Riverton Journal | February 2021

February 2021 | Vol. 31 Iss. 02

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By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

I

nstead of packing 2,200 students into the auditorium, student assemblies at Riverton High School are being held virtually this year. Students watch a pre-recorded performance or a livestream presentation in separate classrooms.

SBO President Dallin Carter said student leaders strive to convey the same feeling of energy and unity as in-person assemblies through the virtual format.

“We're hoping we'll be together in spirit and together at heart as we watch it all together and experience the same things, just in different places,” he said about the annual Silver Rush fundraising assembly.

Principal Carolyn Gough said there are pros and cons to virtual assemblies.

“It's a lot more stressful to livestream than pre-record, but we're trying to allow for both when it makes sense to do it,” Gough said. “At least with a pre-recording, you know that any performing group had the chance to do it well before submitting their final cut.

Live streaming can be more energetic, but I'm always worried that if something goes wrong, many students will miss the performance entirely.”

Technology SBO Christopher Dooley tries to film footage for virtual assemblies that are fun for students to watch.

“One of the difficulties that I faced this year is trying to get that feeling across the medium, trying to get that gut feeling and that emotion through those videos to the student body,” Dooley said.

The SBOs are getting better and more creative with virtual

Continued page 5

The senior members of Riverton Dance Company are making the most of this unusual year. (Photo courtesy of Brynn Perkins)

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UDOT closes 12600DETOUR South at Bangerter until August MAP

12600 SOUTH

Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

D

ALTERNATE ROUTES Westbound Routes Eastbound Routes

11400 SOUTH

11800 SOUTH

3600 WEST

BANGERTER HIGHWAY

4000 WEST 12600 SOUTH

MOUNTAIN V I E W CORRIDOR

rivers in southwestern Salt Lake County should prepare for adjusted travel in 2021. 12600 South in Riverton will be closed in both directions for seven months at Bangerter Highway while crews construct a new freeway-style interchange according to the Utah Department of Transportation.

During the closure, Bangerter Highway will remain open in both directions, and the traffic signal at 12600 South will be removed permanently. In addition, right turns both on and off 12600 South will still be open.

“Every time we build a new interchange on Bangerter Highway, it helps drivers get where they’re going more safely and efficiently,” said Marwan Farah, UDOT Bangerter Interchanges project manager, in a press release. “We know this closure will be impactful, so we’ve worked closely with the city and local businesses to minimize inconvenience for the community. The trade-off is, the closure allows us to build the interchange more quickly and safely, at a lower cost to taxpayers.”

Local drivers have several options to get around the closure, including 11400 South and 13400 South. Designated detours will have signs posted along the routes, and engineers will adjust the timing of stop lights to accommodate the increased traffic. More information on the closure area and alternate routes is available at the project website, udot.utah.gov/ bangerter12600south.

Three new freeway-style interchanges are currently under construction along Bangerter Highway at 6200 South, 10400 South, and 12600 South. These interchanges will eliminate stoplights for Bangerter Highway drivers and improve safety by removing cross traffic. This continues a multi-year program of upgrading Bangerter Highway by converting intersections to interchanges to accommodate current and future growth in this part of the state. Information on current and future plans for interchanges along Bangerter Highway is available at udot.utah.gov/bangerter.

The process began Jan. 21 and the east-west closure will remain in place through August.

Riverton city officials encouraged residents to support the 32 businesses located on either side of the Bangerter Highway 12600 South intersection (14 on the west side, 18 on the east) as the area can expect decreased traffic.

Construction schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change.

For the latest information on traffic patterns and restrictions during construction, visit the UDOT Traffic website (udottraffic.utah.gov) or download the UDOT Traffic app for iPhone or Android. l

13400 SOUTH

Right: A map of alternate routes to take while 12600 South at Bangerter Highway closes until August. (Photo courtesy UDOT)

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Riverton City Journal

Continued from front page assemblies. For example, instead of calling up the winners of the Student of the Quarter awards onto a stage to be recognized, they now film SBOs surprising the winners in their classrooms.

“It is really cool to see their reaction and capture that on video,” Dooley said.

A benefit to pre-recorded assemblies is that students who participated in the assembly get to watch it along with their classmates.

“They're usually up on stage and just hear applause,” dance company director Brynn Perkins said. “Now they get to hear someone turn to them and say ‘I really liked that you did that.’”

The new format for assemblies has also opened up new possibilities for performance groups to get creative with their routines. The drill team filmed a routine in a hotel elevator.

Dance Company filmed their opening assembly performance with lights and a fog machine at Classic Fun Center.

“We were able to take an already incredible dance and add incredible lighting and effects that made the performance that much more enjoyable to watch and experience for the student body,” said Bella DeJesus, dance co vice president.

Gough said that performance was extremely well done and well received by the student body.

“That type of artistic opportunity far exceeded what they could normally have done in person,” she said.

Because performances aren’t limited to the auditorium stage, dancers have used the school building for creative videography such as dancers hip-hopping in the hallways, leaping off library shelves and busting their moves in the boiler room.

“Because we are filming our routines, we can film in multiple different places, change costumes, use props or even fog machines—all of which add to our artistry,” said Maddy Jones, dance co president.

Dance company uses a professional videographer to capture different angles and multiple takes which are edited into a final artistic piece. Perfectionists on the team like that filmed performances allow them to look their absolute best.

“We try multiple times to get that perfect

shot,” head dance co captain Sydney Curtis said. “We’re able to achieve it through filming, whereas when we perform live, you have one chance to hit it perfect.”

Perkins said while the pre-recorded performance can capture a perfect routine, students need opportunities to perform live to learn performance pressure skills—how to perform when you know there is no retake and how to recover from a mistake. The dancers also miss the energy of performing for a live audience.

Dance company’s first opportunity to perform live this year is at the District Dance Performance on Feb. 4, where the audience will be their peers from other participating high school teams. Friends and family will watch on a live stream through KSL. “We are looking forward to performing for our peers there because we know that the energy will be incredible,” Perkins said. “It will just be uplifting for their souls.”

This untraditional year—when performance plans unraveled in less than 24 hours, when whole teams were quarantined, when dance formations lost dancers to quarantine at the last minute, when Homecoming Week had to be rescheduled and when the school abruptly closed for two weeks—has taught the dancers (and their teacher) two important dance skills: to be flexible and to pivot.

“You pivot every step of the way,” Perkins said. “You find ways to bond, you find ways to connect, and you find ways to share your artistry with audiences.”

The dancers support each other through the challenges and the disappointments.

“As a team, we have learned to take nothing for granted,” Curtis said. “We soak up every performance and filming opportunity because we never know if it could be our last.”

Perkins is impressed that her students have remained positive and grateful.

“COVID has definitely put us back some steps and it's definitely been hard, but if anything, the bond on this team is much stronger than any other team I've ever had,” Perkins said.

“We're so grateful to even have a platform to share what we do. And if that means virtually— through video, through social media, through livestream—then we'll take it. Because we are so thankful that we get to do what we love.” l

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World-renowned firm hired to create master plan for The Point

By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com

A

landscape currently dominated by a 70-year-old prison and barbed wire will transform into an economic and education hub with open space, housing, restaurants and retail accessed by multimodal transportation. As the next step in bringing that vision for The Point to fruition, world-renowned consulting firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) was hired to create a master plan for the 600 acres of state-owned land.

The Point of the Mountain State Land Authority initially considered the proposals of 12 firms and narrowed that to three finalists. Each finalist was provided with results from a state-wide survey titled “Make the Point,” conducted in fall 2020. The finalists were also provided with a report written

by The Point’s five working groups. Those working groups include Stakeholders, Education and Innovation, Environment and Air Quality, Infrastructure and Land Use, and Economic Development. In mid-December, The Point announced that SOM was chosen for the job.

“SOM and its subconsultants possess the expertise to support The Point’s delivery of an iconic community intended to stimulate economic development, preserve the natural environment, improve air quality and enhance Utahns’ quality of life. The depth and breadth of their planning portfolio is a

Page 6 | February 2021

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) was hired to create a master plan for The Point. SOM used this rendering in their presentation to The Point’s selection committee.

