Riverton Journals | June 2022

June 2022 | Vol. 32 Iss. 06

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SURGICAL ROBOT LEO DEBUTS AT RIVERTON HOSPITAL

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By Dylan Wilcox | d.wilcox@mycityjournals.com

V

ince and Leo, the newest additions to Alta View and Riverton Hospitals, were introduced recently to assist surgeons in performing minimally invasive surgeries.

The surgical robots are seen as an overdue investment in patient care for the Sandy and Riverton communities, and will provide patients with mobility issues the opportunity to receive needed procedures without traveling far from home.

“The technology we have now is better for the patient. So the main reason Riverton now has a robot is because we are now seeing advantages of robotics and it’s not just at major medical centers. It is good for everybody, every patient,” Dr. Cabot Murdock, a surgeon at Riverton Hospital, said. According to Murdock, Intermountain Healthcare has had robotics in their surgical wards for years now, but adding Leo and Vince to Riverton and Alta View Hospitals, respectively, allows for greater flexibility in surgical of-

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Medical personnel stand next to Leo, a state-of-theart surgical robot at the Riverton Hospital. (Erin Goff, IHC)

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Minimally Invasive Robotic Assisted Surgery NOW AVAILABLE AT RIVERTON HOSPITAL

Most common specialties which take advantage of robotic assisted surgery: • Urology • Gynecological Surgery • General Surgery • Colon & Rectal Surgery Robotic assisted surgery is a less invasive option that may have the following benefits: • Less scarring • Improved healing times • Shorter hospital stays

PROCEDURES NOW AVAILABLE. Riverton Hospital's state-of-the-art surgical robot arrived in April of 2022.

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The advantages of having these particular units in surgical rooms is with minimally invasive procedures, it decreases patient dependence on narcotics for pain management, thereby accelerating the healing process and preventing patients from developing an addiction to pain medication. Further, use of robots has been shown to decrease the time a patient has had to stay in the hospital, reduce infection, decrease blood loss and quicken recovery time.

“In my experience, [the benefits of Leo are] less use of narcotics, fewer infections, less pain and patients are able to get back to their lives very quickly,” Murdock said. “I’ve been doing robotic surgeries for nearly four years without a single infection.

That’s 300 cases without a single infection.

I track my narcotic uses, and most of my hernia patients are using no narcotics and their overall outcomes they are very satisfied, and they are out moving around very quickly. And they’re not languishing in pain and what not. So, the precision driven component of the surgery makes your outcomes better and that’s what I see in my practice,” he added.

Leo and Vince are produced by a company called Intuitive which has a line of surgical robots named after famous Italian artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci. The Da Vinci robotic platform by Intuitive has “pioneered new capabilities in the operating room, transforming the field of minimally invasive surgery,” their website says.

“Through more than 8.5 million surgeries, Intuitive has become the proven leader in surgical robotics, increasing the adoption of minimally invasive surgery.”

The robots are made up of three major components. First is the patient cart, which houses the robot’s surgical arms and instruments that perform the actual operation. Second is the surgeon console, which

Journals T H E

The term ‘robot’ is actually a misnomer – it’s robot-assisted. Because the robot is doing nothing artificial. The robot is only doing what you command it to do. So, it’s really not a robot – it’s not self-automated.

Dr. Cabot Murdock is where the actual surgeon performs the procedure through the use of wristed instruments, optimized viewing in 3DHD of the surgery, and built-in tremor filtration minimizing unintended movements. And lastly is the vision cart, which holds the vision and energy technologies for the Da Vinci system. It also is the hub for generating power, creating detailed images and main home for the complex information system. These units are equipped with multiple indicators which alert the surgeon should something be wrong with one of the surgical arms or instruments, as well as alerts about the information technology. The overall system has proven to be very safe and very successful.

“These units are able to do a lot of GYN surgery, urology,” David Hurst, Nurse Administrator at Alta View Hospital, said.

“Which allows for the patient to have quicker healing time, among other benefits, as well as being state-of-the-art technology that most of our physicians are trained to use these days,” he said. Vince has been at Alta View Hospital for just over a month now and will be utilized to help with complex procedures requiring a steady and precise hand. “The procedure would be performed

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by the same surgeon that would do it the old way, just with a robot,” Hurst added.

While the mainstay procedure of these robots has been hernias, surgeons hope to expand their capabilities by performing other operations such as gynecologic, urologic, thoracic, cardiac and general surgeries.

Murdock emphasized that the robots are not replacing surgeons, the surgeon is very much in charge during actual surgeries. The robot is an extension of their abilities.

“The term ‘robot’ is actually a misnomer – it’s robot-assisted. Because the robot is doing nothing artificial. The robot is only doing what you command it to do. So, it’s really not a robot – it’s not self-automated. It doesn’t have any thought processes; it doesn’t have any processes that it goes through. It won’t allow you to do certain things – you know you’re trying to do a certain movement and it will say – ‘No, you’re not doing that!’ Because you’ve twisted the arm in a way where you can’t move it anymore. So, there are some limitations about your movement, but then all you have to do is back up and readjust, and then you can do your procedure. So, it has its limitations of exactly how you’re twisting your wrist, but the robot does nothing artificial. We prefer to call it robot assisted,” Murdock said.

Murdock recounted an experience with a patient who underwent a surgery with Leo, an 83-year-old woman needing a hernia removed.

“About three and a half years ago I did my first robotic case. I had to recruit the patient and tell them, ‘We’re doing something for the first time on a human patient – for me – will you be accepting of it?’ And we had a great outcome. They said, ‘I would be more than happy to do that,’” he recalled.

Because of the patient’s advanced age, Dr. Murdock was confident the convenience Leo presented by keeping the operation at the Riverton Hospital would make the procedure worthwhile.

“I wasn’t going to offer her robotic

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Page 4 | June 2022

surgery at another facility because I want to make sure she’s taken care of completely.

But since we got the robot here, I told her listen – ‘If you will wait, I’ll do your surgery here and if you have any heart problems, we are right on it, and I feel comfortable in my own hospital,’” Murdock said. “And so, I said, you’re not obstructed – so when we get this robot – we are ready to go. And so, I got three patients to wait for that first day, and she was one of them. And she was a sweet lady and everything. After surgery, she had no pain, she didn’t use any narcotics. It was a good experience for the family. And then she had no heart problems. If I didn’t have a robot here – I was probably going to do an open hernia surgery on her, which is longer recovery, increase risk of infection and more pain. That fact that we got the robot here – I could operate on her here and get those outcomes. Whereas I was kind of reluctant to another facility and take her and if she had a heart problem – well then, we are all stuck up there away from our families and home.

So, it really does change what I do, having [Leo] here. Because now I can offer that good surgery. She did fine. She had a good experience. She loved it so much, she didn’t want to go home the same day,” he added.

The Alta View Hospital offered an open house for members of the community to observe the robot, Vince, up close. A demo model of the machine was available for anyone to see how the controls work on the device itself. Vince at Alta View Hospital and Leo at Riverton Hospital are now available for patients being operated through the careful touch of well-trained surgeons.

Murdock sees the future of surgery being transformed for the better. “Come to Riverton, we’ve got state-of-the-art technology. This is what we’re going to do for you.

And that’s what I’m so excited for. I’ve been waiting three years to get a robot here,” he said.l

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Riverton City Journal

Creative problem solving, collaboration made emergency management exercises a success

By Bill Hardesty | b.hardesty@mycityjournals.com

S

alt Lake County Emergency Management (SLCo EM) directed a Joint Information Center (JIC) functional exercise on May 12. The exercise brought together 23 Public Information Officers (PIO) from various agencies across Salt Lake Valley.

The players came from Herriman City, Midvale City, Murray City, Taylorsville City, Bluffdale City, Holladay City, Millcreek City and West Jordan City. From Salt Lake County, the players came from several Salt Lake County departments, including Arts and Culture, Health, Mayor’s office, Public Works Operations, Aging and Adult Services, District Attorney’s office, Sheriff, Parks and Recreation and Regional Development. Salt Lake City Fire Department also played. From the private sector, Rocky Mountain Power played.

Twenty-five exercise helpers assisted with the exercise. From the state, there were employees from the Division of Emergency Management, Department of Health and Human Services, Utah Transit Authority and Department of Environmental Quality. In addition, numerous members of the Salt Lake County Emergency management participated. From the private sector, representatives from Fox 13 News, KUTV 2 News, and the City Journals participated in the news conference part of the exercise.

“As part of the exercise, the PIOs will have to conduct a press conference with actual representatives such as fire chiefs, police chiefs, etc.,” Tina Brown, PIO SLCo EM, said. “The exercise is designed to mimic a real-life scenario the PIOs will have to work through, including answering media calls and releasing public information. I thought this could be a great opportunity for a story since many of the participants signed up are the PIOs for many of the local municipalities and agencies in Salt Lake County.”

Exercise Chet Ellis, SLCo Deputy Emergency Manager/Operations Section chief, lead the effort from design to execution to Mop Up. Ellis is completing the Master Exercise Practitioner Program from Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA). After two years of onsite and online training, this exercise was his capstone project.

Ellis and Brown were the exercise controls.

“The main reason we do these exercises is to test the system,” Ellis told the group.

Scenario The exercise scenario centered around an active shooter and an explosion at the theaters in The District. The exercise was played in real-time plus 12 hours. In other words, while the exercise started at 9 a.m., the scenario began at 9 p.m.

Before the exercise began, the timeline was that a 911 call was received at 8:30 p.m. of shots fired at the theaters. At 8:35, SLCo

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Exercise Incident Commander Sam Winkler talks with staff members while other participants are monitoring social media during an exercise at the Operation Center of the SLCo EM Center. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals)

EM started to monitor the situation. An explosion is reported at 8:38. At 8:40, SLCo EM staff and support staff received an AlertSense message. The message told them to report to the SLCo EM Center. This is the same way in real life. AlertSense messages are used to ramp up the SLCo EM Center.

At 8:45, social media erupted with messages asking for facts and voicing concerns for loved ones. Local TV started live coverage at 8:48. By 8:55, the Emergency Support Function (ESF) had arrived and received their initial briefing.

Clint Mecham, SLCo director of emergency management, told the group about the 2020 Magna earthquake. In the Operations Center, there was 185 ESF staff working on issues like evacuating Magna because of a HazMat leak at Kennecott.

Play At 9, the exercise started.

All PIOs choose an Incident Commander/Lead PIO. They selected West Jordan Officer Sam Winkler. He quickly organized the others into groups according to their expertise and experience.

A call center was staffed to take calls.

Social media was monitored to knock down rumors and supply valid information. The media was managed as they sought information in many ways.

An area called the “SimCell” was a separate room. In the SimCell, volunteers made phone calls to the call center seeking information about loved ones at the theater.

Others made media calls. In addition, SimCell would provide scenario information or throw the JIC a curveball.

“One issue we found is our call center numbers don’t roll,” Ellis said. “We need to get this fixed.”

Instead of calling one published number and rolling to a free person, SimCell people had to try a variety of numbers to get through.

“The exercise is going really well,” Brown said. “Some tech issues, but this is why we test.”

Chet Ellis, exercise director, and Tina Brown, exercise lead controller, brief exercise participants in the Operation Center of the SLCo EM Center. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals)

Exercise participants receive their initial briefing in the Operation Center of the SLCo EM Center. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals)

The scenario ended with a press conference at midnight. Again, members of the JIC had to prepare talking points and brief press conference presenters.

“They did a great job. They prepped the speakers,” Chief Justin Hoyal, Unified Police Department, said during the Mop Up session. “They wanted to make sure we are all on the same page.”

Mop Up A Mop Up was held after the exercise.

