South Jordan Journal | June 2023

By Rachel Aubrey | r.aubrey@mycityjournals.com

SouthJordan can now add top Zoom town to its list of accolades as it ranked first above 25 other Zoom towns in the United States based on nine metrics related to population characteristics, cost of living and Internet and electricity reliability.

The study was conducted by Smart Asset, a financial technology company that uses data to provide free, automated and actionable advice on big financial decisions.

A Zoom town, by definition, is a community that is growing due to increased remote work opportunities. The study analyzed cities with “a population of 65,000 or more” and used data from the Census Bureau from the years 2019, 2021 and 2022. The top three Zoom town cities were: 1) South Jordan, Utah 2) Eagan, Minnesota and 3) Arlington Heights, Illinois. Also on the list from Utah were Salt Lake City at number 15 and Sandy at number 18.

“We are proud to be named the first ever Best Zoom Town in America by Smart Asset,” Mayor Dawn Ramsey said. “This award demonstrates what we know to be true, that South Jordan is an amazing place to live, work and play.”

More control

Prior to the pandemic, Daybreak resident Maribeth Jones worked in sales at Adobe. She

would make the daily commute to her office in Lehi every day. Once the pandemic hit, she said they were all sent home.

“I thought I was going to be miserable and I was going to hate it,” Jones said. “I ended up liking it, I had more control over my day.”

According to a “Time Magazine” article by Barrreo, Bloom and Davis, “Employees save, on average, 65 minutes a day in commuting and personal grooming time when working from home. People also appreciate the flexibility and greater personal autonomy that comes with working from home.”

Jones, who began working a hybrid approach most of the year 2022 with Adobe, started a new job selling software for Canto, a digital asset management system that is 100% remote.

“I was nervous about taking full-time remote just because I am an extrovert and I love getting to know my coworkers and hanging out with them,” Jones said.

After finding out she was expecting in December of 2022, she admitted that the idea of working remotely full-time was the best way for her to have control over her schedule while still working a job she loves.

Maribeth Jones said she wasn’t looking forward to working remotely from home full-time, but has come to see all the personal and professional benefits remote work has to offer. (Photo courtesy of Maribeth Jones)

South Jordan soccer player breaks scoring record

When Juan Diego Catholic High School senior Hauroa “Roa” Morgant arrived on U.S. soil from Tahiti two years ago, he simply wanted to play soccer, the game he had played all his life in his homeland. He hasn’t just been able to be on the field for the Soaring Eagle squad, but he has imprinted his name here as he broke the Utah state record for goals in a season—of 43 by American Leadership Academy’s Mahonry “Titi” Chichia. On May 3, during the team’s second round game in the 3A state tournament—a 9-0 win over Grantsville—he scored five goals to end that game with 44 goals on the year with still more to play.

But, as impressive as his individual achievement is, Morgant was wanting to put that celebration on ice as he and his teammates had a different goal in mind: a state championship.

“It’s cool to break the record, and it’s a good thing, but we really want to hold the trophy at the end,” Morgant said. “I wouldn’t be here without my teammates and that’s what we are really focused on so I’ll wait to celebrate this achievement until after the season.”

JDCHS head coach Joe Baca said that during a team bonding activity in St. George to begin the season, Morgant set a goal to “give it a shot” to break the record.

“The goal drove him game by game and, while each player set their own goals, it was really a team event to help Roa reach his,” he said. “Having success early in the year really gave him the belief that he could do it.”

With the Grantsville game well in hand, up 8-0, Morgant was subbed out of the game when he netted his record-breaking goal to enjoy the moment with his teammates and the home crowd at Soaring Eagle Stadium. Athletic Director Ted Bianco also announced the achievement at halftime to further recog-

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By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

nize the senior’s accomplishment.

The son of Manuhangi Morgant and Teura Tching of Tahiti who lives with a host family—the Mananui’s in South Jordan— said he has worked every day in practice and in the gym to be the best in the state. “If you want to be on the field, you work. If you want to be the best, you work hard,” Morgant said.

“I think my parents are really proud of me.”

Baca said that Morgant is an incredible mentor to his Soaring Eagle teammates.

“He’s the example of waiting your turn and staying humble while gaining confidence,” he said. “He’s evolved to be the top goal scorer through continuing to work hard even if you don’t get to play.”

Morgant has been playing soccer since he was 4 years old and has paved the way for three younger brothers to also develop in the sport that is a mainstay on his island.

“Everyone plays soccer there,” Morgant said,

noting that the first year away from his family was difficult because of the separation and his “bad English,” but this second season has been “way better.”

“Soccer is everything to me and has taught me everything,” Morgant said. “I can’t live without soccer.”

Juan Diego’s No. 9 has also gone back to represent his country on the Tahitian national team—as a captain for the U17 team as well as the U20 squad which tried to qualify for the 2022 World Cup—which fills him with tremendous pride. “We are a little island in the middle of nowhere, and I feel so proud

to represent my country,” he said.

Morgant scored the one and only goal of the 3A state championship game against Morgan, fulfilling his ultimate goal of the team title and added to his state record with 45 goals.

The graduating senior is now hoping to play collegiate soccer in the fall. One thing is proven though—Morgant can certainly put the ball in the net. l

PUBLISHER

Bryan Scott | bryan.s@thecityjournals.com

EDITOR

Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

ADVERTISING

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Greg Tanner | greg.t@valuepagesutah.com

Juan Diego Catholic High School senior Hauroa “Roa” Morgant scored 45 goals this season, eclipsing the previous Utah state record of 43. (Photos courtesy Kelli Rasmussen)

How some high school teams handled a stormy spring season

When the end of February arrived and tryouts started for spring sports, most took place inside with snow still covering the infields, tracks and pitches.

Not really out of the ordinary as winter can occasionally linger.

Then as March plowed on and players looked at their weather app, they continued to see snow in the forecast, postponing games, forcing them inside. And forcing athletic directors to play a scheduling jigsaw puzzle with gym space to ensure soccer, lacrosse, softball, baseball and track and field all had practice time inside.

Even when April arrived, spring was put on hold as snow accumulated so much it canceled in-person school, let alone a baseball game.

With teams shuttered indoors, coaches had to find ways to make practice time productive. The first objective: shaping the attitude.

Riverton High softball coach Katelyn Elliott said they focused on how they can use their time in the gym to get better, that part is within their control.

Everyone from Santaquin to Logan was in the same situation, she told the team, so instead of throwing a pity party or complaining about practicing in the gym, she suggested they focus on how they can develop themselves.

“You can’t control that there’s four feet of snow outside,” she said. “Let’s just take what we have. We have two hours in the gym each day, and we’re going to make the best of it.”

Elliott and her team focused on realistic game scenarios they could practice like leadoffs, tags, signs or bunt scenarios.

“If we have our signs down, things like that, the controllable things we can work on in a gym, and we don’t have to work on that in April, we can go out and work on ground balls and flyballs,” she said.

While the Olympus softball team still spent hours in the batting cages, it also utilized time by drilling down on the mental side of the sport.

Head coach Jackson White said they brought in a team psychologist to speak about conflict resolution. The team would read articles every Friday as a group about team building or mental toughness. One article was called the Champions Mindset, he said, that focused on giving your best every play, and if your mind is still on a previous mistake, then you can’t give your best on that play.