(Courtesy The Point, For Illustrative Purposes Only © SOM)

testament to their capabilities. Their global experience coupled with their strong Utah connections makes them the perfect fit for the job,” said Alan Matheson, executive director of The Point.

The firm’s recent portfolio includes the Treasure Island project in the San Francisco area and work with the University of California, Merced, with a focus on sustainable growth. Sustainability was identified by The Point’s working groups as a top focus and one of the key vision elements for that area as it is developed for the future. In Utah, SOM worked on the University of Utah’s master plan, and the 111 Main office tower and the 222 S. Main buildings in Salt Lake City. According to The Point, SOM has an extensive team of Utah subconsultants including WSP, Hales Engineering, Somers-Jaramillo + Associates, and Great Basin Engineering.

Christina Oliver, Draper City’s Community Development director, served on The Point’s selection committee for a master planner. “We recognize the unprecedented potential The Point has to improve our quality of life by providing opportunities for regional trail connections, recreational amenities, high-paying jobs, shopping and entertainment. As a selection committee, we carefully reviewed all proposals through a rigorous, competitive and transparent process managed by the state. I was impressed by the caliber of proposals we received from internationally recognized firms,” she said.

SOM will begin the process immediately with the following stages happening in 2021: • Initial scoping (January & February) – includes a site evaluation, assessment of prior public input, assemble existing plans and studies of the site, and performing transportation, land use and economic development modeling.

• Scenario Development (March &

April) – create conceptual scenarios to identify different possible approaches to development. Use analytical tools to reveal how the scenarios will perform relative to key economic and quality of life measures.

• Preferred Alternative (May & June) – after scenarios have been vetted and the public has an opportunity for input, the planning team will refine several scenarios to create a preferred alternative for public consideration.

• Final Plan (Summer) –The Point Master Plan will be created to provide a framework for development, with built-in flexibility to accommodate changes in market conditions, future public input, etc.

“We think this is a remarkable opportunity, and as we went through the process, SOM confirmed this is a rare and special opportunity anywhere in the country. We need to have the imagination and will to take advantage of that opportunity. We’ll give it our best thinking, take the long view and try to set a standard for sustainable development others can follow,” Matheson said.

A new Utah Correctional Facility is under construction. It is anticipated that inmates will be relocated to the new facility in mid2022 and the master plan will begin to take shape after that. According to the contract, SOM is not to exceed $561,000 for creation of the master plan. The Point plans to solicit ongoing public input during the master planning process through their website, social media platforms, another survey, and virtual public open houses on the draft preferred framework plan prior to its finalization. l

Riverton City Journal

Student musicians improvise their tune to meet challenges

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

I

n a moment that orchestra and band director Jason Weimer called “as 2020 as it gets,” a car crash caused the power to go out at Riverton High School during the band and orchestra’s December holiday concert. The students’ reaction is an example of how they have learned to make beautiful melodies out of the sour notes that have punctuated this school year.

“It was in the middle of a piece that the orchestra was playing,” said Christopher Jessee, jazz band and percussion director. “So the students that weren't playing hopped on stage and took their phone lights and shined them on their peers' music stands. We played another 45 minutes of music with the students shining their lights on their peers.”

Weimer is impressed with his students’ resilience and positive attitudes.

“We've gotten good at framing things as opportunities rather than setbacks,” he said.

“It would have been easy for them to choose despair in many of these situations. When the power went out, they made a less-than-ideal situation into one of the most amazing memories. They have set an incredible example for their peers, parents, and families.”

Jessee and Weimer have accepted that this year will look different from past years but they believe they can still provide positive

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musical experiences for their students. Flexibility has been the melody running through everything they’ve done this year.

RHS music groups have been allowed to perform concerts this year, but they’ve had to improvise the way they prepare and perform. Public safety measures limit audience capacity so performances are livestreamed to a wider audience at home. A former RHS band member who is now a professional audio engineer captures a high quality recording, enabling family members who wouldn’t normally be able to attend the concert hear their student perform.

“I think that means a lot to the parents and it means a lot to the students,” Jessee said.

When quarantined students are unable to participate in the concert, they have been able to perform for their family members by playing along with the streamed video at home.

“We never really know who's going to be in the performance,” Jessee said. “We've had kids that have solos and then all of a sudden, last minute, they have to quarantine for two weeks.”

When a soloist gets sick or quarantined, one of their peers has just a day or two to learn the part and be ready to substitute.

“It’s been fun to see the students step up and rise to the challenge,” Jessee said.

The student musicians are moving forward, continuing to focus on what they do have and what they can do, Weimer said. The band and orchestra are currently preparing for a spring concert. But even practicing looks different this year. Because the flexible Friday schedule has reduced practice hours during class time, many more students are practicing in the band room afterschool.

“The kids here have a very strong desire to succeed and to sound good—they really want to play well,” Jessee said. “So I think it's important to them that they make sure that they're putting the time in.”

Jessee said that with the performances and competitions they missed out on last spring and the concessions they’ve had to make this year, these students appreciate every chance they get to play together and to perform.

“They have a greater excitement and the drive to play their instruments and to be able to perform because they didn't have it for a while,” Jessee said. “A lot of them, if they thought they were taking it for granted before, they're definitely not anymore.”

Directors hope the next generation of students are just as excited to be a part of the music program. They have had to rethink how to recruit middle school students for

next year—the normal concerts, socials and occasional swap of music directors between schools—are not possible this year. The experience will be recreated through a video.

“A lot of middle school kids have uncertainty about music in high school, but after these experiences, or getting to know us as teachers, they opt to try it,” Weimer said.

“The video is going to be pivotal. In a normal year, we would do a joint concert with the middle schools, where their students play sitting next to our students. We'd have a showand-tell day, eat pizza and have a good time.

We have to try and put those experiences into a video format—it's got to be 100% hype.”

While the high school students are feeling the loss of traditional activities and socials, and traveling to competitions and festivals that act as team-building experiences, they’ve grown more united through facing challenges together.

“The kids have honestly been the least stressful part of teaching in a pandemic,” Weimer said. “This group of students have a much more mature sense of gratitude and understanding of process over product. They enjoy practicing as much as performing— because the performances aren't guaranteed.

Everything feels more genuine this year.” l

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Students use their cellphones to light the sheetmusic for their peers when the power went out during their holiday concert. (Photo courtesy of Jason Weimer)

February 2021 | Page 7

Third time’s the charm for getting production of ‘Emma’ to the stage

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

T

heater teacher Bradley Moss can relate to the main character in Mountain Ridge High’s fall production of “Emma,” a stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel.

“The whole storyline of ‘Emma’ is she's trying to be a matchmaker and she's trying to force these relationships together, and everything only works out when she steps out of the way and lets things happen,” Moss explained.

As Moss tried to arrange rehearsals and the final performance of “Emma,”—just as with the title character—circumstances outside his control kept thwarting his plans.

“We were originally scheduled to perform it the weekend before Thanksgiving and then the governor's mandate shut down all extracurricular activities,” Moss said. “We bumped it into early December but we had a number of students who were still in quarantine. Later in December, the space wasn't available for us because the choir, band and orchestra were doing their concerts.”

Finally, all 20 cast members were out of quarantine and the auditorium was available. The cast performed shows January 7, 8, 9—finishing just four days before MRHS was closed again for two weeks due to high COVID-19 numbers.

Being plagued by delays, shutdowns and quarantines has been a typical experience in

2020; but just as common this year has been the lesson to appreciate every opportunity that much more.

While the students were aware that at any time in the process the play could be shut down for good, they chose to focus on what they were learning through the experience, even if they didn't get to perform.

“We could look at what we missed out on, or we could look at what we discovered about this piece and about ourselves as performers as we rehearsed,” Moss said.

“The process taught me the value of connection, both onstage and off, because we had such a lack of it at the beginning when we had to do those rehearsals over Zoom calls or we had to push back the show,” said Olympia Pead, who played Jane Fairfax. “We all bonded with each other when we struggled and then once we were on stage, we had such a great bond with each other because we appreciated being together.”