Exercise observers and key players provided feedback.

“Everyone took their roles seriously, and they stayed within their role,” Officer Winkler said. “They all worked together.”

“The players are coming up with creative solutions. It is always good when there is creativity is an exercise,” Ellis said. l

June 2022 | Page 5

Two local schools excel in Science Olympiad competition

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

S

cience Olympiad is a program designed to spark interest in STEM. Students apply their science knowledge in a competitive environment.

Riverton High School and Oquirrh Hills Middle School are currently the only two schools in Jordan District who participate in the program, which holds competitions a few times each year.

“You don't need to have perfect A's in science to do well in Sci Oly,” RHS team coach Tamra Rossiter said. “A passion to learn in a few certain science areas or being willing to dive into a science project such as building a bridge or car, or studying to identify types of fossils, or how to analyze evidence at a crime scene makes for a successful member.”

Students who participate enjoy the challenge and the opportunity to meet new people.

“It is so fun to be able to go compete with other people who also have a passion for science,” said RHS team vice president Maleina Luker. “Everyone is so supportive of each other and we have a fun environment.”

RHS team president Daniel Yan has participated in Science Olympiad for the past six years.

“Science Olympiad has changed my life for the better,” he said. “I've met some of my best friends through there, and many events that I've competed in really help in the long run skill-wise. It's also just a great hobby and a great opportunity for social time.”

This year, RHS’s team, which is in a building phase and so only had eight members, finished tenth in their division.

Rossiter was impressed with the students’ hard work and the time they dedicated to preparing for their events.

OHMS’s team took second place in region and third at state competition, the highest finish they’ve ever had.

“Placing so highly at both state and region is not something we had done consistently in the past, so we have been delighted with the results this year,” OHMS Principal Donna Hunter said. “The students this year have been so excited and so dedicated—just like their adviser. Ms. Byerline's enthusiasm for all things science is so contagious. It has been very exciting to see their growth.”

Team member Audree Moncur credits hard work for this year’s placement.

“I think a big reason why we were so successful is that everyone on the team is really dedicated to trying to do their best on their individual events,” Audree said.

Audree joined the team halfway

Page 6 | June 2022

through the year and inherited someone else’s project.

“I was granted a giant binder and the task of learning the names and everything about like 50 birds, and it means a lot of information,” Audree said. “And I thought there was no way I'm going to care about this or do more than just what I absolutely had to. But it turns out, it was really fun.”

Now Audree can identify birds in the neighborhood and is excited to share that knowledge with others.

Cameron Cunningham found that the extra work and extra hours required to prepare for the competitions were more fun because the team got along with each other so well.

There are three types of events at Science Olympiad competitions: skills events, test events and lab events.

Jesse Martin and Lincoln Judd took first place in the skills event called Ping Pong Parachute. They built a rocket to launch a ping pong ball which was outfitted with a parachute they’d designed. The goal was to keep the ball aloft the longest.

They spent months designing and testing their winning parachute design.

For some events, there was no chance to prepare. In the Write It, Do It event, Alex Turley examined a sculpture and then had to write detailed instructions for his teammate, Lilly McAffee, to follow to recreate the sculpture without having seen it.

In one of the test events, Lilly McAffee and Brendan Tillman took a test about rocks and minerals. While preparing for the event, Brendan said he learned more about study skills that work best for him.

Team members had to be flexible when some of the events changed for the state competition. Cami Knorpp stepped in at the last minute to build an electric airplane for the Electric Wright Stuff event.

“She stepped up to the plate and built a great plane and it was just exciting to see that,” Byerline said. “Even though her event had been taken away from her, she improvised and found something new that she could do and really did a great job.”

Byerline teaches a dedicated TA class for students to prepare for the various competitive events. Science teachers Shannon Greer, Katelyn Heiler and Kristy Griffith, along with parent volunteers, help at competitions.

RHS’s team is run by student leadership as an afterschool activity. l

The Oquirrh Hills Middle Science Olympiad team: Lilly McAffee, Alex Turley, Audree Moncur, Cami Knorpp, Brendan Tillman, Tanner Moore, Jesse Martin, Sterling Johnson, Josh Murphy, Kate McAffee, Cameron Cunningham, Lincoln Judd. (Photo courtesy of Donna Hunter.)

OHMS team medals at state:

First Place Experimental Design: Lilly McAffee, Tanner Moore, Alex Turley First Place Ping Pong Parachute: Jesse Martin and Lincoln Judd First Place Write It, Do It: Alex Turley and Lilly McAffee Second Place Rocks and Minerals: Lilly McAffee and Brendan Tillman Third Place Dynamic Planet: Sterling Johnson and Josh Murphy Third Place Electric Wright Stuff: Cami Knorpp and Cameron Cunningham Third Place Storm the Castle: Jesse Martin and Lincoln Judd Riverton High School’s 2021-22 Science Olympiad team. Back row: Tamra Rossiter (coach), Daniel Yan, Alex Mellor, Anders Hawkins, Ethan Donahey, Duong Nguyen. Front row: Maleina Luker, Nadia Luker, Ashley Spencer. (Photo courtesy of Tamra Rossiter.)

RHS team medals at state:

First Place Cell Biology: Maleina Luker, Daniel Yan First Place Cyber Security: Maleina Luker, Ethan Donahey Second Place Experimental Design: Maleina Luker, Ashley Spencer, Ethan Donahey Third Place Green Generation: Ashley Spencer, Ethan Donahey Third Place Ping Pong Parachute: Ashley Spencer, Nadia Luker Third Place Agricultural Science: Nadia Luker, Anders Hawkins Third Place Solar Power: Alex Mellor, Anders Hawkins

Riverton City Journal

Bluffdale City’s new Mayor: Who she is and her vision for the future

By Dylan Wilcox | d.wilcox@mycityjournals.com

U

pon entering newly inducted Bluffdale City Mayor Natalie Hall’s office, guests are greeted by a few images. One is a large picture of the mayor’s young, vibrant family: Hall, her husband Jason and their five children.

There are also a couple portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Even though her office is still being set up, it is clear Hall has a natural affinity for family and patriotism, hallmarks of her life and dedication to serving her state and community.

In 2006, Hall and her family relocated to Bluffdale from West Jordan. While her husband pursued the family cabinetry business full time, Hall focused on how she could contribute to the community. Having a passion for education, evidenced by her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from the University of Utah, Hall took a position on a local school board to strengthen ties between parents and the nine incorporated schools in the city. Her connections and relationships with individuals in the community prompted her to work for the City of Bluffdale, specifically to be the emergency program manager. One thing led to another, and Hall ended up performing many roles within and beyond her purview in the city. Hall has worked for the City of Bluffdale since 2014.

“In a small city, you wear a lot of hats,” Hall said.

Her extensive experience ranges from planning the city’s emergency response plan and conducting trainings with volunteers to updating the city’s lines of communication and revamping the city website. She even handled business licenses for the city. Her experience would prove useful once Mayor Dirk Timothy decided to step down.

41st District Representative Mark Strong, who has known Hall for 16 years, said that she is a very capable leader who gets things done. “I remember one night, kidding her, about running for mayor,” Strong recalled. “Her husband Jason was like, ‘Don’t go there!’ because Natalie is an achiever. Over a course of some time, Mayor Timothy decided to step down and she felt it was the right thing to do to step up and help.”

“Nobody grows up thinking, ‘I’m going to be a mayor,’” Hall said, noting that 40 years ago, women were not heavily involved in local politics. “It would have been unheard of back then. But [my run] turned out to be a bit of a surprise. There was an open seat and I’m so passionate about the city.”

Her passion seems to have resonated with the 20,000 residents in Bluffdale. Effectively securing 75% of the vote, Hall was sworn in as Bluffdale’s eighth mayor.

“She just gets things accomplished one after the other.

She’s really one of those people who gets things done,” Strong said. “I know she had those initial duties in the city, and they kept adding to her. By the time it was over, she had several hats she was wearing.”

Andrea Hales, a friend and coworker of Hall, agrees.

In January 2015, Hales started working with Hall on the city’s emergency response team, where Hales observed Hall in action. “We worked together to train the trainers and implement the CERT program in Bluffdale,” Hales said. While acting in the role of city emergency response manager, Hall took charge of communicating the city’s plans with residents.

“As the emergency manager, she saw ways that she couldn’t fulfill that role without avenues of communication,” Hales said. “So she became a communications direc-

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She just gets things accomplished one after the other.

She’s really one of those people who gets things done, I know she had those initial duties in the city, and they kept adding to her. By the time it was over, she had several hats she was wearing.

Mark Strong tor at the same time.”

Hall would often invite the CERT team to have training meetings at her home, where everyone felt welcome.

“Natalie says that all the time: ‘Include everyone,’” Strong said.

Hales recalled a specific meeting with the CERT team surrounding the use of a particular mobile app that was being utilized as a means of communication. Hall wanted to hear from everyone in the room to get their thoughts and opinions on the matter. Unfortunately the app was not working the way they had hoped. “She recognized that was not the right thing for our city and we stopped using that app. I felt good about that because Natalie was able to let things go when they weren’t working,” Hales said.

Hall and her family continue to exude the spirit of collaboration and care to all those around them. Strong said if he needed to swap tools for a project, the Halls would be there to help. “They’re our dear friends. Their home is just an open door,” Strong said. “We know them well enough that we can knock on the door and just walk in. I even know the code to their garage door,” Strong joked.

Hall’s warmth and kindness toward the Hales was expressed through simple acts, from helping them unpack their boxes when they first moved in to sweeping their floors. “We just hit it off, we just seemed like we are meant to be friends,” Hales said. “That’s the kind of person she is. Even if it’s a small thing, she makes time for it,” Hales added.

Musically inclined and an accomplished flutist, Hall has taught 80 individuals how to play the flute over the years. She has also taught early morning seminary to students in her community who attend North Star. While raising a young family, balancing responsibilities with the city, and being an active contributor to the betterment of Bluffdale, Hall can do it all.

“She’s always good at keeping her word and following through,” Hales said. One example is her preparedness during their CERT meetings, always ready with agendas and plans beforehand to keep the meetings running smoothly. That is Hall’s personal mantra about emergency preparedness: “If you’re organized, you can handle any emergency,” Hall said.

Hall’s goal in CERT was to have the City of Bluffdale be so prepared, the residents would be able to assist

Mayor Hall began her first term as Bluffdale City Mayor in January 2022. (Bluffdale City)

surrounding communities of Herriman and Riverton if the need presented itself.

“I really admire her because she’s always seeking ways to improve herself and to be a good neighbor not to just those in Bluffdale, but those around her,” Hales said.

“I absolutely love digging in and just working. It’s my favorite thing to do,” Hall said.

One way that Hall is building ties between the city and its residents is by hosting Love Where You Live events.

Last year’s inaugural event invited community members to meet members of the city council, police officers, fire fighters, city engineers and other staff. Hall believes allowing people the opportunity to meet their city’s leaders and personnel will foster an environment of trust and visibility.

According to Hales, the Love Where You Live event last year was successful. “It’s an opportunity for residents to get to know all great things Bluffdale has to offer,” Hales said. “Bluffdale really is a great place to live.”

Strong notes Hall has a keen ability to get things done through collaboration. “Natalie is able to bring people to the table and talk through problems,” Strong said. “She’s very good at that.”

By leading the discussions in City Council meetings, Hall is able to guide the talks, but the decisions are made by the five-member council. In the case of a tie due to the absence of a council member, Hall can break those tie votes to keep Bluffdale’s progress moving forward.