“We were able to get a lot of growth mentally without having to see it physically inside,” he said. “It was a game changer to just kind of teach them how to be good teammates and do drills that was about talking to each other or listening to each other rather than catching a fly ball inside for the 100th time.”

White said that mental preparation was important when their shortstop broke her foot, forcing them to retool their defense.

Olympus senior catcher Sofia Conlon said

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

the mental work inside unified them as they learned how to grow together.

““Being inside is really hard, it's not the same as being on a field, so working together as a team mentally made us tighter,” she said. “It pulls us closer and helps us outside for sure.”

Many baseball and softball teams traveled to St. George in March for tournaments while others traveled to Nevada (Riverton baseball) or California (Alta boys lacrosse and Jordan baseball) during spring breaks.

Skyline and Olympus baseball teams are located high on the east bench with snow on their fields slower to melt. They chose to relocate their three-game series to Dixie High School in St. George. Skyline didn’t have its first outdoor practice until the second week in April.

Golf’s season was essentially shortened to several weeks from mid-April to May 9. Riverton High golf coach Trish Marshall said they practiced outside when they could—layered up with coats, jackets, hats and gloves—but were often just hitting off mats at Mulligan’s covered driving range. They even practiced in her classroom, putting on the carpet or chipping over boxes and books into garbage bins.

“We had to get creative,” she said.

Murray High boys soccer coach Bryan DeMann said at one point they spent a whole week practicing inside, playing small-sided games or futsal tournaments focused on getting touches.

“It is hard to simulate soccer on a basketball floor with 30 boys,” he said.

Murray had the unique situation of its field being cleared quicker than any other in their region (all are located closer to the mountains, including Park City). They only had one region game rescheduled but had to reverse some fixtures, which meant they played most of their home games during the first round of region play. Only one home game (senior night) was played in the second round of region.

“We were lucky,” he said. l

The Riverton softball team focused on leadoffs and bunt scenarios indoors when they couldn’t practice outside for most of March. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Track meets also had to be rescheduled. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Skyline and Bingham girls lacrosse play a rescheduled game on Saturday, April 29. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Murray’s boys soccer team was still able to play most of its games on schedule as its field cleared quicker than at other schools. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

After a slow start, Bingham boys lacrosse picked up the pace to three-peat as region champs

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

This is the second year that Bingham lacrosse has been placed into the same Class 6A Region 3 league as all of the other sports at the school.

In years past while lacrosse was in the process of being sanctioned by the UHSAA, the Miners were placed in either Division A, B, or C depending on the number of players and skill level in the program on both the boys and girls sides.

But the Miners didn’t take anything for granted, and now they’re region champions for the third straight year, said Bingham boys head lacrosse coach Brett Everill.

“We feel very blessed to make it a threepeat for the region title,” Everill said of his team that clinched the title with three games remaining in the season.

Bingham [6-0 Region 3, 12-4] headed into the 6A state tournament as the No. 6 seed, defeating 11-seed Riverton and were set to play Davis in the quarterfinals (after press deadline).

The way the Miners became region champions was rather interesting—but was partway by design.

After the snow came in with a fury and was gone with the brisk late April winds, so were the ides of March, according to Everill, who thought that his Miners still had some growing up to do in the preseason.

Some of those teams were scheduled to get Bingham ready for the state tournament; other games gave younger kids more experience due to injuries to older players.

That preseason record of 6-3 was emblematic of Everill’s approach to slowly build momentum early on, but as the Miners approached the beginning of region play in mid-April, they were off and running with their sticks.

Led by senior Nick Anderson who topped Bingham in two statistical categories [27 goals, 37 points], his play helped turn around the Miners fortunes and steer them

toward a third straight region title. Senior Jordan Whitney battled through early season injuries and led the Miners with 29 ground balls.

Juniors also played a part. Curtis Carlson led Bingham with 10 assists while Ryken Whitney forced eight turnovers. Meanwhile, it was senior James Southworth who led the Miners in front of goal with 43 saves.

As far as the program goes, Everill had nothing but great things to say about Bingham as a school and lacrosse program that is still a rather new sport in the Utah high school sports landscape.

“We are getting better every day. The culture has been amazing! It's an honor to coach such good kids. I am really proud of who they are becoming. We have a great coaching staff and the Bingham's admin have been great to work with.

We have a fairly solid, well balanced team. We had great game plans for those opponents [in Region 3], we made sure to not overlook anyone. We fared well against all of them.” l

Bingham boys lacrosse are 2023 Region 3 champions. (Photo courtesy Brett Everill)

Curtis Carlson and Nick Anderson celebrate a goal over Mountain Ridge. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Nick Anderson unleashes a shot. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Senior Joshua Rees lets loose a shot just before the halftime buzzer. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Bingham softball wins share of Region 3 title with Riverton, girls track has a medal haul

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

Onemonth after overcoming what seemed like a never-ending weather cycle fraught with all kinds of surprises, the Bingham Miners softball team settled into a nice groove and won a share of the Region 3 title with Riverton.

It was Bingham’s first region title, outright or shared, since the 2018-19 school year.

For Bingham [8-2 Region 3, 18-5] a 4-0 start in region play led to two showdowns with an old familiar foe in Riverton in the span of one week.

In two classics that will likely see a third come state tournament time, the Miners came up with two fewer runs than did Riverton in two narrow 6-4 losses for Bingham.

In their first showdown April 20 at Bingham, the Miners jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning when senior Shelbee Jones nuked a three-run home run. That seemed to hold up until Riverton lasered a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh off Jones, who struck out eight in a 6-4 loss.

In their second rivalry battle at Riverton April 26, Jones scored the only run off an Oakley Clark single, but that was it as the Miners fell victim to the Silverwolves again in a 3-1 loss.

For Bingham those two losses to Riverton were the only setbacks in Region 3 play.

The SLCC signee Jones has now hit 11 home runs and 30 RBI through 23 games this season. On the mound, she has a 13-2 record and 2.17 ERA as the Miners’ ace. Senior Braxtyn Hunter, also an SLCC signee, has hit 12 RBI and is tied for the lead in doubles

[5] with Jones.

Backing up Jones on the mound is sophomore Brecka Larson, who has appeared in 13 games for Bingham, allowing just 1.22 runs per game.

Senior Charity Drake is back from injury and leads the team in hits [30] while junior Oakley Clark has smacked 18 RBI for Bingham. Sophomore Shyann Banasky is tops in slugging percentage [.700] while sophomore Brooklyn Fogg is tied for the lead in stolen bases [14] with the senior Jones.

Bingham’s only other losses to date have come to Ridgeline and Spanish Fork in early March, and to perennial power Bear River in the middle of a back-to-back in region play, May 3.

The Miners will carry a No. 4 seed and first-round bye into the 6A state tournament, slated to begin after press time.

Girls Track

Picking right up where she left off last year is Bingham senior Natalie Swain. She dusted by the competition at the Region 3 track championships, winning medals in the 800, the 1,600 and the 3,200 meters at Mountain Ridge High School May 9.

Swain wasn’t the only Miner to have won a medal, either; the 4x200 relay team from Bingham also won a region title—Laila Stoker did so as well in shot put.