Long breaks between in-person rehearsals were disruptive but they provided students the opportunity to make new discoveries in the script, find more depth, new ideas and to push beyond what they were already doing.

“It gave us a lot of time to think about our choices,” Pead said. “I definitely don't think I would have dove as deep into the character if I

Kjerstin Cope (left), playing Harriet Smith and Alyssa Buckner (right), playing Emma, rehearse for the fall production at MRHS. (Bradley Moss/MRHS)

didn't have that time to really go through it by self while seeing things from her character’s myself. I went through the script dozens more perspective. times than I usually would have.”

“She has a lot of resilience and I liked She said she also learned a lot about her- finding that resilience in myself along with the

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Riverton City Journal

character,” Pead said.

Chelsea Rollins, who played Mrs. Elton, had felt ready to perform in November.

“After another month and a half of extra rehearsal, I realized that I could go even farther with this role,” she said.

When Moss watched the final performance, he realized the cast was at a level they wouldn't have been if they had performed it in November.

Alyssa Buckner, who played Emma Woodhouse, said each actor learned the value of working independently when they couldn’t rehearse together.

“It was a really good lesson to work hard on your own to be able to show up for everybody else,” she said. The extra preparedness helped the play come together when the opportunity to perform finally came without much warning.

“It was a little crazy in that last tech week,” said Isaac Moss, who played Frank Churchill. “We hadn't rehearsed for two weeks because it was Christmas break. We were doing costumes for the first time—and sets, and lights, and microphones and makeup. We had three rehearsal days and then the performance, so there was such a unity to the cast—we all were united to this one purpose.”

“Emma” turned out to be a good choice for a cast trying to social distance.

“Being a Regency Era romantic Jane Austen play, people kept their distances, they had bigger personal bubbles, and they wore gloves as part of their attire,” Moss said.

“And so I felt we could tell the story the way it needed to be told, while keeping the actors safe and distanced as much as we could, and still make the story be authentic to how we're telling it.”

Mountain Ridge students are already preparing for another show later this month, the musical “Pirates of Penzance.” Moss said the play is an easy one to compartmentalize rehearsals; most scenes are broken up into specific groups, making it efficient for them to rehearse in separate spaces.

The play is also a public domain piece, so there aren’t a lot of restrictions for adapting the script or streaming a performance, if that became necessary.

“Eight months ago, we didn’t know if we should be worrying as much about stuff or not,” Moss said. “But now, I feel like we made the right choices to be able to give the best experience we can to the students, and still be able to have flexibility and keep them as safe as we can with restrictions that we've been given.”

There are already rough seas on the horizon for “Pirates of Penzance.” The school closure was announced just as rehearsals got underway. However, the musical, like other school activities and sports, was allowed to continue to rehearse in-person with strict precautions including regular COVID testing of students. Current performance dates are set for Feb. 25- March 1 but, as with everything these days, is subject to change. l

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Morganne McCleary is one of three Silverwolves averaging double digits in scoring. The junior also leads the team in assists and steals through 13 games.

Riverton City Journal

Junior Abigail McDougal shoots a free throw against Corner Canyon in the team’s last non region game. Riverton jumped out a huge halftime lead, sparked by McDougal’s eventual game high 20 points and 11 rebounds. The win capped off an impressive 10-2 preseason slate which saw the Silverwolves notch victories over contenders Corner Canyon and Skyline.

Head coach Jodi Lee speaks to her team during a timeout. Riverton had just entered region play at press time. The Silverwolves were averaging 54 points per game while holding their opponents to 42 points per game through 13 contests.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Senior Abby Carpenter (12), shares a laugh with teammate Megan Walker after scoring a free throw. Carpenter is the lone senior on a young Silverwolves team that entered region 10-2.

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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.c@thecityjournals.com

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FEBRUARY 2021

RIVERTON REVIEW Official Newsletter of the Riverton, Utah City Government MAYOR’S MESSAGE

Southwest Communities Set Shared Legislative Priorities

By Mayor Trent Staggs

While congressional policies and national elections tend to captivate the news, local and state politics have arguably a larger affect on our day-to-day lives. In fact, our state legislature reviews hundreds of regulations along with directing billions of dollars each year in infrastructure and educational costs, whereas local governments are responsible for the majority of your everyday essential services. This is why during the legislative session from late January to mid-March, it is important for state and local leaders to work together to address critical needs that appropriately address growth and ultimately improve our quality of life.

Luckily, we have been able to build great relationships not only with our state senator and representatives that represent Riverton City, but also with other elected officials and legislators from the southwest Salt Lake County area and beyond.

The collaboration between state and local leaders begins well in advance of the session to outline priorities and needs. For the past few years, I have made it a priority to meet and work closely with other elected officials in the southwest Salt Lake County area, which is now culminating in a Southwest Visioning Plan. The Southwest Mayor’s Coalition, which is made up of elected officials from Bluffdale, Copperton, Herriman, Riverton, South Jordan, and West Jordan, has created a list of shared priorities for our legislative caucus that will benefit our communities.

With the record growth our state is experiencing, there is open discussion that the state legislature is interested in bonding for upwards of $2 billion in transportation infrastructure needs this year. Many of our priorities are connected to infrastructure and connectivity projects that will help alleviate congestion in our surrounding communities. Our top priorities include: • Funding to support the completion of Mountain View Corridor.

• Funding to fully convert Bangerter Highway into a freeway.

RIVERTON REVIEW | FEBRUARY 2021

2021 CALENDAR HAS ARRIVED!

The Southwest Mayor’s Coalition has created a list of shared legislative priorities that will benefit communities in southwest Salt Lake County.

• Improving and expanding capacity of 9000 S and 12600 S to improve east west connectivity.

• Improving bus and transit options.

The new 2021 Riverton Calendar will keep you in the know on events and happenings this year. You should have received it in your mailbox already. If you haven’t received one you can pick one up for free at the Parks & Recreation window at Riverton City Hall.

All of these projects will play a role in decreasing congestion, increasing traffic flow and providing viable options for better connectivity throughout Salt Lake County. As the legislative session continues, it is my promise to you that we will continue to work hard with our legislators in putting the interests and needs of Riverton and the southwestern area of Salt Lake County at the forefront and encourage you to reach out and express your support for improved transportation connectivity during this session.

PAGE 1

COUNCIL MESSAGE

Reflecting on My First Year in Office MAYOR Trent Staggs tstaggs@rivertonutah.gov 801-208-3129

CITY COUNCIL Sheldon Stewart - District 1 sstewart@rivertonutah.gov 801-953-5672 Troy McDougal - District 2 tmcdougal@rivertonutah.gov 801-931-9933 Tawnee McCay - District 3 tmccay@rivertonutah.gov 801-634-7692 Tish Buroker - District 4 tburoker@rivertonutah.gov 801-673-6103 Claude Wells - District 5 cwells@rivertonutah.gov 801-875-0116

CITY MANAGER David R. Brickey dbrickey@rivertonutah.gov 801-208-3125

CITY OFFICES

City Hall...............................

Cemetery............................

Animal Control....................

Building...............................

Code Enforcement..............

Fire Dispatch (UFA).............

Justice Court.......................

Parks & Recreation.............

Planning & Zoning..............

Police..................................

Public Works.......................

Recorder..............................

Utility Billing........................

Water...................................

801-254-0704 801-208-3128 801-208-3108 801-208-3127 801-208-3108 801-743-7200 801-208-3131 801-208-3101 801-208-3138 385-281-2455 801-208-3162 801-208-3128 801-208-3133 801-208-3164

FIND US ONLINE! @rivertonutahgov www.rivertonutah.gov PAGE 2

By Councilman Claude Wells As we closed out the year 2020, I am reflecting on my first year of service to our citizens of Riverton City as a councilmember. It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve our citizens in our great city!

My first year was filled with formal training for (FEMA) Federal Emergency Management Agency covering emergency management and preparedness in case of a major emergency. Other training included legislative training, budget review and time spent with department directors to discuss their needs and learn what each department does to support our city. All councilmembers serve on additional boards to represent our city’s interests like the Riverton Law Enforcement Service Area, United Fire Authority, Riverton’s Redevelopment Agency, the South Valley Chamber of Commerce, and many more.