Part of Hall’s vision for Bluffdale includes getting a grocery store in the city over the next few years, attracting local businesses to come and invest in the city through creating a better climate for economic growth, as well as investing in the infrastructure that makes Bluffdale the connecting point between Salt Lake and Utah Counties. The growth of the city will continue, and Hall assures it is in good hands because of its residents.

“Bluffdale is known for being helpful, prepared and being good neighbors,” Hall said. l

June 2022 | Page 7

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Page 8 | June 2022

Riverton City Journal

Summit Academy High School outstanding graduate: Making the most of his time

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

S

ummit Academy High School 2022 graduate Colby Fox said the most important lesson he learned from his high school experience is that life moves fast.

“I feel like yesterday I was just a freshman in starting high school and all of a sudden I'm a senior graduating,” he said. “I’ve had all these experiences that have just flown by and it's just made me understand life is short.”

Colby feels like he made the most of his high school years. He served in student body leadership positions for three years, including student body president his senior year.

In this role, he enjoyed organizing activities to keep students involved and build up school spirit within the tight-knit student body.

He also enjoyed the service opportunities it provided.

Under his leadership, the annual school charity fundraiser had record-breaking earnings.

SAHS student government adviser Gary Dustin said Colby has had a positive influence on the school culture.

“Colby is an unassuming student who strives as president to put the needs of his school above his own personal agenda,” Dustin said. “When he ran for student body president, he didn’t do so because he thought he was the most deserving; instead, he saw an opportunity to serve the school that he loves. Through his leadership style, Colby brings out the best in those around him and gives them opportunity to shine. Thus, he has been a consistently positive influence on school culture.”

“He's always been just a natural leader ever since he was little,” Colby’s mom Julie said. “People would be just drawn to him.”

Colby made many friends as he participated in National Honor Society and debate. He performed well academically, being named an AP Capstone candidate, Mathematics Sterling Scholar and class salutatorian.

Colby is also an accomplished athlete, competing in varsity baseball three years and varsity wrestling four years, earning letters and named academic all state in both sports.

“His character is unbelievable and always is willing to help the team however he can,” SAHS wrestling coach Tyler Wagner said. “He leads by example and with his voice.

Colby works hard in practice and is always willing to go the extra mile. Colby has a competitive edge that is unmatched.

Winning is the only thing but certainly important to him which I’m sure drives him to succeed.”

Colby is driven to his many accomplishments by his competitive nature.

“He's very, very competitive,” his mother said. “That's why he likes to do all of this. He has some older siblings who have excelled in different areas, and he just is so ultra-competitive that he wanted to do it all and wanted to do it all really well.”

Colby said his high school experiences have set himself up for the future he wants and in the way he interacts with others.

“Throughout high school, I've just been trying to establish my character of who I am and what I'm going to be like when I grow older and how I'm going to treat others, so that's what I've strived for,” he said.

Colby’s future plans include serving a mission for his church and studying mathematics at BYU. l

Colby Fox, outstanding graduate of Summit Academy High School.

(Photo courtesy of Julie Fox.)

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June 2022 | Page 9

Riverton High outstanding graduate: Prepared for success

D

JUNE 2021 EVENTS

2022

E VAmphitheater EEVENING N I Parking: N G495SERIES SEastE5300RSouth IES

Ticket Information:$49 801-264-2614 www.murray.utah.gov Season Tickets: Adult,or$45 Senior, $29 Child June 3 .......................................................................................The Sound of Music, Movie Sing-Along June 4 .......................................................................................Murray Symphony Amphitheater Parking: 495 EastPops 5300 South June 16-18, 20, 23-24.........................................................Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Info: 801-264-2614 or Concert www.murray.utah.gov JuneTicket 25 ....................................................................................Murray Band

July 9 .........................................................................................Jenny Oaks Baker Violin & Cello Student Workshop JulyJune 15-16, 18, 21-23 ............................................................Sister Act 4 .................................

Les Miserables, Movie Sing-Along July 29-30................................................................................A Celtic Summer’s Night, featuring Mairead Nesbitt

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

uring his three years attending Riverton High School, Ethan Donahey kept busy with a rigorous academic schedule and a variety of extracurricular activities and sports.

“He is a well-rounded person who knows how to set goals, work hard and stay true to himself,” RHS counselor Natalie Bartholomew said.

Ethan explored his interests through involvement in Math Club, Science Olympiad, Kindness Crew, and the cross country and track teams, often holding leadership positions.

“One thing that I learned from high school is that the journey of achieving things can be more fulfilling than actually achieving things if you do it right,” Ethan said.

Ethan maintained a 4.0 grade point average while taking multiple college-level courses—four concurrent enrollment classes, nine AP classes, and an advanced Computer Science Program.

“For me, the secret to academic success is to have high expectations of myself and then make myself believe that I am capable of fulfilling those expectations,”

June 5 ................................................... Murray Concert Band LUNCH CONCERT SERIES June 17-19, 21-23 ........................

Disney's The Little Mermaid Tuesday at Noon in Murray Park Pavilion #5, FREE 26 ......................................................

Murray JulyJune 12 ...................................................................................................

The Lazlos, Roots & RollSymphony

July 19 ................................................................................................... Iris (Britney Holman), Indie Pop/Folk July 26 .................................................................................................. Infusion Rock, Rock Band

L U N CLIBRARY H C OSUMMER N C E RSHORTS T SERIES

Wednesday at 1 p.m. in Murray Park Pavilion #5, FREE * Tuesday at Noon in Murray Park&Pavilion July 6 ......................................................................................................Scales Tails, Reptile#5, ShowFREE July 13 ....................................................................................................Scariff Irish School of Dance 1 - BD Howes ......................................................

JulyJune 20 ...................................................................................................Monroe’ s Mountain Melodies,Acoustic with Puppets JulyJune 27....................................................................................................Longwings, Bird Show 8 - Vaudeville Nouveau ................................... 50's - 80's

June 15 - Wasatch Jazz Syndicate ........................ Jazz Quartet CHILDREN MATINEE SERIES June 22 - Riding Gravity ..............................

Surf & Rockability Thursday at 2 p.m. in Murray Park Pavilion #5, FREE

July 14 ................................................................................................... Kenshin Taiko, Japanese Drumming July 21 ................................................................................................... Rick Schwemmer, German Cow Bells July 28 .................................................................................................. Paul Brewer, Magic Show

LIBRARY SUMMER SHORTS * Wednesday atFAMILY 1 PM inNIGHT MurraySERIES Park Pavilion #5, FREE

The 2nd Monday of every month at 7 p.m., FREE Paul Brewer June Murray 2 .............................................

Magic Show, Senior Recreation Center (#10 E 6150 S – 1/2 block west of State) June 9 ........................................... Scales & Tails Animal June 13..................................................................................................The Flashback Brothers, ClassicShow Rock JulyJune 11 ....................................................................................................Neo Vintage, Jazz & Bossanova 16 ................................................................

Mad Science This program received funding support from residents ofDJ Salt Juggling Lake County, SL& County Zoo, Arts & Parks June 23 has ..........................................

Magic Show (ZAP), Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, Utah Humanities, and National Endowment for the&Arts.

June 30 .........................................

Woody Jessie, Characters

Page 10 | June 2022

CHILDREN MATINEE SERIES

elizabeth.s@thecityjournals.com

Outstanding graduate of Riverton High School, Ethan Donahey. (Photo courtesy of Ethan Donahey.)

Ethan said.

Ethan’s belief in himself and hard work earned him many awards and recognitions, including RHS Mathematics Sterling Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Program Finalist, the Silverwolf Medallion Award, and academic and athletic letters. He also qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Exam.

“I believe all these achievements speak to Ethan’s work ethic—when he commits to something he will not allow anything to derail him,” Bartholomew said. “Ethan exudes maturity and dedication in all of his day to day activities and interactions.”

Ethan’s work ethic extended outside of school. He was actively involved in the Boy Scouts of America in which he earned the Life Rank. Ethan spent countless hours serving in the community and at school. Ethan’s favorite part of high school was participating in activities during Silver Rush, RHS’s annual charity drive.

“It's amazing to watch the student body come together and contribute to an amazing cause,” he said.

Bartholomew believes Ethan is well prepared for a successful life.

“To me, he exemplifies a young man who has goals and is committed to being successful in whatever he does,” she said.

After graduation, Ethan will serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and then plans on majoring in mathematics at BYU with a double minor in computer science and physics. l

Riverton City Journal

Mountain Ridge outstanding graduate: Math superhero to the rescue

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

C

hristian Richardson is a National Merit scholar finalist and State Math Sterling Scholar runner-up. He maintained a 4.0 GPA from seventh to 12th grade, scored a perfect 36 on the ACT and scored fives on every AP test he took. Christian graduated from Mountain Ridge High School with a math and world languages enhanced diploma.

What does such an extraordinary student do with his abilities? He helps others.

Because of his proficiency in math, Christian volunteered 110 hours tutoring summer school math students last summer. Realizing there were many students who need help with math homework during the school year, Christian organized an after school tutoring program. He recruited bilingual students to help tutor students who were English language learners.

“He's really good at recognizing a need and then doing something about it,” MRHS teacher Wendy Solomon said.

“When he sees something that he can do, he just jumps right in and does it. He doesn't wait for someone to prompt him.

And he tends to look at tasks with a real can-do attitude.”

When Christian realized how much time it took Solomon to grade her AP calculus students’ tests, he recruited other advanced math students to form the Calc Squad, a group who helps grade the tests.

“It turned out to be a winwin-win,” Solomon said. “It's a win for me because I spend less time here [at the school].

It's a win for my current calculus students because they get the test back sooner. And it's a win for these guys because they get to keep up on their math skills.”

As president of the National Honor Society, Christian organized service opportunities for students.

“He's just a really great leader and a very impressive young man,” Solomon said.

Christian has a passion for

RivertonJournal.com

Monday, July 4, 2022

When he sees something that he can do, he just jumps right in and does it.

He doesn’t wait for someone to prompt him.

And he tends to look at tasks with a real cando attitude.

Wendy Solomon learning and has explored interests in a variety of subjects.

He took six AP classes his senior year.

“All of the subjects were super interesting and captivating to me,” he said. “A little bit stressful in May and testing time, but also very much worth it.”

Christian was so passionate about his AP classes, he helped change district policy during the 2020-21 school year, when frequent school closures due to COVID-19 disrupted classroom learning. He said it was particularly frustrating to take AP classes from home so he and two friends petitioned the school board for an exemption.

“I thought never in a million years would the school board change their mind for a guy like me, just one student at one high school, especially since our board member was very interested in pursuing online education and blended learning,” Christian said.

Because of their well-researched presentation, the policy was changed, and AP students throughout the district were allowed to resume in-person classes.

“That was a really cool

Murray 2022 Fun Days Breakfast

Rotary Club Community Breakfast 6:30 – 10:00 am Murray Park Pavilion #5 $8 Adults, $6 Child (12 & under)

Sunrise Service

7:00 am Murray Park Amphitheater Music by Murray Concert Band

Chalk Art Contest

Christian Richardson at the 2022 FBLA state competition, where he won three second places and two first places to qualify for Nationals. (Photo courtesy of Christian Richardson.)

experience for me to see that I can make a difference in the local politics and my voice matters,” Christian said.

Christian is also a skilled linguist and is looking forward to learning Thai when he serves a mission in Thailand for his church later this year. Christian took Chinese language classes in middle school and Spanish in high school. After just two years of Spanish classes, he earned the Global Seal of Biliteracy, which normally takes four or five years.

Christian said he progressed so quickly because he was constantly translating in his head and was always asking his teacher questions. He believes not being afraid to ask questions is the secret to academic success.

“That is really the difference between a student who knows but doesn't challenge themselves and a student who will go the extra mile to really push themselves to learn and to achieve,” Christian said.