As a team, the Miners finished in second place overall at the Region 3 Championships with 154.5 points. Next up for these Miners was the 6A state track and field championships at BYU after press deadline. l

Turf conversion grants awarded to seven Salt Lake County cities

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

In late April, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson announced the recipients of $1.1 million in turf conversion grants. Seven cities across the Salt Lake Valley will be awarded funds from the American Rescue Plan. Recipient cities are Bluffdale, Riverton, Sandy, South Jordan, Taylorsville, West Jordan and West Valley City.

Post-performance grants will be distributed to 21 approved projects to support conversion of turf on municipal property to water efficient landscaping.

“This is a visionary program and we’re helping cities who are already doing great things in working with their residents to be waterwise and eliminate some of the grass throughout our county,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson. “Water conservation is not one city’s duty, not one county’s duty, it’s not one household’s duty, we will make a difference by making the change together.”

In total, projects in the participating cities will remove 412,000 square feet of non-functional turf, saving 9 million gallons of water annually. The effort is part of a collaboration with Salt Lake County,

Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, and the Utah League of Cities and Towns to supply resources to support water conservation.

“We are leading by example, so we are flipping the strip at our own city hall,” said Taylorsville Mayor Kristie Overson. “Water is so important but it isn’t handled the same in every city, so we’re excited to be able to individualize this and do what works in our city.”

With the help from mayors and councilmembers from every recipient city, West Jordan kicked off one of its projects with a “turf turn” to commemorate the occasion.

“We wouldn’t ask our residents to do something the city isn’t willing to do, as well, so we’re starting at our own house,” said West Jordan Mayor Dirk Burton, who climbed into a mini excavator to begin the turf conversion project at West Jordan City Hall. “If enough people do these little things, it makes a big difference.” l

Bingham secured the No. 4 seed at the state tournament (after deadline). (City Journals)

Local elected officials join Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson at West Jordan City Hall to kick off one of the turf conversion project designed to create water efficient landscaping at municipal buildings in the county. (Photo courtesy of Salt Lake County)

Former teacher creates Educate and Rejuvenate event to provide educators with mental health, educational resources

By Morgan Olsen | m.olsen@mycityjournals.com

When Kelsey Sorenson finished her time as a full-time third-grade teacher, she recognized the resources teachers needed to thrive in their career. She started creating resources for teachers and substitute teachers and the Wife Teacher Mommy company was born.

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Ticket Information: 801-264-2614 or www.murray.utah.gov/1959/Tickets

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June 3 Murray Concert Band

June 9-10, Disney’s High School Musical 12, 15-17

June 19 The Bonner Family with special guest David Archuleta

June 24 Murray Symphony Pops

JULY

July 7-8, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella 10, 13-15

July 21 Peter Breinholt

July 28-29, Seussical the Musical 31, Aug 3-5

AUGUST

Aug 12 “Music for the Soul” with Thurl Bailey, Vanessa Joy and Marvin Goldstein

Aug 18-19 A Celtic Summer’s Night

Aug 25 Ryan Shupe & the Rubberband

Aug 26 Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four

SEPTEMBER

Sept 1 4 HIMS

Sept 9 Grupo Folklorico Sapichu & Karlysue y Los Trios Charros

This program has received funding support from residents of Salt Lake County, SL County Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP), Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, Utah Humanities, and National Endowment for the Arts.

“I started Wife Teacher Mommy in 2014 after I had my oldest son,” Sorenson said. “I didn’t want to teach full time anymore because I wanted to be home with him, so I picked up some substitute teaching. I realized that it was hard for teachers to write sub plans, but when I would run a classroom as a sub I could see that it would be good to have more. I started making sub plans for teachers to use and some that I could bring when I sub.”

When Sorenson started Wife Teacher Mommy, her goal was simply to help educators while making a little extra money on the side to help pay the bills.

“My first thought wasn’t to start a business, but it’s turned into that,” Sorenson said. “My goal was to make money to help cover our mortgage and now I have grown to have six employees. When I started it I just thought it was another little side thing to make some extra money but now it’s grown into so much more than that.”

When Covid hit in 2020, Sorenson knew she needed to rethink Wife Teacher Mommy since schools were shutting down.

“When Covid came we had to pivot and we digitized resources and made home-learning packets,” she said.

Wife Teacher Mommy is now a monthly membership available for subscription, which includes access to unlimited resources, workshops and printables for teachers and parents alike.

“As I started surveying our members, I realized they were struggling with lots that resources couldn’t solve,” Sorenson said. “They were burned out, didn’t have lots of time, and had a lot going on. They needed more support than what printables could give. We created other resources that address those issues like mental health, burnout and even workouts.”

Teachers experienced great changes during the Covid-19 pandemic, and Sorenson wanted to provide resources to help teachers get through those challenging times and beyond. A membership seemed like the best way to do that.

“Our goal is to help teachers feel a lighter burden,” she said. “We know they have so much going on in their lives. We know they need printables, but they can get those anywhere. We wanted to provide resources that can help them help themselves. During our first launch, we had about 300 members, and we’ve now grown to have

1,000 members.”

One way Sorenson found to help teachers in their mental health is to focus on life coaching.

“What differentiates us is that we have life coaching as well,” Sorenson said. “I’m a certified life coach and we have one other certified life coach on our team. We do weekly workshops where we focus on life coaching for our members. Teachers are always helping others and we want them to help them have that community and space to get the support and community that they need.”

For the second year in a row, Wife Teacher Mommy is hosting the Educate and Rejuvenate event June 27-28.

“Educate and Rejuvenate is a virtual conference for educators, parents or anyone who is interested,” Sorenson said. “The conference is full of live sessions, pre-recorded sessions, and resources that attendees will have access to for 10 days after the conference ends.”

This year’s conference will feature two keynote speakers: Joe Dombrowski and Kristina Kuzmic.

“We are especially excited for our keynote speakers for this event,” Sorenson said. “We know our attendees will love to hear what they have to say.”

The goal of Educate and Rejuvenate is to give teachers the resources they feel they need to become the best version of themselves.

“We want them to feel that they can get

whatever they need from the conference,” Sorenson said. “We cover so many topics and things they can learn about. We want them to learn about education and how they themselves can be rejuvenated. Teachers need to rejuvenate over the summer and then find out how they can make next year better. We’re helping them to learn things and get the coaching tools that we have to offer. After the conference, they can go into the next school year with a better mindset ready to handle challenges more than they were before they came to the event.”

In its inaugural year last summer, more than 3,000 tickets were sold to the event and attendees found it to be a valuable experience.

“This was such a great event with so many things to offer,” said attendee Alaina Wilson. “A big thank you to everyone who contributed both on our screens and behind the scenes. I feel like I have a lot of new teacher friends.”

Sorenson said one of her favorite things about the event is the community aspect among all participants.

“I love the community aspect of the Educate and Rejuvenate event,” she said. "I love when we all get to come together and talk to each other. It’s face-to-face virtually, but it’s such a great way to connect. We’re connecting teachers all over the world. Even if you feel alone in your school there is somebody else out there that you could talk to about it. It really brings people together and that’s what I love about it.”

Ultimately, Sorenson believes it is important to come together as a community to support teachers.

