stores in order to get the best deals.

It may be clothes. Some people don’t mind paying triple digits to have a specific name or logo on the fabric wrapped around their bodies. Other people buy their jeans from Wal-Mart for $10.

It may be cars. Some people pay for fuel efficiency, or speed, or sporty-looking body styles. Other peo-

ple can’t even imagine paying more than four figures on something that just gets them from point A to point B. It may be family and friends.

Some people will make agreements with family and friends to not exchange gifts. Other people don’t mind spending some cash on their people.

Why are we so driven to save a few dollars here and a few cents there?

Why are we so turned on by sales and big savings tactics? Is it so we can have money for emergency situations?

Or to spend money on things we perceive to have value? Or is it some ideal the marketing industries have driven into us since before we can remember?

Let me know so I don’t feel like I’m just rambling into the ether. l

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Life and Laughter—Uncommon Courtesy

Life

Laughter AND

by

PERI KINDER

MURRAY

W

e’ve become an unpleasant people. All the commons, like courtesy, sense, knowledge and good, aren’t nearly as prevalent as they should be. But we’re Americans! We’re resilient! We survived New Coke and the Sony Betamax. We can definitely start using old-fashioned common courtesy.

Making America Great Again should include some of the following: Be Thoughtful Being thoughtful doesn’t have to be inconvenient, like throwing your jacket on top of a mud puddle so I can cross without getting my dainty feet wet. (Disclaimer: I’ve never had dainty feet). Even small actions amp up your kindness cred.

Open doors, smile, give up your seat, wipe down the machines at the gym (you know who you are!!) or offer to carry a bag of groceries. Maybe thoughtfulness means doing something you’d rather not do, like play Yahtzee with your grandson 327 times in a row, watch golf with your husband or help a friend move.

Offer to buy a stranger’s coffee, remember important dates, use manners, write thank you cards and let someone go in front of you at Walmart.

Watching their wary acceptance is pretty hilarious.

Shut up and Listen Have you ever talked to someone and realized their eyes were more glazed than a Krispy Kreme conveyer belt? That means you’ve monopolized the conversation and it’s someone else’s turn to talk. (“Conversation” means two or more people exchanging ideas.)

We’re horrible listeners. We interrupt, interject with personal stories, refuse to make eye contact and try to keep that supercool thought in our brain so we can jump right in as soon as the speaker takes a breath.

Calm yourself. Listen to learn. If we already know everything, there’s absolutely no reason to pay attention to someone who’s talking to us. If you agreed with that last sentence, your wife is slowly poisoning you.

Put Down Your Damn Phone We are WAY too invested in our cell phones. I’m not excluding myself.

My husband and I often have this conversation: Tom: Can you put down your phone and watch TV? Me: I’m watching.

Tom: What just happened?

Me: The guy did that one thing to that other guy.

Tom: Hand me your phone.

Me: [Eye roll] Gees, you don’t

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Our discourteous cell phone behavior made headlines this spring after a cast member of Hamilton called out audience members in Salt Lake because they wouldn’t turn their phones off during the performance. Good grief! We’ve even irritated the Founding Fathers (again).

Leave your phone in your car, on your shelf or in your fish tank if you’re in a situation that requires decent human behavior.

Be Generous Utahns are notoriously cheap. I mean seriously-perhaps-we-should-be-in-therapy cheap.

I’ve had two daughters who worked in food services. They’ve shared horror stories of impolite guests, demanding drunks and overall poorly behaved people.

Come on, everyone. The wait staff survives off your chintzy tips.

They usually make less than $3 an hour and when you tip $2.75 on a bill of $100, you are a villain.

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