Christian believes perseverance and dedication also have a big impact on academic success, because he’s seen the effect on students he’s tutored.

“I have seen a lot of students come past my table,” he said. “I can look at them and see three months down the line whether they have an A in their class or whether they have an F is whether or not they're willing to put in their own time, to take advantage of the resources that they've been given and take initiative. I've seen that as these dedicated students have taken their day that they could spend playing sports or playing video games and put the time in to study math, they found huge success.”

Christian developed leadership skills as MRHS’s student body president and in various church and scouting leadership roles. He participated in MRHS’s Choose Kind Club, MESA Club, and in the DECA and FBLA business clubs, in which he qualified for both organizations’ national competitions this year.

Christian will be attending BYU to explore his interests in computer science, artificial intelligence, linguistic computing, business and mathematics. l

6:00 am – 2:00 pm, Winners announced at 2:30 pm **Pre-registration Required 5K and Kids Race Both races begin and end near Constitution Circle, Murray Park 5K Race 8:00 am, Kids Race at 9:00 am $20 early registration until June 19 $25 registration June 20-24 $10 for Kids Race by June 24 Register online at mcreg.com no later than June 24 No day of registrations.

Coed Doubles Outdoor Volleyball Tournament

Adults, Youth, Parent/Child Divisions 8 am – 4 pm, Softball Field in Murray Park $30 per team Register online at mcreg.com no later than June 30 No day of registrations.

Parade

8:30 am Begins at Fashion Place Mall and ends at Murray Park

Activities

10 am – 4 pm ...... Car & Bike Show (Behind swimming pool) 11 am – 4 pm ........ Food Trucks & Game Booths 1 pm – 2 pm .......... Bingo 12 pm – 4 pm ........ Park Center Hours 12 pm – 6 pm ........ Aquatic Center Hours

Activities for Kids

11 am – 2 pm ......... Games 11 m – 2 pm ............ Fishing Booth, Face Painting (minimal fee)

12:00 om ..................................Balance Bike Race (pre-register) 12:30 pm .................. Firemen Squirt (free)

Daytime Entertainment

Murray Park Gazebo 11:00 am .................. Noa Polynesia, Dance 11:45 am.................... Arts in the Park Musical Reviews 12:30 pm .................. Michael Paine Band

Evening Entertainment

Murray Park Softball Field 8:30 pm .................... The Current, Party Band 10:00 pm Fireworks

(leave personal fireworks at home)

June 2022 | Page 11

Riverton City Council districts are redone following results to the 2020 federal census. (Riverton City)

Riverton City Council readjusts its district boundaries

By Michael J. Jewkes | m.jewkes@mycityjournals.com

T

he next decade of the city’s district map is set.

“I believe we landed on a map that will adequately and fairly represent Riverton residents for the next 10 years,” said Councilmember Tawnee McCay regarding the adoption of Ordinance No. 22-07, which accounts for the redistricting of Riverton’s five city council districts.

The new map was adopted back in February of this year marking the first change in Riverton’s city council district borders in about 10 years. According to Riverton City, “…2,700 residents out of the city’s 45,285 were moved into a new district.”

Every decade following the United States Census, all representative governments, from federal to local, are required by federal law to enact any necessary changes to account for population shifts that may have occurred during the 10 years. This governmental practice dates back to only the mid1960s following a group of supreme court cases regarding equal representation.

Two legendary court rulings account for the routine changes in council districts. First, Wesberry v. Sanders (1964), which coined the term, “as nearly equal as possible,” when ruling on the topic of congressional districts within each state. “…[districts] must be so close in population that they essentially are equal in population,” says the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The second case came in the same year.

Reynolds v. Sims (1964) ruled that the same concept established in Wesberry v. Sanders was to apply to all other legislative bodies.

From the state legislature all the way down to a local city council, all must strive to be as equal as possible in representing their pop-

Page 12 | June 2022

ulation.

As for Riverton, the changes have not been substantial; however, they have had an impact on thousands of residents. Some council members have had their districts grown like McCay’s, whose western-most boundary was extended to Mountain View Corridor to include the Western Springs neighborhood. Despite this extension, McCay’s district remains under the ideal population of 9,057 residents per district in account of growing subdivisions within her district borders.

Other councilmembers districts were reduced to adjust for imminent growth. Councilmember Sheldon Stewart has long held the largest district as far as population. Stewart’s district boundaries were also reduced to include a population decrease to account for multiple subdivisions that are expected to grow in the coming years including: the Edge Homes’ Mountain Ridge development and the SALT Village Lofts at Mountain View Village.

Redistricting can be an arduous process.

“Partisan bickering” and “gerrymandering” are common phrases that normally accompany redistricting. Mayor Trent Staggs described this year’s redistricting process slightly differently saying, “The redistricting process went very smoothly this year,” he said, continuing, “I appreciate Councilmember McCay’s leadership in proposing new boundary lines and the other councilmembers for working together to approve a map which I think will serve our city well.”

Redistricting of the city council districts is in response to the Federal Census collected in 2020. l

Riverton City Journal

The proposed budget would send funding toward infrastructure projects like broadband and cleaner water systems next year. (Riverton City)

No tax increases forces City to look elsewhere to fund infrastructure projects in the coming year

By Michael J. Jewkes | m.jewkes@mycityjournals.com

T

he Riverton City Council adopted its tentative budgets for the 2022-2023 fiscal year last month causing many to look optimistically to the city’s future.

Mayor Trent Staggs released a statement along with the proposed budget to the public in early May with some highlights of what this year’s budget could include. “There are no proposed fee or property tax increases.”

Staggs said. Low taxes and fiscally conservative spending have been a trademark for Riverton’s government for years, and this year’s budget proposals were right on par.

With post-pandemic economic rebounds and intense inflation, Riverton has still managed to maintain its no-property tax policy.

In order to accomplish this, the city government has had to find ways of raising revenue without raising taxes or instigating property tax, something its residents desperately love.

With high inflation rates and prices for goods on the rise, this has been no small task.

Commercial sales tax is the city’s top source for making up the difference for the fault in property tax. General sales and use taxes are expected to account for $12 million in revenue for the city’s general fund. This is up from the $6.26 million accounted for so far in the 2021-2022 budget. According to Staggs, “Sales tax revenues have increased 59% since 2018.” Staggs anticipates finishing around $11 million in sales tax revenue for the current fiscal year. Leading to a potential for a $1 million increase in the 20222023 fiscal year.

Staggs, backed by the City Council, have made their ambition for creating new infrastructure projects obvious. Projects such as broadband connectivity in government buildings, secondary water metering, much-needed sidewalks, and new roads

RivertonJournal.com

remain the top priority for Riverton’s infrastructure spending. Without tax increases to raise revenue to fund these projects, Riverton city has used other funding sources like the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) and the Class ‘C’ Road Fund to make up the lost ground from tax cuts.

The ARPA funding is set to be spent on specifically two areas of projects in the city.

First, broadband infrastructure in city buildings. This will be used to eventually branch out to benefit private entities as a whole in the city.

Secondly, ARPA funds would help provide a cleaner water supply and save money by lowering watering costs for the city as well as the county. Councilmember Tawnee McCay claims that Salt Lake County is spending around $1 million on what is known as “culinary water” to water a county golf course in Riverton. Riverton’s famous Green Well could be providing water to keep the golf course available, according to McCay. “One thing that the city is using ARPA funding for…would go to do a reverse osmosis system on this Green Well…and pay for a pipe to go in, that would pipe it into this golf course.” She continued, “If we were able to do that…they would be able to keep that $1 million worth of water [for] culinary uses.”

McCay still feels that ARPA funds have done more harm than good saying, “…overall…I don't feel like any of the cities have had a true need for this money. I think that… the inflation…is hurting our residents more than they're getting the benefit from these specific projects."

The Riverton City Council is set to finalize the budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year in June. l

June 2022 | Page 13

Steve DeBry to retire after more than 40 years in law enforcement

A

fter serving in law enforcement for more than 40 years, Salt Lake County Councilmember and Millcreek City Chief of Police Steve DeBry will hang up his badge later this year. His career path was started by his father who became a Salt Lake County Deputy Sheriff when DeBry was 6 years old.

“I remember my father came and spoke to my first-grade class,” he said. “I remember looking at him in his uniform, and I was just so proud of him. It made me so happy that he was helping people and that he was respected.”

DeBry grew up on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley, graduating from Cyprus High School before attending the University of Utah. His plan was to become a history teacher and coach, but when he worked as a court bailiff for Judge Reginald W. Garff Jr., he turned back toward law enforcement.

His career path changed again when he met Lorraine Lyman, who wasn’t excited to marry a police officer. He tried different jobs but nothing felt right. In March 1982, DeBry became a deputy, working for Salt Lake County Sheriff N.D. Pete Hayward. Lorraine worked part-time as a hairdresser and DeBry worked several jobs as they raised their three children.

“She stuck with me through thick and

Page 14 | June 2022

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com thin for almost 43 years and that’s very difficult because with police officers there’s a high divorce rate,” he said.

At the time, mental health wasn’t addressed with law enforcement officers. DeBry said it was difficult to come home from a tragic event without letting it affect their marriage. From the start, they established good communication, learning to compromise and listen.

“I tried to be open, honest and sincere with her,” he said. “There were times when I wanted to talk about something and she would listen. Most of the time, she knew when I didn’t want to talk, and she didn’t push the issue.”

DeBry advanced through different units, serving on the first SWAT team in Utah, and working in schools with the Sheriff Assisting Youth program. He was one of the first detectives assigned to the Metro Gang Unit in 1990 and worked as an internal affairs investigator when Salt Lake County Sheriff Aaron Kennard promoted him to sergeant.

Later, he oversaw the detective unit and COP officers in Millcreek, Cottonwood Heights, Brighton and Holladay, eventually serving as chief of police in Holladay.

He’s been in Millcreek for five years and said a lot has changed in policing since

1982. There’s now an attitude from the public that’s proven deadly to some officers. Almost 150 police officers have been killed in Utah, since records have been kept.

“I think the respect and admiration has decreased. Back when I started, people would give you a lot more trust and respect.

Walls have gone up. It’s more of an us versus them feeling. I never felt that way myself and I’ve done everything I can to break down barriers and talk to people and get to know people…if you don’t have trust you can’t have a relationship.”

He emphasizes the need to re-fund the police, get officers trained and paid well, hire the best people and support “the thin blue line that keeps everyone safe.”

When he talks about the lives saved and the lives lost, he still gets emotional. The best change he’s seen over his career has been the approach to mental health.

“Now we have help. Now we have mental health resources so our officers can be taken care of with what they’re dealing with,” he said. “I’m still dealing with stuff 41 years later. I can talk about it and things flood into my mind, the good stuff you did, the little kids that you find, the people you help along the way, and the tragedies you have to deal with.”

Millcreek City Chief of Police Steve DeBry will retire from law enforcement this year, after more than four decades of service. (Photo courtesy of Steve DeBry)

DeBry has served three terms on the Salt Lake County Council in the southwestern District 5 and is running for a fourth term this year.

“I love my career. I would have done it over again. I think it’s the most honorable and fulfilling job anyone can have,” he said.

“My legacy is that I hope I did some good and I hope I helped a lot of people along life’s journey.” l

Riverton City Journal

Enjoy al fresco dining at eateries throughout the valley

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

W

arm June temperatures bring with them the option to dine outside. Many establishments with beautiful outdoor seating are for special occasions, like La Caille in Sandy, The Charleston Draper and Tuscany in Holladay.

But a number of other locally-owned restaurants around the valley offer charming patio spaces for dining on a budget.

Here are five al fresco dining spots that are easy on the wallet.