“Thank a teacher,” Sorenson said. “They don’t necessarily need food or gifts for whatever, they just need appreciation. It’s often a thankless job.”

Sorenson hopes teachers will take advantage of the resources offered at the Educate and Rejuvenate event and realize that taking care of their mental health is important.

“We have teachers leaving the profession in droves because they are feeling burned out but most of them truly love teaching,” Sorenson said. “In Utah, our class sizes are pretty large, so when you consider all the teachers leaving that’ll make it harder for everybody. We want teachers who feel like they can handle all that teachers have to handle. We all need an educated society and the kids being taught.”

Those interested in registering for the Educate and Rejuvenate virtual conference can do so by going to educateandrejuvenate.com. l

Kelsey Sorenson, founder of Wife Teacher Mommy and Educate and Rejuvenate virtual conference. (Kelsey Sorenson/Wife Teacher Mommy)

The South Jordan Art on the Towne Art Market returned to South Jordan City Hall on May 6, celebrating artisans in the valley with live music, face painting, art demonstrations and hand-crafted items. As part of the market, the South Jordan Quilt Show returned for the first time since 2019.

Presented by the South Jordan Arts Council and South Jordan Parks and Recreation, the Art on the Towne event was held on the plaza outside city hall (1600 E. Towne Center Drive). Visitors to the event could also vote on elements of the city’s Arts Master Plan. l

A celebration of art in South Jordan

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Henna artist Conso Nikolazza paints an intricate design on an attendee at the art market in South Jordan. Nikolazza also displays her whimsical, fantasy-inspired artwork. (City Journals)

Visitors to South Jordan Art on the Towne enjoyed face painting, live music, art demonstrations, the quilt show and a variety of art displays. (City Journals)

Artist James Long shows his unique window art in South Jordan on May 6.

Using rubber stamps and baked clay, artist and designer Mary Nielsen creates unique art pieces during the South Jordan Art on the Towne market. (City Journals)

Michael Bourne displays and sells woodworking crafts made by his father, Dwayne Bourne. Handcrafted wood bowls are customer favorites at the South Jordan art market. (City Journals)

Artist Michelle Volz displayed her contemporary landscape art at the South Jordan art event. Volz has shown her work at art shows and festivals and was recently featured in Voyage Utah Magazine. Visit VolZart.com for more info. (City Journals)

Alpha Blade displays beautiful jewelry and colorful bags from Africa at the South Jordan art market. (City Journals)

Steve Bullock and his granddaughter, Charlotte, take in the sights and sounds at the South Jordan Art on the Towne event. (City Journals)

Inspired by the colorful glass windows in European cathedrals, Laura Lyle’s paintings are a bright addition to the South Jordan art event. Visit StainedAcrylics.com for more info. (City Journals)

The South Jordan Quilt Show returned for the first time since 2019. As part of the Art on the Towne art market, the quilt show was held at South Jordan City Hall on May 6. (City Journals)

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The joys of home ownership

By Holly Curby | hello@hollycurby.com

Purchasing a home is much like enjoying the honeymoon phase. At first you are so excited about being a homeowner and envision all the happiness to come. Yet once the shortcomings of the home are revealed, the newness tends to wear off and suddenly experiencing the seasons of homeownership can become a daunting task.

When speaking with Carrie Gato, Big Picture Realty Incorporated team listing specialist at Keller Williams Realty, she said, “It’s important to have a trusted team of educated and informed people around you when buying a home.” Gato highlighted some of the key individuals who can help guide you every step of the way.

1. Realtor. This is the person you’ll have the most interaction with during your home buying process. They help you find the right home for your family, arrange home visits, negotiate your offer with the listing agent (sellers’ realtor), and hand hold you through the entire purchasing and closing process.

2. Mortgage Broker. Although there are a lot of built-in checks and balances to make sure that you are protected as a buyer of a home in the United States, a mortgage broker can help you work with everyone involved in the lending process in hopes of helping you get the best loan and close on time.

3. Real Estate Attorney. Not all states require that you have an attorney. In many cases, real estate attorneys work alongside your mortgage lender and can be essential for situations such as short sales.

4. Title Company. If a real estate attorney is not required, a title company often will process the transaction for you. This involves running a title search on the property to protect you from purchasing a home with outstanding liens or mortgages against it, arrange a title insurance policy, and overall help provide services that protect you on your home buying investment.

5. Inspector. This person is crucial in checking out the physical aspects of the house and making sure that you know what you are getting into, i.e., foreseeable problems and expenses. This is a helpful step in negotiating the price, too.

6. CPA. A tax advisor can help you understand any tax implications of buying a home especially when it comes to specialized purchases such as investment properties and using gifted or business funds.

7. Contractor. Depending on the results of the inspection, a contractor may be needed to complete any necessary work to meet requirements and/or provide fixing of physical concerns of the house to prevent further damage or expenses of such findings down the road.

With the lengthy process of buying a home, it’s no surprise that Housing Wire reports 75% of first-time millennial homebuyers admitting they’re overwhelmed by the process of simply buying a home, let alone once you get into it and all of the fixer

upper things that need to be done.

So, what are some things we can be aware of when it comes to contemplating buying a home?

1. Determine what works best for your time and current lifestyle. Moving into a newer home will most likely come at a premium cost, but there is often more predictability as to the costs involved (you shouldn’t have many major repairs for quite some time). Purchasing an older more established home (although it may align best with your budget) is sure to bring about repairs and updates in the first few years. Benefits may include increasing the value of that home down the road, but it will often include sweat equity.

2. Be aware of added expenses involved in the purchase of the home. For example, if the home includes a Home Ownership Association fee (HOA), what will those fees cover, i.e., maintenance of the exterior parts of the home, utilities, and how frequently will the cost increase? If this is your first home you may be required to have new homeowner’s insurance.

3. Decide if you will use a real estate agent or buy/sell the home yourself. Gato advises to use a real estate agent as she said, “real estate agents have their finger on the pulse of the market…they help the seller to price the property competitively while preventing a buyer from overpaying (depending on who they are representing)…and they help you avoid pitfalls during the process that could be costly of time or money.” Gato also said, “They’ll have a great network in place for resources…and they’re going to be able to walk you through the process which is often very emotional.”

Once you step into that club of being a homeowner, depending on where you live, be prepared for some seasonal home upkeep. Better Homes and Gardens provides a great home maintenance checklist on their website (www.bhg.com/home-improvement/advice/home-maintenance-checklist/).

Some friendly advice? Create a file for your paperwork such as manuals, invoices, receipts and warranties, i.e., roof repair, window replacements, heating system parts, etc. According to Gato, when time comes to sell your home, buyers love when you can supply that kind of paperwork as she said, “It makes them feel really comfortable and good about moving forward with the purchase…and makes a realtor’s job a lot easier.”

Other things Gato suggests for current or potential homeowners?

1. First impressions are often built on your home’s curb appeal. Provide nice landscaping—green grass with trimmed and manicured bushes. Don’t forget things like fixing chipped paint (especially the doorway to the front of the house), the appearance of the mailbox, even the small items such as house numbers. Pops of color can come in forms of potted or hanging plants.