I had numerous opportunities to see how roads are built, rode in

snowplows, toured fire stations and visited 16 water pump houses, all to learn how the city runs. The learning is ongoing and time consuming, but I believe the more you know the better decisions you make as a representative of our city.

Councilmembers start off our year in January putting together our strategic priorities for the next year and reviewing how we did on the previous year’s goals for the city.

This is mainly reviewing the budget to make adjustments to our projections against actual collections for sales revenue, impact fees, and other revenue sources needed. We review costs for culinary, secondary water, sewer, sanitation, recycling, and other services. We look at road projects, park projects, city events, and the resources we need to maintain our infrastructure while balancing the budget.

Two of the best resources to keep up with city business, meetings, events, contests and other resources is the Riverton Connect app or the Riverton City website at rivertonutah.gov. Here you can report a problem in your neighborhood, check city ordinances or even check

Claude Wells (center) being sworn in as a new Riverton City Council member on January 7, 2020 at Riverton City Hall along with Troy McDougal (left) and Sheldon Stewart (right).

out the business directory by business type to find a business for a service you need.

2020 was a very challenging year for our city and our residents. We had to make a lot of adjustments to how we do business, conduct meetings, work, shop, and keep ourselves safe in a worldwide pandemic. Riverton residents are resilient. We will continue to move forward safely and productively through 2021.

Winter Parking Policy and Snow Removal Protocol The following snow removal protocol and winter parking policy is in effect in Riverton: • No vehicles may be parked on city streets during a snow storm or where snow has accumulated between November 1 and March 1.

• Major roadways, high-traffic areas and school zones are prioritized in snow removal efforts as a matter of public safety.

• Minor roads and cul-de-sacs are cleared if 4 inches of snow or more has accumulated once main roadways are clear.

For additional details, visit rivertonutah.gov/snow RIVERTON REVIEW | FEBRUARY 2021

PUBLIC SAFETY MESSAGE

Engaging with Our Community

By Chief Don Hutson In 1829, Sir Robert Peel established the London Metropolitan Police Force. He became known as the “Father of Modern Policing,” and his commissioners established a list of policing principles that, amazingly, are as relevant today as ever in our history. I have always been impressed with how perfect these principles capture what I believe is the concept of community-oriented policing, and I referred to these principles frequently when we were in the process of establishing the Riverton Police Department in 2019.

It is my belief these tenets can only be applied if the officers who make up the department share the same philosophies. I believe the officers of the Riverton Police Department demonstrate these principles and truly embrace the idea found in Principle 7; “Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with

the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police.”

secure the willing cooperation of the public in voluntary observance of the law to be able to secure and maintain the respect of the public.”

In short, we can only be effective as a police department when we are recognized as being one with the community and when we display our common values. Riverton is a great community, and I am thankful every day that we have been embraced by you and I am proud to be an integral part of what makes Riverton such a wonderful city.

PRINCIPLE 4: “The degree of cooperation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force.”

That said, the following list is a summary of the founding principles espoused by Sir Robert Peel and the template utilized to form your Riverton Police Department: PRINCIPLE 1: “The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder.”

PRINCIPLE 2: “The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police actions.”

PRINCIPLE 3: “Police must

PRINCIPLE 5: “Police seek and preserve public favor not by catering to the public opinion but by constantly demonstrating absolute impartial service to the law.”

PRINCIPLE 6: “Police use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient.”

PRINCIPLE 7: “Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.”

PRINCIPLE 8: “Police should always direct their action strictly towards their functions and never appear to usurp the powers of the judiciary.”

PRINCIPLE 9: “The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it.”

Riverton Police officers (left to right) Todd Grossgebauer, Ryan Shosted, Michael Alcivar, and Chief Don Hutson along with Miss Utah 2020, Dexonna Talbot congratulate D.A.R.E. program graduates from Rose Creek Elementary.

RIVERTON REVIEW | FEBRUARY 2021

I look forward to continuing to engage with our community to ensure the Riverton Police Department accurately reflects the core principles and values of Riverton City.

4

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH RIVERTON

TEXT MESSAGE ALERTS

n rivertonutah.gov/alerts

Get emergency alerts and notifications on important city updates on your cell phone 3-4 times per month.

EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS

n rivertonutah.gov/subscribe Get the latest city updates, e-newsletters, event information and other news delivered right to your inbox.

RIVERTON CONNECT APP

n rivertonutah.gov/app

Report a problem, see the city calendar, get directions to parks and city facilities, and find city information right from your mobile device.

SOCIAL MEDIA

n @rivertonutahgov

Connect with Riverton City to get quick updates, essential information, event details and more on the platforms you use.

PAGE 3

UPCOMING EVENTS Run the 2021 Riverton Half Marathon or 4Life® 5K You’ve made that resolution to be more healthy and get out more, so this is the perfect opportunity. Be part of a Riverton tradition and come participate in one of the valley’s best races. The race is designed for all ages and abilities with medals and prizes awarded for participants and winners.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! Race: Saturday, March 28 Time: 9 a.m. (Half Marathon) and 9:15 a.m. (4Life® 5K) Location: Riverton City Park, 1452 W 12600 S, Riverton, Utah Register: rivertonutah.gov/half

For details or registration information, visit rivertonutah.gov/recreation

Yvonne Cardwell Quilt Exhibition

QPR Suicide Prevention Training

Art Submission: Not Your Parent’s Art Show

Town Days Parade Float Entries

Trans-Jordan Landfill Disposal Vouchers

Come view beautiful quilts made

by Yvonne Cardwell at the Yvonne Cardwell Memorial Quilt Exhibition at the Old Dome Meeting Hall.

Suicide prevention is everyone’s business. Join Healthy Riverton for a FREE QPR class to learn how to respond to someone in crises.

Young artists and creators under 18 are invited to submit entries in the Not Your Parent’s Art Show.

Show opens March 8.

Applications open this month for floats in the Riverton Town Days Parade. Floats are accepted on a first come, first served basis.

Pick up a free voucher to the Trans-Jordan Landfill at the Utility Billing Office at City Hall when you begin your spring cleaning.

• Artwork Drop Off Period: February 16-26

• Applications Open: February 24, Applications Close: June 14

• Limit of two vouchers per household per year.

• Monday - Wednesday noon to 5 p.m., Show ends February 24

• Thursday, February 18 7 p.m., CR Hamilton Indoor Pavilion

Riverton City Events

Upcoming City Meetings CITY COUNCIL • Tuesday, February 2 & 16 at 7 p.m.

With the changing environment due to COVID-19, we recommend you regularly visit rivertonutah.gov to find the most recent event and meeting information.

See Page 3 of this newsletter for more ways to connect with Riverton City.

PLANNING COMMISSION • Thursday, February 11 & 25, 6:30 p.m.

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RIVERTON REVIEW | FEBRUARY 2021

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After unique offseason, Riverton basketball focused on improving everyday

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

B

etween its second-round playoff loss to Fremont on Feb. 21, 2020 to its season opening game on Dec. 4, 2020 against Tooele, the Riverton boys basketball team didn’t play a single game together.

“Which is pretty rare, I don’t think that’s ever happened here before,” said head coach Skyler Wilson, now in his seventh year leading the program. “We did less than we had ever done with our team.”

Due to a pandemic and social distancing guidelines, Wilson felt it was best for the kids to stay away from each other, so they took an individual approach working on skill development.

On one hand, he saw huge improvement in the players individually. On the other, they weren’t prepared for the competition of a team sport.

It resulted in a rough first game, losing to Tooele 57-40 where the Silverwolves scored just 13 first-half points. It’s a game Wilson would like to have back, he himself still learning about the team, the right lineups and positions for players.

“The kids have definitely progressed and made a lot of growth since that first game,” Wilson said.

That first game proved to be more of a blip as the team went 6-2 the rest of December only losing to Cyprus twice in the Riverton Holiday Tournament. A run of victories that Wilson attributed to “grit and defense” while they worked on the offense.