Price guide: $ = entrees under $10 $$ = entrees $10 - $15 Bubble N Bean (Food For Thought) 12640 S. Fort St. in Draper This cafe, which is tucked up against the southeast corner of Draper Historic Park, specializes in coffee and boba drinks. The cafe ended dining room service in 2020, but food and drink are still available through the drive-thru or walk-up windows.

Choose from a range of beverages that includes mint lemonade, s’mores hot chocolate and caramel apple cider as well as more traditional sodas, tea and coffee. The cafe also offers ice cream and a variety of baked goods, including breakfast sandwiches and avocado toast.

Pull up a chair on the patio or lawn to enjoy the fresh air and watch locals enjoy the peaceful, historic park next door. $ - www.bubblenbean.square.site/ Landmark Grill - 760 Fort Union Blvd. in Midvale This family-owned diner has a charming patio tucked away from the bustle of Fort Union Boulevard. The Greek-inspired food includes one-of-a-kind dishes like Nick’s

Many ingredients are locally-sourced at Roots Cafe in Millcreek. (Sarah Morton Taggart/City Journals)

Original Round House, which is made of hash browns plus three kinds of meat and two kinds of cheese.

“Landmark Grill stands out because it is a family-owned operation that take great pride in quality and service,” said Laurie Erickson, one of the owners of Landmark Grill. “This is proven by the number of regular diners that we have. Some even come in on a daily basis.”

Enjoy breakfast or lunch surrounded by trees and shrubs and the sounds of singing birds.

“Our patio is eastern facing with a view of the beautiful Wasatch range and has the

Landmark Grill in Midvale has a shaded patio tucked away from the bustle of Fort Union Boulevard.

(Sarah Morton Taggart/City Journals)

RivertonJournal.com

Diners flock to Lone Star Taqueria in Cottonwood Heights on May 5. (Sarah Morton Taggart/City Journals)

warmth of the morning sun,” Erickson said. $$ - landmarkgrillutah.com Lone Star Taqueria - 2265 E. Fort Union Blvd. in Cottonwood Heights Eclectic patio furniture and quirky details like cowboy boot-covered fenceposts let you know you’re in for a treat at Lone Star Taqueria. Tacos made with fresh, housemade tortillas come filled with your choice of protein, including pescado (fish), camaron (shrimp), deshebrada (shredded beef) pollo asado (chicken) and three different styles of pork.

Lone Star Taqueria has been around for a long time, and it shows in the vintage patio furniture and seamless service. The outdoor chairs lean back, almost forcing you to relax as you feel the sun on your face. If you prefer shade, snag a table under one of the many umbrellas encased in cement, ensuring that that will not topple over in the wind blowing down from Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Karl Rottner has been coming to Lone Star since it opened in 1994. A mountain guide at Alta and substitute teacher, Rottner keeps coming back for the fish tacos and chicken burritos.

“The feel is authentic,” Rottner said.

“Tourists know it and remember it.” $ - lstaq. com Nielsen’s Frozen Custard - 3779 S. Jordan Pkwy. in South Jordan The South Jordan location of Nielsen’s Frozen Custard features a spacious patio where patrons can enjoy burgers, fries and, of course, their namesake frozen custard, which is similar to ice cream.

The outdoor space is tucked away from traffic and just a short sprint from Rushton Meadows Park. $ - nielsensfrozencustard.com

Diners soak up early May sunshine at Roots Cafe in Millcreek. (Sarah Morton Taggart/City Journals)

Roots Cafe - 3474 S. 2300 East in Millcreek The bright, sunny patio at Roots Cafe is perfect for enjoying a satisfying meal outdoors.

Roots offers breakfast and lunch made with fresh ingredients used in creative ways, like the Spicy Peeto French Dip, which adds caramelized jalapeños, sweet onions, pepper jack cheese and an avocado horseradish aioli to the traditional thinly-sliced beef sandwich. There is also a variety of salads, breakfast items and fresh juices. Locally-sourced ingredients are used whenever possible.

The generous patio is shaded by a mature sycamore tree, along with retractable awnings.

You’ll want to sit there all day, but please don’t linger too long. The management requests that diners not “camp” because there are plenty of others waiting patiently for a table.

Roots Cafe is housed in the historic Baldwin Radio Factory and shares an entrance with The Old Flamingo, an antiques and furniture store. $$ - rootscafeslc.com l

June 2022 | Page 15

Board of Education Update Did You Know We Do More with Less?

• Jordan School District’s tax yield per student is well below the state average. Our total tax yield per student is $1,996. Neighboring districts yield up to $4,897 per student.

• Our local tax yield per student for operations like utilities and teacher salaries is $982 per student while the state average is $2,115.

• Our Board Local Levy is the third lowest of 41 school districts in Utah.

• Find out more at jordandistrict.org/financialfacts

New Literacy Launch Showing Early Signs of Success Thanks to Teachers & Students • The latest K-6 Acadience Reading scores increased 5.5% over last year.

• K-6 growth from the beginning to the middle of the year went up by 12.8% over last year.

Jordan School District is One of the Fastest Growing Districts in the State

Projections show that Jordan anticipates an increase of 3,631 students in the next seven years. To house all of those students, we would need the equivalent of four elementary schools or 145 portables.

Excitement Building as District Prepares to Open New School

Oak Leaf Elementary in Herriman will open in August.

The community is excited about establishing educational opportunities and creating new traditions.

Projected Enrollment

59,092

59,454

59,817

60,101

60,282

2027-28

2028-29

58,013 56,651

2021-22

57,143

2022-23

2023-24

2024-25

2025-26

2026-27

District Launches First “Unified Golf” Program in Utah

“Unified Golf” is a program for middle school students with and without disabilities to come together and play on a team in competitive golf.

For the latest news & information please visit us at jordandistrict.org or find us on Page 16 | June 2022

Riverton City Journal

June 2022

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

Mayor’s Budget Proposal Highlights

By Mayor Trent Staggs I was pleased to present the Mayor’s Budget for Fiscal Year 20222023 to the City Council on May 3 for their review and consideration. In close consultation with our city manager and administrative services director, the proposal accounts for both operational need and the new strategic priorities established by the City Council.

Our city is well-positioned to accomplish much in the coming year largely due to smart planning efforts and fiscally sound policies and practices. Here are a few financial highlights to note as you review the budget: • There are no proposed fee or property tax increases.

• Total budgeted expenditures, excluding transfers and additions to fund balance, are $53.1 million.

• Since Fiscal Year 2015, total budgeted expenditures for the city have only grown by 37%,

and just 29% if you remove onetime expenditures tied to Federal and State emergency funding such as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

• Since Fiscal Year 2015, taking out storm water expenditures that were rolled into this fund, expenditures have increased just 17% in the General Fund.

Substantially lower than inflation. The General Fund is the best barometer of whether a government is fiscally disciplined in my view.

• Sales tax revenues have increased 59% since 2018. We anticipate finishing at $11 million in sales tax revenue for Fiscal Year 2022.

• American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds will be used to pay for several projects. The city has already received $2.6 million and will receive the remaining $2.6 million in July.

• We anticipate a very healthy flow of development revenue to the city, including 182 single family homes and 220 multifamily units we project to begin construction this year.

• We continue to reduce city debt; current debt per capita sits at $805 down substantially from $1,118 in 2015.

RIVERTON REVIEW | JUNE 2022

• Riverton City maintains a AAA credit rating.

There are two projects that are of great interest to me that I wanted to mention here.

The first is the installation of a reverse osmosis system on the city’s Green Well to improve water quality that will meet or exceed the facilities. $1.2 million of ARPA quality of water provided by the funds have been budgeted to pay Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD). Salt Lake County for it. We anticipate the network has signaled interest in contributing will dramatically increase internet speeds at city facilities and save $3 million toward the project in the city money on the cost of exchange for a special water rate internet service, and potentially for the Riverbend Golf Course. drive more choice This investment, and competition combined with by allowing private a contribution of providers to utilize “Our city is $650,000 from the this network. well-positioned to city using ARPA funds, will allow accomplish much in I’ve called out us to re-engage the coming year largely several other the Green Well. key projects in due to smart planning This innovative the budget letter. efforts and fiscally project could Please feel free supply nearly sound policies and to review the half of the city’s practices.” letter and the culinary water entire budget at needs, reducing rivertonutah. our dependency gov/budget. I on JVWCD water, and allowing us encourage all to read through the to keep culinary water rates low for budget proposal and reach out to the foreseeable future. me or a member of the City Council if you have questions. The final The second is the installation of budget will be adopted by June 21. a fiber network to connect city

PAGE 1

COUNCIL MESSAGE

Reviewing SLCo Shared Police Services 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 citymanager@rivertonutah.gov 801-208-3129

CITY HALL 801-254-0704

By Councilmember Sheldon Stewart We will celebrate three years since the Riverton Police Department was created on July 1. Since that time, I have received numerous compliments about our department and the type of officers we have serving our community. These are a special group of people that take their job seriously, not only on duty, but off duty as some of you may have seen with Officer Mosher this past month while off duty coming to the aid of a person in need. RPD is a proactive department in seeking out and assisting our residents in need and in keeping our community safe.

What is unique about this department is how we have partnered with our wonderful neighbors in Herriman and South Jordan to create one of the best SWAT teams in the United States. In addition to these services, we have also created with our neighboring cities major incident

responses teams for a myriad of countywide policing services. areas from major crimes to accident reconstructions. All these enhanced All the services listed that “shared services dedicated to our area with services” provides, we already offer more officers are saving residents with the Riverton Police Departmore than $2 ment. This is a million a year in double tax. As property taxes.

Riverton resi“All these enhanced This totals $6 dents, we are services dedicated to our paying for offimillion in savings area with more officers since the creation cers in Millcreek, of the Riverton Midvale, Holladay, are saving residents Law Enforcement Kearns, or anymore than $2 million a Service Area. The where else that year in property taxes.” savings will conreceives police tinue to grow. services from the Unified Police DeThere has been a lot of dialogue partment with the justification that it around a Salt Lake County budget is because the officer has a secondline item tied to “shared services” ary assignment of SWAT or another recently among police agencies in service that we already have in our the southwest portion of the county. department.

This item is defined as countywide policing services, but as a city, we As a city, we have responded to have dug further into this line item multiple inquiries regarding these and found that it is really only beneservices, and we continue to press fiting members of the Unified Police the county on this supplement that Department. As Riverton residents, benefits only members of Unified we pay property taxes to Salt Lake Police Department. It is important County. They take a portion of our that you let our county representatax dollars and then allocate $3.3 tives know that we don’t agree with million dollars to Unified Police Desubsidizing police services in other partment for the stated purpose of communities.

Protect Our Waterways: Cleanup Firework Debris

UPCOMING CITY MEETINGS CITY COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday, June 2 & 21, 7 p.m.

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Thursday, June 9 & 23, 6:30 p.m

FIND US ONLINE!

HELP CONSERVE WATER

@rivertonutahgov

Utah is facing drought conditions again this year. We encourage you to look for ways you can reduce your water use. Find tips on ways you can save water this year at slowtheflow.org.

www.rivertonutah.gov PAGE 2

Did you know that firework debris can be a major pollutant for our streams and rivers?

As you celebrate Independence Day and Pioneer Day in July, remember to sweep firework debris from roads, gutters, sidewalks, and driveways.

We recommend placing debris from fireworks in a bucket of water before disposal.

RIVERTON REVIEW | JUNE 2022

PUBLIC SAFETY MESSAGE

Non-Traditional Vehicle Safety

By Chief Don Hutson Summer is here and it is time for all of us to be mindful of a changing landscape on the streets of Riverton. Many more pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, and other types of traffic will be more prevalent and require all of us to be more aware.