2. If selling a home, work on decluttering so people can

envision themselves living there. Focus on creating open spaces with natural light, i.e., opening or removing heavy curtains. “Many home purchases are created with emotion,” Gato said. “They’re going to make decisions based on what their life will feel like when they actually live in that home—and then they’ll justify it later with logic.” Price to sell as homes that sit on the market can be perceived as having something wrong with the property.

3. Be aware that in most cases, if you have lived in a home for less than two years and decide to sell, you’ll most likely have to pay a capital gains tax.

4. If you are looking at purchasing a home, talk with a mortgage broker to learn how to improve your credit. Great credit often impacts your ability to get a lower interest rate which can save you a lot of money over the life of the loan.

Yes, there is a lot that goes into owning a home, but it can also be a great investment in your future and bring about many joys of home ownership.

Want to hear more about the ins and outs of home ownership? Check out Holly’s Highlights podcast, Season 2 Episode 25 on the Joys of Home Ownership with Carrie Gato. Holly’s Highlights podcast is available at www.hollycurby.com or wherever you listen to podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, and even “Alexa, play Holly’s Highlights podcast Season 2 Episode 25.”l

Cousins Stetson, Austin and Peyton help upkeep the curb appeal at their grandparent’s home. (Photo courtesy of Holly Curby)

AAI students participate in Dairy West Challenge, receive funds to start school garden

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Three American Academy of Innovation students created a plan devoted to help the effort in food insecurity in their school neighborhood.

As part of the Dairy West’s Power Your Challenge, these charter school students created a farm-to-table plan based on research that included a budget in their project, “Food Gardening Paradise.” As a result, senior Hannah Butcher, sophomore Ray Hecox and freshman Logan Kleinsmith were awarded $1,200 by Dairy Farmers of Idaho and Utah earmarked to implement a garden at their school.

The project began earlier this school year when guest speakers, including representatives from Dairy West and the Utah Food Bank, spoke to students.

“These students realized the inability to get food to the table for some families in our community,” said their teacher, Kathy Nuttall. “In the hour challenge, they came up with an idea, then created a plan to serve their community. They presented it on a poster to the judges.”

On their poster presentation, the students included the fact that one in eight families in Utah are food insecure, Nuttall said.

“They said that gardens will decrease the number of starving people and provide resources for those who don’t have the opportunity to garden,” she said. “They had to come up with a budget that included their boxes, hoses, soil, plants and everything they need.”

The plan also detailed seasonal gardening workshops, healthy recipe books and seminars. It was designed to be environmentally sustainable.

Initially, the students’ idea was for a community garden in Daybreak, but once they learned there already was a garden, the trio tailored the idea for the school.

“This way, they could get more students involved in the project, which they liked,” Nuttall said.

The funds will go toward grow boxes that will be maintained by a newly formed student garden club. The fresh vegetables will be available for students and families in need. It is being planned to be installed west of the school’s greenhouse.

Nuttall learned about the Dairy West Challenge when she took students to the family-owned Bateman’s Dairy Farm and was told about it.

“Going to the dairy is a good opportunity for my students. We talked about dairy cows and vegan dairies. It’s good for them to see what a dairy looks like and how it runs. They’re also one of the largest robotic dairies in the surrounding area so it’s pretty exciting for the kids to see,” she said.

Nuttall believes her students learned about making an impact.

“I hope what was learned is not to be afraid. They put themselves out there and spoke up with their idea. They also learned how to design a plan from start to finish and come up with a budget. It extends beyond a classroom assignment or lecture. They’ve been able to branch out and see how potentially what they’re doing can affect a larger group of people,” she said. “It’s hands-on learning that is making a positive impact on our community.” l

A team of American Academy of Innovation students received $1,200 from Dairy Farmers of Idaho and Utah earmarked to implement a garden at their school. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Nuttall/AAI)

Jordan District students receive Rising Star Student, Dr. Patrice Johnson Superintendent’s Scholarships

By Morgan Olsen | m.olsen@mycityjournals.com

OneBingham High School student have been selected among several applicants and awarded scholarships by the Jordan Education Foundation.

The Rising Star Student Scholarship focuses on awarding students who have shown resilience through difficult times in their life. Each year, principals and staff from each high school in the Jordan School District nominate one graduating senior from their school to receive a $2,000 scholarship, courtesy of the Jordan Education Foundation, to a college or University of their choice.

“These students have amazing stories,” Mike Haynes said, Jordan Education Foundation’s executive director. “We are grateful to be able to help them further their education by awarding them financially.”

One student, Linda Curtis, has been awarded the Rising Star Student Scholarship by the Jordan School District for her ability to overcome significant hardship in her life.

“Linda Curtis had a very difficult childhood,” the banquet program stated. “Due to her circumstances, and with the help of a woman from her church, Linda was able to gain emancipation as a minor. She currently lives with a foster family who has given her love, encouragement and a break from the fears of her earlier life.”

Because of her past, Curtis needed to improve her grades to be considered for college acceptance and has worked hard to do so during her time as a student at Riverton High School. She now looks forward to using this scholarship money to attend nursing school.

“I never even thought about graduation,” Curtis said. “I did not even think it was possible. Now, I will graduate with my Medical Assistant certificate and I will go on to nursing school.”

Curtis worked hard to pass her Medical Assistant state board exams. She has been accepted to six different colleges and is planning to attend Salt Lake Community College and then transfer to finishing nursing school.

Several other students throughout the area also received the $2,000 Rising Star Student Scholarship award. These students include Kevin Solano Rocha from Bingham High School, Michael Stratton from Herriman High School and Bianca Cardozofrom Mountain Ridge High School.

Rocha moved to Utah from California two years ago and is a first-generation college student. He has shown significant improvement in his grades and credit recovery during his time at Bingham High School. His principal was proud to nominate him for the Rising Star Student Scholarship and feels he is very deserving of the award.

Stratton overcame hardship during his early childhood until his sister and brother-in-law took guardianship of him and his siblings. He

wears a wristband that says “my life is worth living” and is passionate about computers and technology.

“Computers give me the ability to create anything I want, regardless of my circumstances or surroundings,” Stratton said. “Computers have been my stability, my escape and my connection to a world outside my own.”

When things would get difficult for him during his childhood, Stratton collected old computers and spent hours repairing them in order to sell them.

“It was a place where I would let all of my stress fade away into the work that had to be done,” Stratton said. “This is a very important part of my life because it gave me a better understanding of the inner workings of a computer.”

Stratton plans to further his education studying computer science.

Cardozo was raised in Utah by a single mother but had moved back and forth between Utah and Brazil several times by the time she was in high school. She showed resilience as she fought through struggles with her mental health and an eating disorder during her time at Mountain Ridge High School.

“After moving back to Utah, where she found additional support and stability, Bianca was able to find new hope and motivation,” the banquet program stated. “She turned things around her senior year academically and has shown resilience in recovery from an eating disorder and is continuously working to improve her mental health, striving to live a healthy and whole life.”

Cardozo plans to attend Utah Valley University and study forensic science.

The Dr. Patrice Johnson Superintendent’s Scholarship is awarded to a student who has

shown significant effort in demonstrating leadership and perseverance in search of the American Dream. This year’s recipient was Riverton High School senior Brenda Esquivel.