And defense was a question mark for Wilson entering the season, but he’s been pleasantly surprised.

“We're not a very big team, we don't have a ton of size, height,” he said. “Our guys make up for that with effort, heart, playing well together. The biggest surprise has been our defense.”

Offensively, the team utilizes a more space and pace approach. As opposed to last year when they depended on Cameron Fischer in the post and Parker Applegate to hit threes.

Both of them are now graduated, and this year Wilson said they’ve spread out more with multiple shooters on the court and getting out in transition.

It’s a style the players like, Wilson said, and wished he played when he was in high school.

“Being a taller kid, I was told to get under the basket and post up when I felt like I was one of the best shooters on the team,” he said. “Taking advantage of that kind of system would have been fun for me and I think the kids enjoy it.”

Two of those kids were starters on the team last year in Cody Nixon and Josh Bollinger, both seniors now. Nixon might be the most natural scorer on the team. He leads the team in scoring at 16 per game, but “there’s a lot of things he does well and brings to the table,” Wilson said. Whether that’s three-point-

Page 18 | February 2021

Cody Nixon and Isaac Smith helped lead a superb defensive effort against West Jordan in December holding the Jaguars to 41 points. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Riverton players sit on the bench together during a timeout. The Silverwolves went 7-4 in preseason. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

ers, getting to the basket, free throws, ball handling or defending with his long arms disrupting passing lanes and testing shooters.

Wilson identified Bollinger as the team’s best defender, who takes care of the details, whether through his hustle or leading the team in rebounding at 6’1.

“He’s tenacious, gets after the rebounds, pursues the ball well and just provides that energy, that spark our team is constantly in need of,” Wilson said.

One surprising player so far is Mackay Hostetter. Making a substantial jump from last

year, the junior is the second leading scorer on the team. Wilson wasn’t sure where Hostetter would fit this year, but has proved his worth.

“One of the best I've ever coached moving without the ball,” Wilson said. “He’s got a great knack for cutting and screening and knowing how to play without the ball, which is such a valuable skill.”

The team sits 7-6 at press time having just started region with two tough losses to Bingham and Copper Hills. But for Wilson, he’s not focused on outcomes as much as the process.

“The biggest thing for our team and whole

Senior Cody Nixon is the team’s leading scorer with 16 points per game through the first 13 games. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

program is getting better every day, the small victories, the one percent improvements. This group’s done that.”

As with any sport during these unprecedented times, COVID-19 is a factor the team must deal with. Players get tested every two weeks, with five testing positive so far. A vice principal had to interrupt practice to pull a kid out after he tested positive.

Wilson is happy with the precautions in place, that it allows the kids to play.

“As hard as this has been for everybody, the opportunity just to play we’re super thankful for.”

Riverton City Journal

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RivertonJournal.com

February 2021 | Page 19

Kyison Garcia maneuvers against his opponent during a match between Mountain Ridge and Payson. (Justin Adams /City Journals)

Mountain Ridge wrestling team going strong in second year

By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com

W

ith the creation of a new high school, it’s reasonable to expect that it would take a few years for the school’s sports teams to become competitive. Don’t tell that to the Mountain Ridge High School wrestling team though.

“Right now we’re ranked in the top four in the state. I think we have a great thing going,” said head coach Mitchell Stevens.

Mitchell came to Mountain Ridge from Brighton High School’s wrestling program.

He said he was intrigued by the chance to start a program from scratch as well as the exciting culture of a new school.

“I think we have an outstanding culture in this school,” he said. “We have fun. We work hard. We have a tradition of creating hard-working kids with good values. We have great kids on the team.”

Another advantage for the new coach: two of his assistant coaches, Pat Garcia and Dwayne Henry run wrestling clubs in the area. He came into a cupboard already loaded with talent.

In their very first season, the Sentinels finished in seventh place at the state meet.

One wrestler, Kyison Garcia, also took first in his respective weight class. Multiple other

Page 20 | February 2021

wrestlers placed in the top six.

The Sentinels continued where they left off this season, albeit after a delayed start to the season because of a spike in COVID-19 cases last November. But the team got back on track in December, winning (and hosting) the Christmas Battle Royale tournament on Dec. 22.

Then in January at the War at the Watchtower tournament, the team took second place behind only Wasatch High School, a Utah wrestling powerhouse.

The team’s success led to three of its wrestlers being invited to the state All-Star Meet, which was held on Jan. 12. Those wrestlers were Kyison Garcia, Mark Rausch and Rylan Stevens. Stevens (who is the son of Coach Mitchell Stevens) was also named the Deseret News Athlete of the Week for boys wrestling.

“Rylan has a lot of heart and even if he’s down in a match, he never gives up. He can be down by 14 and still pull out the win,” Coach Stevens told the Deseret News.

Tthe upcoming state meet will on Feb. 18, which will be held at Utah Valley University. l

Riverton City Journal

The UHSAA aligned its schools for possibly the last time

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

T

he Utah High School Activities Association made its biannual changes to school region alignments. The adopted proposals have been applauded and scrutinized.

“Looks like Region 7 was picked by throwing darts on a map,” Derek Erickson, a concerned fan, commented after the alignment was announced.

According to the Utah High School Activities Association’s constitution, the Board of Trustees has the responsibility and authority to classify its member schools and assign them to regions within the classification. This year may be the last year of regions as we know it.

Considerations for alignment include fair competition, school enrollment, travel costs, and natural rivalries.

Region 7 has a 348-mile spread. Uintah High School in Vernal was placed in the 5A region with Cedar Valley, Cottonwood, Hillcrest, Payson, Stansbury, and Tooele high schools. Making it one of the most scrutinized region placement divisions.

“We can’t just look at the numbers of the school and say, ‘Hey, because you have 2,000 students you should play against other schools that have 2,000 students. We need to look at the balance,” Juab School District board president Dale Whitlock said.

Hillcrest has over 2,100 students; Cottonwood and Uintah both have over 1,600 enrolled.

“We are absolutely excited for realignment,” Hillcrest Athletic Director Scott Carrell said. “We have regions and the RPI (rating performance index used to seed teams at state tournaments), they don’t work together very well. When they started to put together the changes we were put in a very competitive region in Utah County.

We sat down with our coaches and asked for that to be changed. We knew that in order for us to build our programs we needed to be put with similar schools. They told us we would have to travel more, but we were OK with that.”

The teams at Hillcrest realize there will be challenges.

“We know that not everyone will be on board, but we are excited to be able to build our programs back up,” Carrell said.

“We are looking at ways to have hotspots on buses to help with homework and more opportunities for distance learning.”

Many other schools were also enthusiastic about their new placement.

“We are excited about our new region,” Copper Hills Athletic Director Ben Morley said. “Mainly because of the proximity of the member schools and having West Jordan back in Region 3.”

West Jordan and Copper Hills have a

RivertonJournal.com

natural rivalry again in Region 3 and are located just four miles from each other. They have played 25 football games against each other and Copper Hills has only won once, in 2013.

It is not the only rival to be preserved in the current alignment; Hunter and Granger, Kearns and Taylorsville in Region 2; Herriman, Riverton, and Mountain Ridge now all reside in Region 3; Bountiful, Viewmont, and Woods Cross in Region 5; Olympus and Skyline in Region 6; and Alta and Jordan in Region 8.

Roy administrators asked to be moved from Region 1, in northern Utah, to Region 2. They stated competitive balance as their reasoning. Roy last won a state championship in 2012 in softball. West High School won Region 2’s most recent title in 2019 in softball, but Granger has not been a state champion since 1979 in boys baseball.

In the upcoming season, Region 2 will consist of Cyprus, Granger, Hunter, Kearns, Taylorsville, West and Roy. “I like our region,” new Taylorsville head football coach Chris Rosales said. “I just wish that winning a region championship meant more. With the new RPI, it has Riverton tennis will play against Mountain Ridge and West Jordan in region play next year as the new regions all changed.”

The UHSAA Region 3 will consist of were realigned with West and Jordan leaving the region. (File photo courtesy dsandersonpics.com) Bingham, Copper Hills, Herriman, Mountain Ridge, Riverton and West Jordan.