Among the non-traditional vehicles we see more routinely during the summer months are golf carts and all-terrain vehicles.

We receive a good number of complaints from our citizens concerned about golf carts and other non-traditional vehicles on our roadways.

Some citizens are irritated by them, some are very concerned for the safety of the riders, and some don’t see their use as problematic.

I would like to clarify a few points regarding the utilization of these

non-traditional vehicles on the streets of Riverton.

First, Riverton City does not currently have an ordinance authorizing or regulating the use of non-traditional vehicles on city streets.

Given this, If a non-traditional vehicle is driven by a licensed driver, it is still not state law is the legal for them to drive on the roadway unless it has all the necessary authority regusafety equipment and is legally registered. lating their use.

It is illegal for an unlicensed driver roadway. However, it may be legal to operate any vehicle, including a for them to drive on the side of the golf cart or other off-road vehicle, on road, like an electric scooter or the roadway. It is important to know bicycle. If a non-traditional vehicle the roadway is the portion of the is driven by a licensed driver, it is street where vehicles travel, not the still not legal for them to drive on the shoulder. roadway unless it has all the necessary safety equipment outlined If operated on any specified highabove. way, a non-traditional vehicle shall be equipped with head lamps, tail Our interest, as police officers in lamps, turn signal lamps, and other Riverton, is the safety of our citiequipment specified in state law. zens. That said, when it comes to enforcement of traffic laws in RivIt would be erton, our focus will be to address impossible any situation which we deem to be for me to unsafe. The best way to get our address evattention, and perhaps be the focus ery scenario of our enforcement efforts, would be related to to engage in unsafe behavior as it non-tradition- relates to the use of non-traditional al vehicles, modes of transportation. but I will specifically I can assure you we will get a call if address a ten-year-old, and six or seven of the most his/her friends, are cruising down common the middle of the street on a golf situations I cart. Conversely, if your fifteenhave seen. year-old rides down the side of the If a golf cart roadway to a friend’s house, that will or ATV is probably not draw our attention. driven by an unlicensed In closing, please help us keep driver, it is our streets safe by monitoring your not legal children’s use of golf carts and other for them to similar forms of transportation to drive on the keep them safe.

RIVERTON REVIEW | JUNE 2022

4

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RIVERTON CONNECT APP

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PAGE 3

UPCOMING EVENTS

Riverton Town Days June 30 - July 2

• Carnival - June 30 - July 4 • Car Show - June 30, 4-9 p.m.

• Parade - July 1, 6:30 p.m.

• Movie in the Park - July 1, 9:30 p.m.

• Activities for Everyone - July 1 & 2, All Day • Country Mile, 1M, 5K & 10K - July 2, 7 a.m.

• Fireworks - July 2, 10 p.m.

• Learn more at rivertonutah.gov/towndays

RIVERTON REVIEW

Town Days Rodeo Tickets On Sale Now! • Friday, June 24 & Saturday, June 25, 8 p.m., Riverton Rodeo Arena • Get your tickets early so you don’t miss out at rivertonutah.gov/rodeo.

• Tickets are only $9 each and must be purchased online.

• Tickets will not be sold at the gate.

Register: Town Days Races

Town Days Parade Float Entries

3-Man Arena Sorting Competition

Registration for the Town Days 5K, 10K and 1-Mile Races has begun. Register at rivertonutah.gov/ races. Saturday, July 2, 7 a.m. (10K), 7:15 a.m.

(5K), 8:30 a.m. (1-Mile).

Applications are available online for entries in the Riverton Town Days Parade. Entries are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Find details at rivertonutah.gov/parade. Applications Close: June 13.

Riverton Town Days kicks off with the annual 3-Man Arena Sorting Competition. Come watch cowboys and cowgirls work to sort calves. Wednesday, June 22, 7 p.m., Riverton Rodeo Arena. Free Event!

Register: Flag Football

Register: Fall Baseball

Friday Fun Nights

2021-2022 Utah PTA Reflections Exhibit

Public Safety Night

Registration for Flag Football ends on August 1. Children in 1st-6th Grade are eligible to participate. Season features 7 games. Register online.

Get your kids age 3-8 years old registered for Riverton City’s Fall Baseball league! Season includes 7 games. Registration closes June 27.

Friday Fun Nights in Riverton are the best! We’ve got food trucks, a summer market, entertainment, and a movie in the park every Friday from July 29 to August 26.

Come see original winning art pieces created by dozens of young Utah artists, all age 18 and younger, that were submitted at this years art competition.

The Riverton Police Department and Unified Fire Authority have a great family night with food, games and fun planned at Public Safety Night!

• League Begins Tuesday, September 6

• League Begins Tuesday, August 2

• Monday May 23 - August 10, Old Dome Meeting Hall

• Wednesday, August 3, 6-8 p.m., Riverton City Park

PAGE 4

• Food trucks & vendors open from 6-9 p.m. Movie begins at dusk.

RIVERTON REVIEW | JUNE 2022

RivertonJournal.com

June 2022 | Page 21

UTAH REAL ESTATE RESOURCE CENTER

OUR SERVICES: › Find a Home › Home Value › Communities

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE

DISCOVER YOUR NEXT HOME VISIT UTRERC.COM Page 22 | June 2022

Riverton City Journal

Champions of preservation—How one nonprofit helps save historic Utah buildings

By Deb Schoenberg Hafner | d.hafner@mycityjournals.com

W

hen David Amott was little, he built entire cities from the heavy clay soil in his backyard in Cottonwood. He was fascinated by form, and his yard became a diorama where he built everything from native adobes to engineered masterpieces modeled from books.

“As a five year old I had a book about a haunted house,” recalls Amott, “and I didn’t care about the ghosts. I wanted to remove the cobwebs and paint it and fix it up.”

Amott, without exception, is “absolutely riveted by structure.” He earned a degree in historic architecture and is the Executive Director of Preservation Utah, a nonprofit that advocates for historic preservation in Utah.

At the end of April, Preservation Utah hosted their annual conference, after a hiatus for the pandemic, at the renovated and preserved Art Castle on the west side in Salt Lake City.

This year’s conference, “Preservation Engaged: Celebrating Utah’s Communities,” hosted representatives from cities throughout Utah who were in attendance to learn how to combine economic development with community driven, comprehensive downtown revitalization and historic preservation.

Preservation Utah advocates for preservation-oriented public policies by supporting legislation, working with elected officials and administrators, and providing creative and sustainable solutions in collaboration with property owners. But the preservation seed has to be planted deep at the local level, with individuals, towns, and communities coming together to initiate, advocate and sow preservation projects.

The preservation movement has swept across America in the last few decades and has established itself as powerful and an important part of cities and towns, with preservation being an accepted practice at the local government level.

Draper’s historic committee has spearheaded efforts to preserve aspects of the soon-to-be-relocated prison, Taylorsville recently added its first building to the National Register of Historic Places, and Millcreek recently nominated a seven-member Historic Commission to work on preservation efforts and to fix outdated ordinances. Their first meeting was in May, and they have a big job ahead.

“The greenest building,” says Amott, touting the quintessential preservationist belief, “is the one that’s already been built.”

At any given time, Preservation Utah has 25 to 30 preservation projects from around the state that need funding for preservation.

These days, with housing prices reaching all-time highs, residents in towns and cities across America have become increasingly interested in turning existing buildings around with adaptive reuse—restoring and

RivertonJournal.com

The inside main room of the Art Castle where conference attendees gathered for the keynote speaker, Claudia Loayza, the communications and community engagement coordinator for the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs. (Deb Hafner/City Journals)

updating historic buildings and utilizing the space in new ways to meet the needs of the community. The Art Castle is one such example.

According to the EPA, a new, green, energy-efficient office building that includes as much as 40% recycled materials would take approximately 65 years to recover the energy lost in demolishing a comparable existing building.

“A remarkable example of adaptive reuse in Salt Lake is the Granary,” Amott said.

One of Salt Lake City's oldest districts, it used to be a busy manufacturing, processing and storage center, but it was in danger of being demolished. It was rescued and restored and today is home to restaurants and shops.

The Granary took part in the Main Street America initiative, a federal program adopted and administered in every state. In Utah, the program falls under the auspices of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, and the Utah Main Street America Program helps communities revitalize their economy, appearance, and image of downtown commercial districts. Salt Lake City (The Granary), Brigham City, Price, Heber and Tooele, in addition to about 15 more Utah cities, have a Main Street designation and have received funding for revitalization.

Brigham City and Price were Utah Main Street pilot program cities, each receiving facade rehabilitation grants and ultimately seeing increased economic activity and success from the program.

Nan Groves Anderson, the Utah Main Street Program Director, on a panel at the Preservation Utah conference, reported that

nationwide, since 1980, over 2,000 communities have participated in the Main Street program, with $61 billion in new investment, 525,000 net new jobs, and 251,000 buildings rehabilitated.

Closer to home, Preservation Utah has advocated in many cities in Utah, including Millcreek. Amott said they have two historic easements on houses in the city that are regularly monitored, the summer house of the Silver Queen and a modern glass house by architect John Sugden.

But, as with all preservation efforts, you win some and lose some. After Millcreek City was established, recalls Amott, Preservation Utah advocated for the George Merrill Estate, which was eventually demolished and is now an Ivory Homes development.

Preservation Utah also stepped in on the Old Meeting House building, which became controversial when it was approved to be demolished and replaced with townhomes.

Garbett Homes has been approved to build on the site, and since the meeting house sits on a fault line and is structurally older, it was determined it was not a good candidate for adaptive reuse.

Although the effort to save the building was lost, some good came out of it. Preservation Utah helped advocate for an improved city preservation ordinance and the establishment of the new historic commission, and city officials requested Garbett install an historical marker to commemorate the building.

Preservation and sustainability models have gained traction in the race to develop places to accommodate the population

A view of the Art Castle, a project by Utah Arts Alliance to acquire, preserve, renovate, and activate the historic 120-year-old 15th Ward Chapel located at 915 W. 100 South. (Deb Hafner/City Journals)

The Old Meeting House at 4120 Highland Drive in Millcreek is important historically because it was designed by the grandson of Brigham Young, Joseph Don Carlos Young, and his son Don Carlos Young, and built in 1905. (Photo credit EstateSales.org)

growth. “You can’t build your way to affordability,” Amott said. It is greener to remodel a home and to repurpose a large building or district, and through community effort and advocacy, new resources and funding it is a path many are taking.

At their conference, Preservation Utah shared myriad resources, including how to access the Main Street America Program, tax credits, and funding available to anyone interested in preserving a home, district or land. If you are interested in finding out more about the home you live in, discovering more about historic places in your city, or how to place make and advocate, Preservation Utah website is a good place to start (preservationutah.org). l

June 2022 | Page 23

MARK YOUR CALENDAR CINEMARK RIVERTON AND COMING SOON TO MOUNTAIN VIEW VILLAGE Our brand-new theatre opens in July, featuring a wall-to-wall XD screen, heated Luxury Lounger seats, and all your favorite concessions.

NOW SUMMER OPEN2022NOWSUMMER OPEN 2022 NOW OPEN SUMMERNOW 2022 OPEN SUMMER NOW OPEN 2022 Page 24 | June 2022

Riverton City Journal

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They focus on advanced gynecologic surgery, which includes robotics and minimally invasive laparoscopic and hysteroscopic procedures, in order to provide the highest quality care possible. These procedures are used in the treatment of the following conditions: • • • • • •

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RivertonJournal.com

June 2022 | Page 25

Riverton’s late season surge ends in playoffs’ second round Photos by Justin Adams

Captain Michael Wunderli rounds his defender against Mountain Ridge. Riverton finished the season 9-9 (7-3 in region) falling at Farmington 2-1 in the second round of the playoffs. It was the Silverwolves second visit to Farmington this year with Riverton coming up short in preseason too, succumbing to the Phoenix on penalties 5-4 after a tight 2-2 game.