“Brenda Esquivel was born in Mexico City,” the banquet program stated. “She was held back in kindergarten because the school required a minimum level of English which she didn’t have. Her parents invested time, effort and work into teaching her English even though they were both strangers to the language. The first phrase Brenda remembers learning was ‘I don’t speak English, sorry.’ Eventually, she attended a trilingual school learning French, Spanish and English.”

Esquivel and her family moved to Utah from Mexico in 2019. As she enrolled at Riv-

erton High School, Esquivel knew her education was important, and she strived to keep her grades up while helping her family adjust to their new life in Utah.

“She is taking challenging classes in school and continues to practice all three languages, even obtaining the Seal of Bi-literacy for both French and Spanish,” the banquet program stated. “She has been involved in multiple clubs and shown leadership in Latinos in Action, FBLA and DECA.”

Esquivel plans to attend BYU this fall to study psychology and looks forward to applying to law school upon her college graduation. l

Brenda Esquivel, Riverton High School student, was awarded the Dr. Patrice Johnson Superintendent’s Scholarship to help fund her further education. (Mike Haynes/Jordan Education Foundation)

Kevin Solano Rocha, Bingham High School student, was awarded the Rising Star Student Scholarship to help fund his further education. (Mike Haynes/Jordan Education Foundation)

Michael Stratton, Herriman High School student, was awarded the Rising Star Student Scholarship to help fund his further education. (Mike Haynes/ Jordan Education Foundation)

Bianca Cardozo, Mountain Ridge High School student, was awarded the Rising Star Student Scholarship to help fund her further education. (Mike Haynes/Jordan Education Foundation)

Linda Curtis, Riverton High School student, was awarded the Rising Star Student Scholarship to help fund her further education. (Mike Haynes/ Jordan Education Foundation)

Continued from front page

The Smart Asset study reported that South Jordan has approximately 80,000 residents and that “roughly 29% of workers do so remotely, up 19 percentage points between 2019 and 2021.”

With South Jordan being a manageable driving distance from Silicon Slopes, the nickname given to the region of Lehi where a large majority of businesses is comprised of technology start-ups, Jones said that it is nice for some employees to have the option to go back into the office.

The new normal

In a research study published in October 2022 by Aksoy, et al, titled “Working from Home Around the World,” the authors noted the following:

“The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a huge, sudden uptake in working from home as individuals and organizations responded to contagion fears and government restrictions on commercial and social activities. No other episode in modern history involves such a pronounced and widespread shift in working arrangements in such a compressed time frame.”

For software engineer Shane Barnwell, the time frame was one week. Prior to the pandemic, Barnwell traveled from Herriman to the Mountain America Credit Union corporate office in Sandy 99.9% of the time, with the occasional work from home opportunity. He

said that once the CDC placed everyone under quarantine guidelines starting around March 12, 2020, his work went remote within one week.

“I think the pandemic was the trigger that started the remote work movement,” Barnwell said. “It gave [leadership and management] more insight into how well people can still work remote.”

The “Time Magazine” article reported that companies or firms can be winners in that “well designed remote-work practices raise productivity.”

According to Barnwell, for his position, working remotely is the new normal.

What does it take to work from home?

While the data shows that more and more people within certain industries have found success in working remotely and that they will likely continue to do so, there are certain characteristics that can be helpful.

“You do have to have a lot of self-motivation,” Jones said. “Sales is a great place for me, I’m very competitive.”

Along with self-motivation comes knowing when to walk away when work is done.

“Separating your work life from your home life is one of the biggest things you have to know how to do to be successful in remote work,” Barnwell said.

While working from home can more easily be done in your pajamas or your favorite pair of sweatpants, Mindi Gates said there is

still some mental preparation that is needed.

Gates, who has worked as a systems analyst for EOI Service out of California since September 2022, has very much enjoyed working remotely. She said that although some just roll out of bed a few minutes prior to starting their workday, she feels she is more successful when she is more prepared.

“For me, I have to get up early and get dressed and get ready for my work,” Gates said.

Gates has lived in her home in West Jordan for 12 years and said that she now has a home office, which has helped her to go into a mental and physical space that is specific to her work.

“I can shut the door if I’m in a meeting,” Gates said. “And when I’m done with work, I can leave my office and it’s like I’m going home.”

To read the full report by Smart Asset visit https://smartasset.com/data-studies/bestzoom-towns-in-the-u-s-2023

To read the “Time Magazine” article visit https://time.com/6243148/working-fromhome-is-the-trend-of-the-year-and-next-yeartoo/

To read the research study visit https://wfhresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Working-from-Home-Aroundthe-World-16-October-2022.pdf

According to the study done by Smart Asset, South Jordan ranked highest in the percentage of residents working from home. (Image from Smart Asset)

Best teen, preteen films showcased at Salt Lake County’s Youth Film Festival

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Eleven of Salt Lake County’s top youth filmmakers watched their films debut on the big screen with friends and family.

At an invitation-only event at the Megaplex at Valley Fair Mall, this year’s Salt Lake County Youth Film Festival student-winners came to the front of the auditorium, invited to speak and accept their prizes.

“Coming out of these heavier years with the pandemic and having to really push the film festival forward in a virtual format, the first thing I wanted to do was make sure that that our event was in-person,” said Abbey Summers, Salt Lake County health educator who oversaw the film festival. “And I thought what’s a better way to show these films for these young filmmakers than on the big screen?”

Sitting back, with provided concessions, the audience watched the short films ranging from breakfast ideas to inclusivity in sports.

All the films focused on the theme, “I advocate.”

“I wanted to have a strong theme. A big part of public health and what we do is, especially with youth, is trying to teach them about policy change and advocacy because these things are hugely instrumental in moving public health forward. Through the film festival, we’ve allowed teens to create films around some of those topics that are important to them. With this year’s theme, we encouraged them to think about health topics that were important to them and how they could advocate for change or a way to make it better; or how they could utilize resources in their community or in their schools to teach others. I feel the participants shined this year in showing us their advocacy and what is important to them,” she said about the fifth annual student film contest.

The films were judged by health educators, community health workers, youth services staff and others, they were ranked according to the contest rules in advocacy, originality, filmmaking elements, inclusivity and more, Summers said.

The winner of the Judge’s Choice award went to Sundance Canyon Academy senior Anthony Ashton for his film, “Resources;” Best Advocate Award to Skyline High junior Anna Liu for her film, “I Advocate for Mental Health;” Inclusivity Advocacy Winner to Highland High sophomore Kanye Saunders for “I Advocate for Inclusivity in Sports;” Best Original Film to Granger High senior James Ngyuen for his film “I Advocate for More Sleep;” Best Filmmaking Elements to Hillcrest High senior Abigail Slama-Catron for her film “Advocasee;” Best Theme Relevance to Corner Canyon freshman Maya Yrungaray for her film “3 Easy Breakfast Ideas;” First Runner-up to Sundance Canyon Academy freshman JD Martin for his film, “Temptations of Peer Pressure;” Group Advocacy Winner to Rowland Hall junior Eric Lu and Waterford School junior Shayan Pandit for their film, “Healthier and More Accessible School Lunches;” and Best Lower Division Winner to Salt Lake Arts Academy seventh-graders Aliya Saunders and Anna Peregrine for their film, “Living Life to the Fullest.”