Because of an increase in enrollment Mountain Ridge was moved from 5A to 6A in all sports.

Riverton High boys basketball coach Skyler Wilson was enthused about the region change for a few reasons: proximity, demographics and school size. “I feel we’re all in very similar situations.”

“The games the kids talk about are the ones with schools close by,” he said. “So I’m excited that our region gets to consist of all the schools in our area and district, I Name: Phone: think it’s going to be great.”

Region 5 includes Bountiful, Woods Address: Cross, Bonneville, Box Elder, Northridge, and Viewmont. Region 6 contains Brighton, East, Highland, Murray, Olympus, City: State: Zip: Skyline and Park City. Region 8 is comprised of two other Salt Lake County schools including Jordan and Alta.

One time Donation: $ Monthly Donation: $ “I think no regions in our alignment will be beneficial for every school in the Credit Card Number: Exp Date: state of Utah,” Carrell said. “Then games could be scheduled against teams of like Mail to: City Journals at 9500 South 500 West, Suite 205, Sandy, UT 84070 opponents, more participation is the ultimate goal. It would not work for every For security reasons, if you would rather contact City Journals directly, sport, but we need to make goals to imcall (385)557-1010 or email: accounting@mycityjournals.com prove.”

UHSAA is exploring options for its realignment in two years. Some of those ideas could include the adoptions of no reC I T Y gions allowing teams to make schedules of CJ VALLEYJOURNALS.COM 801-254-5974 their choosing. l

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February 2021 | Page 21

Psych 101: What is gaslighting?

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

I

f you’ve tuned into the federal news at any point during the past four years, you’ve probably heard a phrase or two about President Donald Trump gaslighting America. Even though the term has been thrown about rather loosely at times, it seems to be becoming part of our common collective discourse. Personally, I wanted to make sure I really understood this term, and the research behind it, before evaluating the claims made about our current political climate. I’d like to take a moment to define and clarify gaslighting, discuss its prevalence, and illuminate potential harmful impacts.

The term “gaslighting” has been used to describe abuse involving emotional and intellectual manipulation, most often recognizable through mind-manipulation strategies. Gaslighting often leads to a person questioning their sanity, perceptions of reality, and/or memories.

Even though the term was recently popularized in politics, gaslighting has been well recognized within psychology research for decades. One of the first mentions of gaslighting was on June 21, 1969. Russell Barton and J.A. Whitehead published an article in “The Lancet” where they outlined two cases in which “there were definite plots to remove an unwanted and restricting relative by securing admissions to a mental hospital.”

They compared this to the storyline of

a play titled “Gas Light” by Patrick Hamilton where a husband tries to get rid of his wife by driving her into a lunatic asylum. Dr. Paige Sweet attributes the common usage of the term to a story as well. In the 1944 film by George Cukor, “Gaslight,” a husband attempts to isolate his wife by making her believe she is insane.

“His eponymous tactic is to dim and brighten the gaslights and then insist she is imagining it.

(He) aims to undermine (her) sense of self and everyday life, to confuse and distort her reality such that she must accept his imposed reality in place of her own.”

The term appeared minimally throughout the 1970s and 1980s, but eventually it began to recur in research as the focus on interpersonal relationships intensified. In 2007, Dr. Robin Stern published “The Gaslight Effect” focusing on how to identify manipulation in relationships.

As might be apparent from the contextual history of the term, gaslighting is of importance in domestic violence research and intimate partner violence (IPV) literature. “Gaslighting is a conscious or unconscious form of psychological abuse that occurs when a perpetrator distorts information to confuse a victim, triggering the victim to doubt their memory and sanity,” defines Dr. Madeline Tormoen.

In the popular conversation, confusion,

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distortion and anxiety are all recognizable as consequences of gaslighting. However, the potential impacts of gaslighting can quickly become more harmful and severe. Those being gaslit may start to question their own perceptions and lose trust in their own experience of reality.

Tormoen described how gaslighting may often affect memory, contribute to emotional abuse and interpersonal abuse, lead to a victim undermining their sanity, and betrayal. “Gaslighting can also prevent domestic violence victims from accessing institutional resources that would help them escape the abuse. The very institutions set up to help victims can become part of the gaslighting process,” she described.

In addition, gaslighting may contribute to double-binding and depersonalization, resulting in losing a sense of self, multiple perceptions of reality, and varied internal versions of reality.

Gaslighting creates hostile social environments. Sweet and others have argued that gaslighting is not just a psychological tactic, but a sociological phenomenon as well. “When perpetrators mobilize gender-based stereotypes, structural inequalities, and institutional vulnerabilities against victims with whom they are in an intimate relationship, gaslighting becomes not only effective, but devastating.”

For domestic violence resources here in

Utah, visit: the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition at www.udvc.org/; the statewide domestic violence info-line Linkline at 1-800-897-5465 (LINK); the Utah Department of Human Services at www.dcfs.utah.gov; the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault at www.ucasa.org or 1-888-421-1100; or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). l

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February 2021 | Page 23

High school student-athletes undergo COVID-19 testing, change approaches to competitions

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

I

n swimming, the faster swimmers compete in the middle lanes. In basketball, traditionally, team captains shake hands with the opposing team and refs before the game and afterwards, players on both teams give each other a highfive. Wrestlers take the mats in multi-day competitions, but not anymore this season.

Those, and many other norms, aren’t the case in high school sports this winter. As high school student-athletes and coaches follow the Utah High School Activities Association’s COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, winter sports have a new look—and likely spring may follow some of the same protocols, say local high school athletic directors.

Throughout the state, the biggest change from fall sports to winter has been with restricting fans at indoor competitions and administering rapid COVID-19 every 14 days for student-athletes.

It’s part of the UHSAA “Return to Play” guidelines after high school sports mostly took a two-week break in early November following former Gov. Gary Herbert’s mandate, said Sally Williams, Hillcrest High athletic director in Canyons School District.

The “Return to Play” guidelines were issued in early December after the Utah School Superintendents Association and UHSAA worked with the Utah State Department of Health to provide protocols after the state health order suspended the start of the winter season.

Those guidelines were updated, with new policies of “test to stay” and “test to play” that took effect Jan. 4, when schools resumed from winter break. These have included if individuals are exposed to COVID-19, they can end quarantine 10 days after the last time they were in contact with the person who tested positive if they don’t have symptoms or they can return after a negative COVID-19 test result.

“We had to reschedule a bunch of games and give our teams time to prepare for the season; it was a bunch of shuffling for preseason and hard for both our boys and girls basketball teams as we have new head coaches in both programs and they had to put everything together, after delaying tryouts and early season preparations,” Williams said about the delayed winter season for her Midvale school. “But it still was probably good to get COVID numbers (of positive cases) down even though at that time, our school wasn’t high.”

Even so, both Hillcrest programs have had coaches and/ or players test positive or be exposed to COVID-19, playing preseason basketball games with a skeleton team and both teams, canceling at least one game.

Already numbers at tryouts were down, about half as many for the boys and barely enough student-athletes to fill three team rosters for the girls, Williams said, because of the impact of COVID-19 and that some online learners aren’t involved in sports this year.

“We’re at about 85% in-person enrollment this year,” Williams said. “The good news is that with the vaccine coming, we hope our spring season will happen since last year, their seasons were canceled because of COVID.” Admission to the basketball games and wrestling matches are restricted to assigned seats for contact tracing purposes and with two tickets issued per athlete, with Hillcrest stating no children in attendance. Masks are required for patrons.

Even athletes sit socially distanced from each other, totes by their chairs with their own water bottles and face masks. Student-athletes are allowed to take them off only

Page 24 | February 2021

Jordan High’s girls basketball team sits socially distanced on the sidelines with masks on when they aren’t playing following UHSAA winter sports guidelines. (Jason Long/Jordan High)

during competition, Williams said.

Swim meets’ admission is restricted by the facility; many schools practice and compete at county pools, which limit capacity at 50 people including both boys and girls swim teams, coaches and officials often exceed that number.