Alejandro Regla looks to cross the ball during a tight region game against Mountain Ridge the Silverwolves would win in a shootout. Riverton had seven games go to overtime with five of them reaching penalties this year, going 3-4 in those close matches.

Junior Curen Cole was a pivotal defender for the Silverwolves this season. After starting the year 1-4 (with two of those losses coming in shootouts), Riverton went 8-5 the rest of the way finishing second in Region 3 and the No. 11 seed for the 6A playoffs.

JJ Cubillas is part of a talented freshmen group with potential over the next several years.

Page 26 | June 2022

Riverton City Journal

CANYONSONLINE.CANYONSDISTRICT.ORG

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June 2022 | Page 27

7/31/22

7/31/22

Page 28 | June 2022

7/31/22

Riverton City Journal

Mountain Ridge girls lacrosse team dominant once again in year two

By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com

T

he Mountain Ridge High School girls lacrosse team was dominant once again in year two, finishing the regular season with a 14-2 overall record and a 12-0 region record.

Those marks are almost identical to last year, (15-1, 12-0). Despite the one additional loss, head coach Angie Brescia said this year’s team is better.

“We are a lot more deep this year. Last year I felt like it was mostly our starters that we could rely on, but this year we have a lot more depth,” she said.

That depth has allowed Brescia to deploy a lot more substitutions over the course of a game. With the extra rest, she expects her players to always go 100%.

Another big reason for the team’s success this year is the amount of experience on the roster. With only two seniors last year, the Sentinels relied on a lot of younger players to make big contributions. Now that extra experience is paying off.

The Sentinels have a strong attacking trio in Senior Morgan Mackey (58 goals), Sophomore Emmery Clark (56 goals) and Senior Paige Runia (48 goals). Clark and Runia also excel as field generals, with 30 and 25 assists, respectively.

One newcomer to the team is senior goalie Bekah Bargeron. Her family moved into the school’s boundaries, which was

fortunate because the team was in need of a goalie.

“She knows her stuff, she communicates well with her teammates,” Brescia said.

Despite the success in back-to-back regular seasons, the Sentinels are focused on where they fell short last year: the playoffs.

As a No. 2 seed in the Division A playoffs, Mountain Ridge’s season came to an end in the second round at the hands of 10th-seeded Olympus.

“We were in our own heads a lot in our last game, so that’s been a big focus for us this season,” Brescia said.

Once again a No. 2 seed in the playoffs (though this year they’re organized by classification), the Sentinels entered the postseason focused on taking things one game at a time.

“We know that we can’t take any team for granted. That’s what we did last year, to our detriment,” Brescia said. “We’re going to play every game as if it’s our last and leave it all out there.”

Whatever happens in the playoffs, Brescia said she’s proud of how her team has played this year.

“I’m super proud of them for their positive attitudes and always playing hard and choosing to play a team rather than selfishly,” she said. l

Sophomore Emmery Clark leads the team in assists and is second in goals. (Justin Adams/City Journals)

We’re excited to have broken ground on a new

FatCats

Entertainment Center in Bluffdale!

The new ultra-modern facility will house luxury cinemas, bowling, arcade, grill and glow golf under one roof.

Our mission is to “delight and connect” people, and this new location at the

corner of Redwood Rd. and Bangerter Hwy. should do just that.

Sophomore defender Liv Mackey wards off an attacker during the Sentinels’ playoff match against Westlake. (Justin Adams/City Journals)

RivertonJournal.com

Junior Tessa Mortensen runs with the ball during the Sentinels’ playoff match against Westlake.

(Justin Adams/City Journals)

Watch for the Grand Opening in early 2023!

June 2022 | Page 29

Honorees selected at the inaugural Comcast RISE Black Excellence Event

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

H

ardware Creative Collective and Comcast partnered to host the inaugural Comcast RISE Black Excellence Event in Salt Lake City on Apr. 20. The celebration honored Utah Black Creatives in a range of industries from the arts, business, education and film to mental health, armed forces, tech and venture capital.

Honorees were selected based on their ability to showcase their creativity through inspiration, intersection and innovation.

“It was truly amazing to see something that started as a vision and brainstorming with folks around a kitchen table turn into an extraordinary celebration of Utah’s Black creatives,” said Deneiva Knight, External Affairs Director, Comcast Mountain West Region. “For me, Hardware Collective is a platform for Black creatives to acknowledge and celebrate themselves and their peers versus waiting and hoping to receive accolades from outsiders. The love and appreciation in the room that night were unmatchable.”

Honored at the event were Kenneth Boggs (fashion), Kimmy Paluch (tech), Dr. Jackie Thompson (education), Col. Jenise M. Carroll (military), Melanie D. Davis, LCMHC (mental health), Mauli Bonner (music), and Tenisha “Isha” Hicks (beauty).

The celebration acknowledged the efforts of talented entrepreneurs who continue to innovate and succeed despite facing financial challenges. Comcast RISE recognizes small business owners through its brands Comcast Business and Effectv.

Empowering business owners with knowledge and resources allowed them to navigate economic difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As I was sewing, Motown music used to play all the time,”

said Boggs, CEO of Kenneth Boggs Suit. “Most people wanted to be like Michael Jackson, but I wanted to be David Ruffin from The Temptations because he looked really good in his suit. . .

By the end of the day, my goal is to create your own story. I’m proud to be a chosen honoree for the Hardware. It makes me feel blacknificent.”

Honoree Carroll serves as the 75th Air Force Wing Commander at Hill Air Force Base. She is the first African American female to hold this position in the 75 years of the Air Force.

“I ask that everyone look at me as being an American first.

Don’t judge me by the color of my skin or by my gender. Look at me as an American serving proudly in her country wearing this uniform,” Carroll said. “I’m standing before you letting you know there’s nothing impossible if you believe.”

“Thank you to our presenting sponsors, Comcast and Zions Bank, for co-sponsoring the inaugural launch of the Hardware Creative Collective, '' said Sui Lang L. Panoke, founder, Hardware Creative Collective. “Additionally, we thank our investment sponsor, the Andrus Family Foundation, and our community sponsors, the Utah Black Chamber, and Utah Arts Alliance.”

Panoke and Scott Anderson, president and CEO, Zions Bank, were inspired by the honorees and their accomplishments.

“As I look upon your faces and I listen to your stories, I have been touched,” Anderson said. “I thought of the comment from the prophet Gibran, 'Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.’ So thank you, thank you very much.”

“The most advanced levels of diversity, equity and inclusion are evident when communities and organizations maximize and capitalize on their ability to stimulate and cultivate creativity

Seven honorees were recognized at the Comcase RISE Black Excellence Event including (from left) Col. Jenise M. Carroll, Installation Commander, Hill Air Force Base; Dr. Jackie Thompson, Assistant Superintendent, Davis County School District; Mauli Bonner, Director/Filmmaker/Producer/Artist, Lift Up Voices. Photo courtesy of Comcast.

and innovative thought,” said Panoke. “And that… is how Utah does business!”

Find out if you qualify to apply for small business support at www.comcastrise.com. l

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Riverton City Journal

Salt Lake County receives EPA funds to clean up contaminated sites for development

B

rownfield areas in Salt Lake County can hinder development because, without proper cleanup, redevelopment or reuse they could spread contamination to surrounding areas. Most brownfields are properties with old gas stations, auto repair shops and dry cleaners, or near smelters, railroad lines and mines.

But the Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Salt Lake County nearly $4 million in an effort to clean up these sites and create vibrant communities and business centers.

“We’re grateful for the EPA’s substantial investment in Salt Lake County,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson. “It expands our ability to effectively leverage the revolving loan fund and make a difference.”

The EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund allows the county and its coalition partners (Salt Lake City and Ogden) to issue loans to public or private property owners who meet EPA qualifications for assistance with brownfields.

Funds are expected to help clean at least 10 properties in the next few years, many of which are in former industrial areas that need significant cleanup to be safely redeveloped.

Loans are available to qualified governmental entities, site owners, or developers with lowto zero-interest rates.

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com “With our community’s history of industrial and mining work, there’s no shortage of properties that could use this EPA money for cleanup efforts,” said Kersten Swinyard, program manager for the Wasatch Brownfields Coalition and Salt Lake County senior economic development manager. “We’ll use this money to accelerate redevelopment on those contaminated properties and make our cities safer and cleaner for everyone.”

In 2021, Centro Civico Mexicano received funds to work with the county to remove asbestos, mercury, hydrocarbons, and other contaminants in the soil. The remediated property now features a community center and 61 apartments for low-income seniors. The cleanup led to more than $25.2 million in leveraged redevelopment funding on the project.

The Wasatch Brownfields Coalition works closely with the EPA and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality throughout the cleanup processes. The EPA has awarded $5,850,000 in total to Salt Lake County throughout its program history.

Property owners not responsible for the contamination who are interested in financial assistance to clean up properties can visit slco. to/brownfields or contact Kersten Swinyard at 385-468-4869 or kswinyard@slco.org.

“This award will set up Salt Lake County

A multi-family housing development in Murray is remediating contamination related to historic mining.

(Photo courtesy of Salt Lake County)

to further environmental justice in our underserved communities for years to come,” Wilson said. “All our neighborhoods deserve to

live in healthy environments with the promise of an equitable economic future.” l

From backyards to the big leagues, cornhole tourney nationally televised in Utah

C

ornhole, played at the professional level, took over Sandy’s Mountain America Expo Center this past month.

The American Cornhole League is the highest tier of talent the game has to offer. The ACL has over 250 registered pro players and their matches are televised on ESPN. “I was tailgating,” ACL founder and commissioner Stacey Moore said about starting the league. “We were using cornhole as an activation for sponsors at NASCAR races and NFL games. I saw a group of players playing the game way more seriously than I was. The more I talked to the serious players I realized there is a lot of strategy to it.”

ACL has been in existence for six years.

It has a following of professional players that compete in several tournaments held across the country.

Salt Lake City is the home of one of the platform sponsors. Allcornhole is the title manufacturer of the professional board used on the circuit. The opportunity to host the league here was delayed by the pandemic, but this year event number three was held in Sandy.

The league has over 150,000 active players and several formats including singles, doubles, and teams format. The teams have a season of 16 matches. Professional players are drafted to a team and play against the oth-

RivertonJournal.com

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com er drafted teams, similar to the NFL. The top team in the standings will win the championship at the end of the year.

The Woodchucks sit atop the current ACL team standings. Sharpshooters are second and the Freeze third.

“The pros come from all over the United States. The sport has increased in popularity.

People play it casually all over the place, but more and more people are playing competitively. We are being proactive, cornhole is on track to become an Olympic sport. The singles and doubles divisions are gender-neutral. Last year, a male was against a female to become world champion,” Moore said.

Isabella Surprenant, a 15-year-old from Lawton, Oklahoma is one of the youngest players in the ACL pro division and has become a top-ranked player.

“I started playing beach cornhole in Florida nearly 15 years ago,” Harry Stoltzfus from Fort Collins, Colorado said. “I bought a set of boards at an RV show and now we travel the country playing in tournaments.”

The ACL hosts Superhole competitions at all of the season events. They match a professional player with a celebrity all in the name of charity.

“The celebrities play in a mini tournament. They get to know the sport and get some

Celebrities such as Lisa Barlow and Kyle Van Noy were among the participants at the ESPN-televised cornhole event in Sandy. (Photo courtesy Marlon LeWinter)

tips along the way. We are starting to see celebrities catch the bug and more and more are taking this seriously,” Moore said.