The evening concluded with a private movie screening of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” as well.

“We wanted to make the event an opportunity to showcase their films and be really fun and family friendly,” Summers said. “I loved the films that were submitted this year.” l

Secondary students from across the Salt Lake Valley were honored at the fifth annual Salt Lake County health film festival. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Poaching of Utah wildlife at the Daybreak aquifer

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Inmid-May, multiple animals were injured by blow darts at the aquifer in Daybreak, including a duck, a coot and a dog. Some of these injuries are federal crimes, and the South Jordan Police Department is actively investigating.

Wasatch Wanderers President Adison Smith was called in to rescue the coot which was taken to Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation in Price, Utah.

“I’m not sure what gets in people’s heads where they want to start hurting animals but it’s definitely a concern for what that person’s future can hold,” Smith said. “That’s usually what we see is that people start hurting animals before they start hurting humans.”

It is illegal to shoot an animal without a permit, especially within city limits and Smith asks residents to be alert, look out for suspicious activity and let the police know if someone is harming or threatening to hurt an animal. Call the SJPD non-emergency line at 801-446-4357 with information about animal cruelty. l

For Bingham girls golf, a 6th place finish at state capped a year that included a Region 3 title

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

There is strength in numbers.

In team sports like girls golf, the Bingham Miners found out that the more players you can get into the top 10—the better off you’ll be.

That philosophy led to a Region 3 title and a sixth place finish at the recently completed 6A state championships May 8-9.

“Congratulations to our Lady Miner Golf team on their outstanding performances at the 6A state championships at Riverbend Golf Course on Monday and Tuesday!!! Morgan Ives led the way for the Miners with a second round score of 82,” Bingham athletic director Andee Bouwhuis said.

It was Bingham’s best finish at state in several years, and it was accomplished rather close to home along the verdant Riverbend course that hugs the Jordan River.

As the winds blew in from the river, the Miners took advantage of a course that all of Bingham’s golfers are familiar with—paced by junior Morgan Ives who finished the twoday event with a 171 and tied for 18th. Three other golfers placed 35th, 44th and 46th, respectively.

As a team, the Miners shot a 744 at the state tournament.

South Valley Regional Airport’s master plan gets off the ground

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

There are big plans for the South Valley Regional Airport in West Jordan at 7365 S. 4450 West, but don’t expect to see changes anytime soon.

The Salt Lake City Department of Airports is updating its master plan for the regional airport that is home to the Utah National Guard Army Aviation support facility, maintenance hangars, aircraft parking, airplane hangars and flight schools.

Brady Fredrickson, SLCDA director of airport planning, has been sharing the master plan with the public, getting feedback and talking about the changes that include lengthening the runway and building an air traffic control tower.

“The runway extension itself will be based on demand, and it’s based on specific demand, and that would be corporate jets starting to fly in and out,” he said. “When we see business jets that need to go to the East Coast, that’s when the runway will be extended.”

That growth could happen in five years, ten years or longer. In fact, the 2006 SVR master plan that’s being updated shows most of the same things discussed in the new plan, but it anticipated more aggressive growth.

By planning now, the airport can preserve space and start working with the Federal Aviation Administration who will need to review the plans and analyze the site for the air traffic control tower which is proposed to be placed on the east side of the airport.

take a while to get one. If you start planning for a tower, it’s not a couple of years before you get one. It could be five, six, eight or even longer. But we have to start now to plan for the future.”

Another big change being proposed is increasing the runway to 6,600 feet. The current length is 5,562 feet and the master plan shows the runway extending north by 1,000 feet. That includes pushing the south end of the runway 300 feet to the north and moving the north end of the runway an additional 1,042 feet north.

“The reason we’re shifting the 300 feet to the north is there’s a required safety field that we want to make clear,” he said. “It is a 1,000-foot safety zone and what that does is it shifts it off the road. And the runway protection zone moves off the West Jordan public utilities building.”

Overall, Fredrickson said the airport serves the area well. Starting as an Army base in 1942, ownership of the airport was transferred to Salt Lake City after WWII. The SLCDA looks at SLI, SVR and Tooele airports as a system where what happens at the international airport affects what happens at the two smaller airports.

Air traffic at SVR includes aircraft training while Tooele is home to skydiving operations, something that can’t be done over the international airspace of South Valley airport.

Consistency Was the Name of the Game

At their final region tournament of the season, the Miners played along the somewhat rugged terrain of Sleepy Ridge.

The thing about Sleepy Ridge, located in Orem, is that it is long. Most of its 6,000+ yards are Par-4s.

The theory is that if you can play it steady and not take as many risks, you’ll do OK.

That’s precisely what the Miners were able to do at Sleepy Ridge on May 1.

By moving four of their top varsity players into the top 10 at Sleepy Ridge, it was a feat that earned Bingham the Region 3 team title.

Mya Thompson finished in third place overall with a 87.14 stroke average. With a 87.57 stroke average, Morgan Ives finished fourth—just .43 points behind Thompson.

Down the leaderboard with 90.14 points stood Maddie Horsley and last but not least in the Region 3 standings with 94.43 points was Telea Bloomfield.

For the Miners, who outpointed their nearest competitor Riverton by nine strokes, they’ll lose Horsley and Thompson to graduation, but plan to return Ives and Bloomfield for their senior seasons. l

With its proximity to Salt Lake International Airport, the SVR’s need for a tower is becoming critical as the airports share an increasingly busy airspace.

“As operations have grown in South Valley, the need to control the airspace and make sure the aircraft are in proper position and separated is increased,” Fredrickson said. “We’re right on the cusp of needing [a tower]. It will

“As the valley grows, the system of airports is vital and each airport plays a vital role in that system,” he said. “These systems interact with one another and create a good environment for recreation, commercial fliers and vital things like firefighting.”

The next step in the master plan is to finalize alternatives, create an environmental analysis and dive into the details of cost and implementation of airport projects. For more information, visit SLCAirport.com. l

A coot was shot with a dart through its foot at the aquifer in Daybreak and taken to Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation. Several animals were injured by blow darts in the area. (Photo courtesy of Wasatch Wanderers)

The Salt Lake City Department of Airports is updating its master plan for the South Valley Regional Airport, which includes a longer runway and an air traffic control tower. (Courtesy of SLCDA)

Bingham boys volleyball take fifth at state

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

The Bingham High boys volleyball team finished fifth at the state championships May 5-6. They are pictured here after winning the Elite Teams Tournament earlier this season. Those on the 2023 BHS squad were Enis Bringhurst, Gannon Hill, Bladen Huntsman, Max Linford, Grady Lynch, Chase Rich, Brian Soth, Jake Sprunt and Zach Thompson. The Miners were coached by JT Thomas, who has headed up the program for the past nine years and will continue on as the head coach as boys volleyball transitions into a UHSAA-sanctioned sport next spring. (Photo courtesy Alan Thompson)

Bingham football to play arguably the toughest schedule in Utah, headlined by a home game vs No. 4 team in America

If you ask Bingham head coach Eric Jones, Bingham football may have the toughest road to hoe in Utah high school football. Or blast through, as the case may be for a Miners team coming off one of the most successful seasons in years.

“We play arguably one of the toughest schedules in the state,” Jones said.