So, 11 of the 13 Hillcrest meets were scheduled at non-county facilities.

“We looked at swimming boys or girls or varsity and JV separately, but that gets to be kind of a nightmare. They all swim together, so what happens with those other kids and how many days are they unable to practice if we do it that way,” Hillcrest head coach Ryan Thierbach said, adding that meets are livestreamed free for the Hillcrest community.

Hillcrest swimmers also split the pool, so girls and boys teams have less interaction with one another to reduce possible spreading of COVID-19.

At Jordan High, in Sandy, athletic director Jason Long said the school’s swimmers aren’t as much impacted as other schools since they practice at private pools and when public pools are shut down, those schools that practice at them have no options and aren’t getting time in the water.

They also are finding a way for parents to watch their swimmers.

“We have invited some of our parents of seniors to be timers and judges so they can be there,” he said.

The competitions in the gym are different without student sections or pep bands.

“We aren’t pulling out all the bleachers in the gym as only two parents are allowed in to watch competitions,” Long said, adding that most sports are being livestreamed for families to watch with a subscription.

High school athletes like Hillcrest High’s basketball player Maddy Sluga undergo COVID-19 rapid testing every 14 days. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)

At Jordan, staff members are continuing to take student-athletes’ temperatures and go through health symptom checks just as they did in the fall in addition to administering COVID-19 tests, usually 45 minutes before the school day begins.

Not only does Long’s crew test student-athletes, coaches and managers, but also theatre and debate students since those activities fall under UHSAA. “We’re not relaxing on anything,” he said, admitting that the days get long, with early morning testing to games at night. “We’re all on the same page following UHSAA guide-

Riverton City Journal

lines. It’s a lot of extra work from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every single day, but we’re hopeful our students can compete and showcase their talents—and that’s worth the work.”

The push continues to wear masks for student-athletes, coaches, managers, trainers and athletic directors at practices, in huddles, team meetings, on the sideline and all the time, unless competing, he said.

“We have assigned seats socially distanced on the bus, in the locker room, on the bench. We’ll be able to trace each athlete and with the guidelines, keep the spread low.

We shouldn’t have to shut down this way,” Long said, adding that even basketball drills are kept in small groups and drill is spaced distantly for contact tracing purposes. “If drill does any kind of lifts, they’re to practice in small groups and sanitize their hands.”

While the schools maintain the safety of its student-athletes and programs, referees fall under the UHSAA. “Many of our refs wear masks until the game starts, then they take it off so they can use their whistles.

They put the mask back on when talking to the coach or scorekeep-

er,” Long said.

In Jordan School District, Bingham Athletic Director Andee Bouwhuis said that instead of totes for the sideline seats, they have placed command strip hooks for masks and athletes keep their individual water bottles next to the chairs.

“We wipe down the bench with cleansing towels—the seats are spread out and assigned,” she said. “In the pool, we follow the county guidelines and limit five swimmers per lane, so our team is small this year.”

After the governor’s shutdown, Bouwhuis said she was surprised to see more athletes at tryouts.

“Kids are wanting to be involved and at school, not isolated at home,” she said. “Everyone is being flexible even as we’ve had to cancel or reschedule competitions.

The coaches are just hopeful we’ll have a season and the athletes are putting it into perspective that just one or two games or meets aren’t that critical. I’m hoping that when spring comes, we can have a full season. That would be amazing.” l

Hillcrest High’s girls basketball team wear masks during the national anthem and on the sidelines when they aren’t playing per UHSAA winter sports guidelines. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

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February 2021 | Page 25

“Hit me with your best shot!” Signs and treats were out to make the vaccination process into a celebration at Riverway Assisted Living in South Jordan. (Angelica Roman/Riverway Assisted Living)

Vaccines started in January for older adults in long-term care

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

O

lder adults in Utah residential facilities started the COVID-19 vaccination process in January. All Utahns age 70 and older are eligible to get the vaccine, but demand far outweighed supply and appointments quickly filled up.

Care centers had an advantage because they partnered with pharmacies that brought the vaccine to them.

“We chose to partner with Walgreens Pharmacy to administer the Pfizer vaccines. Three days were set aside for vaccinations. Jan. 7 was the first day of administration to all residents and staff,” said Derek White, senior vice president of Cascades Health, which runs Sandy Health and Rehab on 50 E. 9000 South.

“The vaccine requires two doses 21 days apart, so subsequent dosing days are scheduled on Jan. 28 and Feb. 18.

The process went smoothly, with a sore injection site being the most common complaint,” White said.

In South Jordan, vaccinations started at Riverway Assisted Living on Jan. 8. Riverway is run by SAL Management Group, which also manages care centers in Sandy, West Jordan, Holladay, West Valley and other Utah sites.

They are all on the same vaccination schedule and also used Walgreens Pharmacy.

For Riverway administrator Jim Scadlock, the vaccine is the light at the end of the tunnel that we’ve all been waiting for. “It’s all paying off. When we get to the 21 days after the second shot on Feb. 19, our building is going to be able to open up for visits with friends and family,” Scadlock said.

“This won’t last forever—just a few more weeks, and it will start to feel normal around here. That’s what I really want people to know,” Scadlock said.

Scadlock’s urgency to get the vaccine administered is personal. In November he urged families to be cautious about holiday get-togethers and shared that his own mother had recently passed away under lockdown conditions.

“My mother lived in assisted living in Pleasant Grove. I had not seen her since March—eight months. In November, my sisters and I received a call from the hospice nurse telling

Page 26 | February 2021

“Just tell me when it’s over.” Protecting older adults in care centers also means vaccinating the staff. (Angelica Roman/Riverway Assisted Living)

us she wouldn’t last through the day and that we could come say goodbye.

“An hour later, she quietly slipped away,” Scadlock said.

The CDC reports the risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19 increases with age. Older adults are one of

the most vulnerable populations, which is why residential care centers had access to the vaccine. But their ability to protect residents from the virus varies.

Sandy Health and Rehab is a skilled nursing facility.

They accept patients directly from hospital discharge. They have a generally sicker population and more residents coming and going. The rehab center is in the “red zone” on the Utah Department of Health’s dashboard for facilities with outbreaks reported on Jan. 19.

Riverway is an assisted living and memory care residential facility. Their residents are generally healthier and more independent than at a skilled nursing facility. As of Jan. 18, Riverway reports one resident infection with light symptoms and less than five infections in staff members.

Months ago, Scadlock took the initiative to get Riverway certified as a lab so they could do their own rapid testing. He describes the rapid test as a swab in the nostril as opposed to the deep and uncomfortable “brain tickle” of the PCR tests.

CLIA certification allowed Riverway to test after exposures and get results in 15 minutes. This limited quarantine times, during which residents would be restricted to their rooms for at least five days.

Both facilities interviewed for this story said there were no adverse effects or reactions to the vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine does not contain weakened or inactivated strains of the virus. Instead, it uses mRNA to trigger an immune response and produce antibodies.

Older adults who don’t live in facilities can find information about getting the vaccine on the Salt Lake County Health Department’s website, slco.org/health/COVID-19/ vaccine/. They are out of vaccines at the time of this writing, but people can sign up to be notified when appointments are available again.

The Utah Health Department said that any side effects of getting the vaccine are far outweighed by the benefits of not getting COVID-19. l

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CHAMBER NEWS The Community Magazine We have worked closely with local cities and businesses to create the community magazine. It will come out the beginning of January. Watch for it and learn more about your community as well as how to support your local businesses. The chamber also has an ad in it with prizes available to win. The magazine Community United will be a great resource for you. We contacted many businesses and were surprised at how many were doing okay; this is a thank you to the community for supporting and shopping local.

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A tale of two seasons: Resorts enjoy strong business while water experts monitor worsening drought

By Joshua Wood | j.wood@mycityjournals.com Editor’s note: this is the first in a fourpart series looking at the state’s drought conditions. elow normal snowpack totals this winter have contributed to worsening drought conditions and concern for water in an already parched state. So far this season, the effects of Utah’s drought conditions have been mixed. While water resource experts have raised red flags about the severity of the state’s drought conditions, ski resorts have reported a strong start to the season.