There are local leagues around the country. To find the nearest organization or for more information go to www.iplaycornhole.com “I am from Mississippi originally and my brother had this set up in his backyard,” Salt Lake City resident Ricky Mcgowan said. “I came home and bought a set off Amazon.”

Salt City Cornhole is a local group of players. They host tournaments at Allstar Lanes and Pins and Ales in West Valley. There are also several other groups in the state.

“It is a place for a beginner to more advanced players,” Mcgowan said.

It is not just a backyard barbecue game anymore. Anyone can play. Anyone can win. l

June 2022 | Page 31

Free Comcast lift zones provide hotspot connections across the state

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

A

ccess to internet connection can mean the difference between staying ahead or falling behind. As the COVID-19 crisis demonstrated, families without access to the internet struggled to keep kids engaged with online school and remote work became a challenge.

To address digital equity, Comcast has equipped more than 30 locations across Utah with free Wi-Fi Lift Zones to get students and adults online.

“We are committed to digital inclusivity for all Utahns no matter where they live or their financial status,” said Deneiva Knight, external affairs director, Comcast Utah. “Offering free Wi-Fi Lift Zones with Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which provides internet services to low-income customers, is a huge step toward connecting students and adults to online resources in safe, reliable locations.”

Working with a network of nonprofit, community, and city partners, Comcast added Lift Zones in its service areas including West Valley, Millcreek, Murray and Bountiful. Lift Zones will complement Comcast’s Internet Essential program, which has helped connect more than 160,000 low-income Utahns to the internet at home.

Since 2019, Comcast has worked with

Utah partners to install free internet services to sites, which provide low-income students with a space to participate in distance learning and complete homework. Adults are also using Lift Zones to work remotely, apply for jobs, and learn digital skills, all at no cost.

“Community partners and organizations that align with our promise to create a dynamic community are leveraging South Salt Lake’s three Lift Zones,” said Lucas Horns, a City of South Salt Lake employee. “It is enhancing resources around the city and promoting a sense of community at the same time. What’s more, Comcast’s Lift Zone has become a hub for small businesses and other organizations to use.”

A full list of Utah Lift Zone locations can be found at utah.comcast.com/lift-zones.

“Increasingly, broadband access has become vitally important for Utahns across the state,” said Knight. “Combining more Lift Zones and the groundbreaking Internet Essentials program…not only makes sense, it’s a game changer. It literally opens a new world for students’ educational opportunities and for adults to connect online for better employment, something that was out of reach before.” l

Comcast’s Lift Zones will give low-income families access to online learning, remote work, job applications and more. (Photo courtesy of Comcast)

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Silverwolves lacrosse finish 10-8, reach quarterfinals Photos by Travis Barton

Liv Sargent led the team in points this year finishing with 71 goals and 20 assists.

THE

Importance

Sophomores Shyanne Forbush (right) and Kaitlyn Davenport battle for a ground ball where they were two of the top four on the team. Riverton finished the year 10-8 with the No. 11 seed for the 6A playoffs. After knocking off the six-seed Fremont in the second round 12-10, the Silverwolves fell to Lone Peak 17-9 in the quarterfinals.

SATURDAY MATINEE AUG. 6TH 1 PM

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Page 34 | June 2022

Riverton City Journal

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June 2022 | Page 35

Boys lacrosse bows out in second round Photos by Justin Adams

T

he Riverton High boys lacrosse team wrapped up its season May 19 with a 16-10 loss at Weber in the second round, capping a 9-9 year. It finished 6-6 in region taking the fourth spot behind Mountain Ridge, Bingham and Herriman.

The Silverwolves entered the 6A state playoffs (the sport’s first classification-focused state playoffs in history) as the 13 seed, trouncing No. 20 seed Layton in the first round

25-1.

Three of the team’s leading scorers will graduate this year in Colton Rasmussen (25), Adam Shulsen (21) and Jack Mortensen (20) along with its assist leader Sau Tafisi (13).

Freshman goalie Colton Tuellar returns along with junior Cameron Clegg who finished the year with 19 goals and six assists.

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CONTACT: Susan Schilling 801-280-0595 susan@swvchamber.org

CHAMBER NEWS Annual Teacher Appreciation Lunch What an amazing month the Southwest Valley Chamber has had. We held our annual teacher appreciation lunch on May 4. We honored 28 teachers from Bluffdale, Herriman and Riverton. Was your favorite teacher honored as Teacher of the Year?

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What a great time to be part of the Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce!! Watch for our silver anniversary; can’t believe we have been in business for 25 years. All members are welcome to attend a reveal of what’s to come on July 12.

swvchamber.org June 2022 | Page 37

Salt Lake County to xeriscape 132 of the worst park strips and parking lot islands

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

I

n light of the ongoing drought, cities are looking for ways to save water without impacting the quality of life for residents. Salt Lake County has proposed to xeriscape 132 of the largest park strips and parking lot islands that are currently grass. The proposal is expected to save 5.2 million gallons of water each year.

“The drought has increased our sense of urgency for water conservation, but that need already existed with Salt Lake County’s growing population,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson. “Last year, we made a commitment to reduce our water use, and we did. This is one of many long-lasting conservation solutions that will help protect our residents’ quality of life, our watershed, and the future of the Great Salt Lake.”

Park strips and parking lot islands to be targeted were selected based on size. The xeriscaping project will span nearly 40 county facilities and totals the size of three football fields. The large water footprint will make a significant impact on water reduction in the county.

According to Utah Water Savers, the average park strip consumes 5,000 to 8,000 gallons of water each year. Sprinkling systems at the Salt Lake County Government Center will also be made more efficient by targeting priorities, like trees. American Rescue Plan Act funds will cover the $2 million it will take to xeriscape the 132 park strips and islands.

“This proposal represents a proactive investment in water conservation measures by the county,” said

Michael Shea, Salt Lake County’s Environmental Sustainability director.

In 2021, Wilson said the county reduced its water use by 13% after she challenged operations to cut use by at least 5%. These new water-saving measures build on the county’s long-term water-wise strategies, furthering the county’s water reduction.

County residents are asked to participate in the Flip Your Strip rebate program to help with water savings. The program will pay residents up to $1.25 per square foot when they replace their park strip lawn with water-efficient xeriscaping. The program is expected to save thousands of gallons of water each year.

For more information, visit UtahWaterSavers.com.

To learn about Salt Lake County’s water conservation measures and information shared at the 2022 Water Summit, visit slcoh20.org.

“We are no longer looking at just cutting back water use,” Shea said, “but making concrete changes which will help us reduce in the long term.”l

Salt Lake County will xeriscape more than 130 park strips and parking lot islands, saving the county 5.2 million gallons of water each year. (Photo courtesy of the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District)

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A one-horse race

W

hen I was in eighth grade, I was elected to the class senate. In ninth grade, I was elected as a cheerleader. Did I deserve these titles?

Probably not. But I’d bribed fellow students with copious amounts of candy because that’s the American way.

After a series of decidedly terrible life choices, my scholastic career drove off the rails and I never ran for election again. When I turned 18, I registered to vote and I’ve cast a vote in every election since. I also respond to Twitter polls, fill out Amazon reviews and take surveys at the bottom of yard-long Kohl’s receipts.

Now that I’m a semi-functioning adult, it’s up to me to choose the right people to lead us into the future. Since the future is nuclear bomb-shaped, we won’t need leaders much longer, but elections are important, at least until that mushroom cloud rises over the mountains.

Here’s why voting is funny. You’ll get a kick out of this. When I vote for new leadership or more progressive ideas, the person/issue I’m voting for rarely wins. Why? Because I live in conservative Utah.

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Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

People tell me to just move to a different state. I don’t want to. At least not until I can afford a lighthouse on the East Coast where I can replace the light bulb with a bat signal.

So, for now, I’m here in Utah, voting for things that matter to me and to many other people, without a Popsicle’s chance in hell of it working out.

In fact, we started an election night drinking game. For every winner who isn’t a conservative white male, we take a shot of tequila. We’ve been sober for decades. Because here’s the truth: My vote rarely counts in Utah.

Oh, our esteemed leaders say my vote counts, but they know it’s a lie.

With their abstract-painting, gerrymandered districts they’ve effectively shut down my voice. I feel all I can do is CONCRETE

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sit back with a bucket of chicken and wait for the Red State hate laws to take effect across the country.

Sure, I can protest, but not too loud, right? I wouldn’t want to sound shrill. I reach out to my U.S. senators and representatives and get a form letter in response. The vast majority of my state leaders are conservative white men, afraid of losing control.

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After being mansplained to since birth, I understand my female brain can’t comprehend the problems involved with running the state. Like, how can our leaders make money if we don’t let them relocate a prison across the valley so they can develop prime property? How can the state generate revenue on alcohol without ridiculous licensing fees and policies? How can we possibly treat educators, minorities, or uteruses with respect, without creating laws to rein them in?

And then they have the gall to say, vote in the leaders you want. How? Tell me how and I’ll do it! Phew. I must be off my anti-hysterical meds.

If I learned anything from running for office in junior high, it’s that voters will follow the candy. But as a female voter in Utah, I’m tired of the sugary-sweet, syrupy condescension.

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Capitol Exteriors

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• Zero maintenance • No breakdowns • 2/3 LESS salt

For free in-home estimate:

SIDING

OLYMPUS ROOFING

801.887.7663 SERVING WASATCH FRONT SINCE 1973

LANDSCAPE MATERIALS

REPLENISH LANDSCAPE

Barks, Colored Mulch, Compost, Soil Blends, Playground Chips, Sand-Gravel, Landscape Fabric & More

801-252-5962

4660 S 200 W Murray

Mention this ad for 10% Off

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WE SPECIALIZE IN CONCRETE. Concrete Installation & Removal | Flatwork Patios | Walkways | Driveways | RV Pads Stamp & Color | Garages | Retaining Walls

Call Ala for Estimate 801-835-0051 AnEConstructionLLC@gmail.com

PATIO COVERS & HANDRAILS ENJOY THE OUTSIDE THIS SUMMER

• Steel Covered Carports, Patios & Porches • Steel Handrails • Quality Decks

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801-205-5999

Quality and Integrity for over 25 Years

YARD SERVICES

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801-518-7365

June 2022 | Page 39

NO SURGERY. NO DRUGS. NO GIMMICKS.

THE PAIN STOPS HERE

ROBOTIC GUIDED CLASS IV LASER & SPINAL DECOMPRESSION • BACK PAIN • SCIATICA • SPINAL DEGENERATION • NEUROPATHY • FAILED SURGERY • SPINAL STENOSIS • ARTHRITIS • WHIPLASH • HERNIATED & BULGING DISCS • AUTO ACCIDENT INJURIES AND MORE Join the hundreds of patients that have experienced complete relief from the frustrating pain of severe back, neck, and joint problems without surgery, without drugs, and without having to live feeling miserable.

86-94% SUCCESSFUL in the Treatment of Serious Spinal Conditions!

“Dozens of doctors told me that there was nothing more that they could do to expect to be in a wheel chair. I went from the top 1% in the army Special Forces to being in so much pain that I could not tie my shoe or hold my new daughter. I did physical therapy and pain killers for years, but nothing worked. Finally, I went to Dr. Smith and I improved exactly as he told me I would. I couldn’t believe it! My wife cried, “I have my husband back.”

—Steve M., Army Special Forces

Comprehensive Spinal Exam, Consultation (X-rays if needed) & 2 Pain Relieving Treatments for $27

(801) 302-0280 AUTO ACCIDENT INJURIES ARE 100% COVERED BY AUTO INSURANCE