Jones may not be wrong here. If you thought the weather was tough, you haven’t seen Bingham’s football schedule for the 2023-24 school year.

Calculus has got nothing on the Miners first few games.

First off, a rematch from last year’s 6A quarterfinal classic at Bingham takes shape at Lone Peak to open the season on Aug. 10.

Bingham has its home opener on Aug. 18 against Crimson Cliffs, a school out of Southern Utah that was last year’s 4A championship runner-up.

And that’s just the Miners’ first two games.

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

The third game on Aug. 26 is a home game, and will pit Bingham against legendary national power Mater Dei out of Southern California that is currently ranked in the Top 5 in the nation. It is the top half of a home-and-home series, and it will be played at Ron Thorne Stadium.

The fourth game, however, may have just as many fireworks as the third.

The Miners will travel to Skyridge, the 6A champions and the team that knocked Bingham out of the 6A semifinals at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Sept. 1.

The fifth game on the schedule, the last on Bingham’s non-region schedule, will also be the Miners second straight game on the road as they head to American Fork on Sept. 8.

In all five of Bingham’s preseason tilts, the Miners will be playing a 6A quarterfinalist, a 4A runner-up, the No. 4 team in America, the defending 6A champions and a 6A quarterfinalist.

But, there’s a reason the math might

look a bit off to some. According to Jones, Bingham was going to be stuck with a week 3 bye and had to do something.

“That last version of region realignment [in January] really caused us some scheduling headaches,” Jones explained in an interview with City Journals. “We lost 3 of our pre-season games and had a difficult time finding opponents.

“That's how a 4A Crimson Cliffs, Skyridge, and Mater Dei came to be … I tried Idaho schools, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah and couldn't find anyone with an opening. That's where Mater Dei came in.”

For the Miners, weeks six through 10 will see some let-up in Bingham’s schedule—though region games are still tough. For the 2023-24 school year, Bingham has been placed in Region 2 in the new UHSAA realignment.

The Miners will stay in 6A, however, they will now compete with Riverton, Mountain Ridge, Corner Canyon, Copper Hills and Herriman for a Region 2 title.

In the Miners third straight game on the road, they’ll travel to Copper Hills on Sept. 15 in what will also mark their Region 2 opener.

Sept. 22 will see Bingham head back out on the road for the fourth straight week, for a cross-valley showdown with Herriman.

The following week will see the Miners play their first home game in over a month when they host crosstown rivals Riverton on Sept. 29.

Oct. 6 is bound to be a showdown for the ages as Bingham heads up to Corner Canyon to take on Isaac Wilson and Co.

And on Oct. 13, the Miners close out one of the most difficult schedules in recent memory as they host Mountain Ridge on Senior Night.

“It's going to be a great opportunity to develop and face great competition from week 1 through 10,” Jones said. l

The Bingham Miners football schedule for this fall. (Bingham Miners Athletics)

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Jordan Valley Medical Center has been delivering babies on the west side since 1983. As the only hospital on the west side with a Level III Newborn Intensive Care Unit, we provide the safest environment for our smallest patients.

Jordanvalleymc.org | 801-562-3138 | 3580 W. 9000 S., West Jordan, UT 84088

Grief is an individual journey with a path as unique as each one of us. To o er support and hope, we provide various Grief Support Services for those who are mourning a recent or past loss.

TAP INTO A NEW POSSIBILITY for depression Depression

• NOT medicine

• NOT shock therapy

• NOT invasive

• IS safe and effective

• IS COVERED by most insurance

NeuroStar is like physical therapy for the brain. It uses magnetic pulses, similar in strength to MRI, to reignite dormant connections in the brain and give you control of your depression. With NeuroStar, you can live on your terms.

“I had taken 11 different medications without any relief… NeuroStar treatment has helped me bring my life back with a happiness that I’ve never experienced before” ~TODD

“When you’re depressed you’re always fighting to live…to survive the next day. NeuroStar made such a difference…all of a sudden I felt empowered, I felt strong, I felt like I wasn’t a victim anymore.

People say they wish they’d had their grandkids first, but you can’t appreciate the ease of grandchildren without first swimming through the shark-infested sewer that is parenthood. The sleepless nights, the face-wrinkling worry and the gut-clenching idea that you’ve messed your kids up forever is all forgotten when you become a grandparent.

Most Wednesdays, my four youngest grandkids come over after school to play games, make crafts, eat Popsicles and cause random chaos. At 11, 7, 6 and 2, they’re young enough to still find me entertaining, but they also expect me to die at any moment because, at 54, I’m unbelievably old.

The 7- and 6-year-old granddaughters team up immediately, take their usual blood oath (“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good”), then disappear for a while.

My 11-year-old grandson tries to teach me his newest Kung Fu moves while the 2-year-old crawls out the doggie door into the backyard.

As I practice my jabs and leg sweeps, and corral the 2yo back into the house, the 6yo and 7yo discuss how to creep into the attic through an opening in the pantry ceiling. They opt for Plan A which has them scaling pantry shelves to get into the crawl space. When I foil that idea, it’s back to the drawing board.

A second chance

Peri Kinder

Life and Laughter

Now, the 2yo is missing. I send the girls to look outside and the grandson to hunt downstairs. Earlier, I’d closed my office door so she couldn’t get in, but I find her hiding under my desk, happily listening to us search for her.

While the 11yo beats me at Rack-O, I see the two girls mosey into the garage for Plan B. They look suspicious, so I follow and listen to them figure out how to carry the ladder into the pantry.

“Nope,” I say, as they jump 20 feet into the air.

“We’re just getting Popsicles,” one of them says. They scurry to the freezer and make a big show of picking out the perfect Popsicle before going back inside to resume planning.

The 2yo is missing. After a brief search, I find her sitting behind the recliner, eating Milk-Bones with our dog Jedi.

While the 11-year-old wins Yahtzee for

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the third time in a row, I notice the two girls whispering on the couch. They’re on to Plan C: looking for materials to build a ladder since I foiled their earlier strategies. I get out the paints, rubber stamps and crayons and distract them with a craft project.

The 2yo is missing. I find her in the backyard, throwing Jedi’s balls down the window well. Jedi stares down at her favorite ball and looks at me like, “I guess you’re climbing into that spider-infested hole to get my squeaky ball.”

I gather everyone for dinner (only the 11yo eats) before realizing the 2yo is missing. I don’t have to look far. She’s in the hall, coloring the wall with a purple crayon. About this time, my husband gets home from

work to find me washing crayon off the wall. “Why weren’t you watching her?” he asks, like I’d encouraged the toddler to create a lavender mural in the hall. I respond by pouring a tablespoon of antifreeze in his Diet Coke.

Although my Wednesday nights are a bit scattered, I’m in no rush for these kids to get older. I’ve learned how fast children grow up and I don’t want to waste a single minute with them. Even better, these evenings are a lifeline to my daughters who are swimming that shark-infested sewer of parenthood.

PLUMBING THE DRAIN BOYZ FREE ESTIMATES

Plumbing,Piping, Installations

Drain Cleaning Service and Repair, Large and Small Remodeling

Call or Text - Steve or Lea 801.637.1543 or 385.253.0412

DECKS & HANDRAILS

“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

D.C. CSCS Chiropractic Physician