“As expected, demand has been high,” said Paul Marshall, director of communications with Ski Utah. “Visits are better than expected.”

Ski resorts throughout the state have reported strong seasons in terms of skier turnout, despite COVID-related safety measures. Below-average snowfall has led to reduced snowpack totals and fewer snow days, but that has not had a significant impact on the ski industry early in the season.

The story is different for Utah’s water supply.

“Everything is sort of hurting right now, and we’re looking for some more snow kind

B

Skiers and water officials hope to see more snow in the coming months. (Joshua Wood/City Journals)

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of urgently at this point,” said Jordan Clayton, data collection officer with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in a December presentation to the Board of Water Resources. “We’ve really received a dismal amount of precipitation over the last 12 months, and it’s getting frankly kind of frightening.”

Unless that pattern changes, well-below average snowpack will lead to reduced runoff, even drier soils, and lower reservoir levels.

By December, about 70% of the state had fallen into category D4 drought, or exceptional drought, which is the worst degree of conditions in the NRCS tracking system.

The agency’s maps of Utah showed a red swath of drought covering most of the state.

Clayton stated that, while it is statistically possible that conditions could change and trend toward a normal snowpack for the year, Utah has a lot of ground to make up to rejuvenate its water stores. Persistent dry conditions have affected more than just the annual snowpack and reservoir levels. The state’s soils are also parched.

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dry soils is going to affect the efficiency of our runoffs in the spring,” Clayton said in his presentation to the Board of Water Resources. “We’re going to lose a lot of that snowmelt runoff to our watershed before we can start filling our reservoirs. What that really means effectively is that we are going to need to receive a well-above average snowpack to get even close to an average runoff.”

A tale of two seasons While low snowpack totals will likely have a significant impact on Utah’s water situation come spring and summer, skiers have made the most of the snow that has fallen.

“We definitely have had a demand for skiing,” said Andria Huskinson, communications manager for Alta Ski Area. “The skiing is still great out there. The snow quality is holding up.” Huskinson said that by mid-January, the resort area had received nearly 140 inches of snowfall.

Just down the canyon, skiing has held up at Snowbird as well. “With 138 inches of snowfall this season to date, accompanied by cold temperatures, we are thankful to have the entire mountain open at Snowbird right now,” said Sarah Sherman, communications manager at Snowbird. “That being said, everyone is eager to have more powder days, soon.”

Even in Southern Utah, where drought conditions have been even worse than along

the Wasatch, skiing has been strong so far this season. “Business levels have been surprisingly good,” said Brian Head Public Relations Coordinator Mark Wilder. “Lack of snow hasn’t kept people from coming. We were more worried about the COVID situation than the snow situation.”

During the first few months of the season, concerns about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and necessary safety policies have concerned resorts more than snow levels. “Due to ongoing and effective efforts, mask compliance at Utah resorts has been very good,” said Ski Utah’s Marshall.

“Lower than average snowfall has hampered visitation, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Overall, resorts fared better than expected over the holiday period.”

As in communities everywhere, skiers seem to have adjusted to COVID-related protocols, which has helped resorts to a strong start to the season. “Our guests have been very understanding about our community well-being standards, including wearing masks,” said Sarah Huey, communications manager at Solitude Mountain Resort.

Should snowfall remain below average for the rest of the winter, the real impact will likely be felt as the snow melts and thirsty soils soak much of it up before runoff can reach reservoirs.

“Reservoirs are suffering,” Clayton said. l Higher than average snowpack will be needed to fill reservoirs during the current drought. (Joshua Wood/ City Journals)

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Page 30 | February 2021

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Riverton City Journal

A lot on my plate

Life

Laughter AND

by

PERI KINDER

RIVERTON

Fear sells, but why does the food industry use anxiety to sell products? I mean, if there’s one thing the seven billion people on this planet agree on, it’s that we need food. (And Baby Yoda is adorable. That’s universally accepted.)

When COVID hit last spring, I heard we’d run out of beef by autumn. My husband lost his mind. Someone told me canned vegetables would be as valuable as gold, which is good because I’d rather wear a can of peas on a chain around my neck than have to eat them.

Experts tell us food is plentiful and cheaper than ever before. Just the food left over from Las Vegas buffets could feed several Third World countries for generations.

They’d all develop diabetes and heart disease, but they’d have plenty of food.

And that’s the other fear; the idea that the food we eat, even broccoli and kale, has no nutritional value because the soil’s been depleted of nutrients and we’re consuming the dietary equivalent of Rice Krispies for each meal.

So, we hear companies proclaiming to have discovered new, perfect foods. Not just foods— Super Foods (with a heartbreaking origin story). They ask questions like, Do you poop every day at noon? Are you often irritable? Well, you’re eating the wrong food!

Social media is awash in these types of ads. “Buy our product made of 300 super-

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foods found only in caves along the Ganges River!” “Learn the secret of Cleopatra’s radiant skin, Helen of Troy’s weight loss supplement and Queen Elizabeth’s longevity.” (Spoiler alert: it’s never having to clean your own toilet.)

Companies tell us fans are “raving” about their green juice. False news. No one raves about green juice. The recipes have unknown ingredients like chlorella (a dried sea vegetable) and rhodiola, a cold-climate plant used by Vikings. Mmmmm. Yummy.

(Sidenote: Vikings are dead. Did rhodiola kill them?)

Mushrooms are the new meat. The reishi mushroom is called the Queen of the Mushrooms because…um…it has a crown?

I guess psilocybin mushrooms would be King of the Mushrooms, or at least the laidback, hippie brother-in-law of the mushrooms.

Pretend meat is also the new meat. Im-

CONCRETE

possible Meat might be better for the planet, but with its soy, wheat and vegetable ingredients shaped and colored to look like chicken nuggets, it’s definitely not health food.

And don’t think it’s safe to drink water. No, sir! You can’t drink tap water, bottled water, well water, river water, toilet water or any other water unless it’s gone through an expensive, artesian reverse osmosis process. I used to drink water out of the hose in my front yard. I’m sure I’ll die full of mercury, lead and chlorine.

Spinach and romaine lettuce routinely try to kill us, and don’t get me started on GMO conspiracy theories. I don’t have that kind of time. Are apples still good for us?

Can we eat corn without worrying about growing a third arm? Does everything have to be organic, farm-fresh and certified because according to Facebook, we’re all doomed!

I know Americans don’t have the best diets but throw me a grass-fed bone. We’re assaulted on all sides and just trying not to dive headfirst into a bucket of chicken for a morning snack.

Let’s drop the fear, food industry, and go back to promoting wellness as we wait to hear if Baby Yoda will be on the next season of “The Mandalorian.” Some things are more important than organic bananas.

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February 2021 | Page 31

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February 2021 | Vol. 31 Iss. 02

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By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

I

nstead of packing 2,200 students into the auditorium, student assemblies at Riverton High School are being held virtually this year. Students watch a pre-recorded performance or a livestream presentation in separate classrooms.

SBO President Dallin Carter said student leaders strive to convey the same feeling of energy and unity as in-person assemblies through the virtual format.

“We're hoping we'll be together in spirit and together at heart as we watch it all together and experience the same things, just in different places,” he said about the annual Silver Rush fundraising assembly.

Principal Carolyn Gough said there are pros and cons to virtual assemblies.

“It's a lot more stressful to livestream than pre-record, but we're trying to allow for both when it makes sense to do it,” Gough said. “At least with a pre-recording, you know that any performing group had the chance to do it well before submitting their final cut.

Live streaming can be more energetic, but I'm always worried that if something goes wrong, many students will miss the performance entirely.”

Technology SBO Christopher Dooley tries to film footage for virtual assemblies that are fun for students to watch.

“One of the difficulties that I faced this year is trying to get that feeling across the medium, trying to get that gut feeling and that emotion through those videos to the student body,” Dooley said.

The SBOs are getting better and more creative with virtual

Continued page 5

The senior members of Riverton Dance Company are making the most of this unusual year. (Photo courtesy of Brynn Perkins)

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