South Salt Lake Journal | April 2023

THE MUSIC, THE MOMENT—HOW A SOUTH SALT LAKE TEAM TRANSFORMS THE LIVES OF REFUGEE CHILDREN

By Jesse M. Gonzalez | j.gonzalez@mycityjournals.com

Music is the artistic combination of sounds to produce feelings of harmony and balance, and this is evident in the Granite School District’s program Peace Through Music International. The program revolves around the musical bond between high schoolers and elementary students, helping many refugee children find positive emotional expression after a burdening time.

The program started with Liz Shropshire who wanted to help the refugees of Kosovo who had been displaced from their home during the war in 1999. Shropshire, a music composer and teacher, had flown there to create new ways of assistance and there the light bulb came on. She would bring a music program to see if it would work with the kids and it came with astounding success.

“The kids would pack into these little rooms or shelters to get any instruction they could,” said Monica Clay, who has been a volunteer for the foundation, helping Shropshire nearly every step of the way. “She (Shropshire) developed a program using a

Continued page 5

South Salt Lake City high schoolers become teachers as part of the program to help refugee and struggling children to cope through music. (Photo courtesy of Monica Clay/Peace Through Music International)

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Coffee with a Cop opens dialogue between SSL officers and residents

TheSouth Salt Lake Police Department is building community relationships with coffee and conversation. For almost nine years, the department has been part of the Coffee with a Cop program, a national initiative to improve trust and communication between officers and the people they serve.

SSL Police Chief Jack Carruth partnered with the SSL Chamber of Commerce to bring the program to the city in 2014. It changed venues several times over the years before landing at Délice Bakery & Café (2747 S. State St.), owned by Jean-Jacques “JJ” Grossi.

Coffee with a Cop meets at the bakery on the first Wednesday of each month from 9-10 a.m., and the public is welcome to stop by and visit.

“A lot of times it’s the same faces and then we get a bunch of new faces,” Carruth said. “They get to know officers one-on-one. It’s not a formal setting, there are no rules. You just build friendships.”

Regular attendees include SSL city council members, business owners and residents. Officers or city representatives often give updates about happenings in the community and listen to feedback from attendees. Visitors to the bakery will sometimes pick up the tab for the event as a way of thanking the officers for their service.

SSL City Councilmember Clarissa Williams frequents the event regularly and encourages residents to take advantage of the program to get to know the officers serving the city.

“We get to know the officers on a personal level,” Williams said. “You learn how relatable they are. It’s about coming around the table with them and all the officers are willing to listen. I think it’s a great way to connect with the community.”

Coffee with a Cop was first launched in

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2011 in Hawthorne, California, as a way to address the shifting needs of the area. The community policing program has always been seen as a way to remove barriers, build trust and improve communication between officers and residents and the Coffee with a Cop events built on that framework.

The program is now in all 50 states and can also be found in Canada, Europe, Australia, Africa and Latin America. In fact, Carruth’s wife, Jacquelyn Carruth, serves as the police chief in Duluth, Georgia, and started the Coffee with a Cop program in her area. It’s considered one of the most impactful practices to improve community oriented policing programs.

There is no agenda for the meetings. The idea is to just get together and start conversations, answer questions and be available for whomever might need connection to the officers.

Britney Warner is the city’s business watch officer. She has served the community for 15 years and attends Coffee with a Cop to talk with business owners about crime prevention.

“Whatever problems businesses are having, I help them out with that,” Warner said. “We like to make ourselves available to businesses and remind them they can come here and talk to us faceto-face.”

Gary Birdsall, president of the SSL Chamber of Commerce, said the business owners and residents who attend the event have found the relationships invaluable, as they’ve gotten to know the officers who protect South Salt Lake.

“This is just an example of the incredible outreach the police do in the city,” Birdsall said. l

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self-sustaining model where the teenagers ended up teaching the classes and they were able to teach hundreds and hundreds of kids at these IDP (Internally Displaced Person) camps and different places throughout Kosovo.”

From that trip to Kosovo, and the incredible coalescence that it gave to the less fortunate, the Shropshire Music Foundation was born, which eventually expanded into different countries such as Uganda, Northern Ireland, Bangladesh, Greece and Ukraine.

In 2022, Shropshire Music Foundation changed its name to Peace Through Music International, but the humanitarian ideas revolving around the mission remain the same.

“We bring music to children affected by war and have seen it transform lives— it gives them self-esteem, motivation for the future, which is very difficult in refugee camps,” Clay said. “There’s a lot of hopelessness and apathy and boredom, and so this brings new life and it brings leadership opportunities and creativity and joy, and ultimately peace.”

Aside from the face-to-face learning platform, Peace Through Music International has started projecting their mellifluous message via online ukulele instruction. Other musical instruments that are taught in the program include the penny whistle and harmonica.

“We try to do simple instruments that can be carried around and that can withstand some harsh conditions and are easy for the kids to pick up on so that’s typically what we stick to. We teach music notes and beats and rests and songs,” Clay said. “We serve anyone in need of the South Salt Lake program, we serve kids that are part of the Historic Scott School after-school program.”

A key proponent of the program is Rocky Mountain Power, an electrical company that assists the foundation through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) grants and other education grants. Peace Through Music International applied for and received a grant in 2021 and another one in 2022.

“The grant program is really impactful, and we’re really excited to support it because I think organizations like Peace Through Music International do a lot of important work to build up our community,” said Brandon Zero, a spokesman for Rocky Mountain Power. “A youth centered music education program really fits the bill. We have given out about $60 million to nonprofit organizations in our service area. The mission is really just to support the growth and vitality of our communities and organizations that are doing that great work.”

The music program would not be possible without the diligent efforts of the high school students, who undergo 40

hours of training before they begin teaching music at the Historic Scott School, a community center which houses various after-school activities. One such student, Megan Tandar, helps lead the program with her sister, whether it’s teaching musical notes or training new volunteers.

“It’s definitely a lot different—I’m a classical pianist and a lot of my training has been drilling one passage over and over until you get it right, but when you’re with these kids that’s not what our focus of music is. Our focus of music is that it should be fun, it should be something passionate, something to connect people,” said Tandar, who teaches approximately 20 kids, though it varies from week to week.

“I love how when we first started the Salt Lake chapter, we did an intense volunteer training to train Megan and the other volunteers to teach and they’re all teenagers,” said Alisa Broadbent, a Utah volunteer coordinator who has worked alongside Shropshire working with the refugee and immigrant population. “It’s such a great setup for our foundation to have the teenagers come in and teach the kids. When we were going through the training I remember Liz saying, ‘Remember that our goal is not to create musicians. Our goal is to create more peace in their lives.’”

“Over the last three or four years I’ve really learned that the thing that teaches the kids the most is when there’s a personal connection and when these kids can really sense that the teachers love being with them,” Broadbent said.

“Just last week, one of the kids said to me as we were leaving, ‘I love this class!’ Oh golly, oh good, great! She said, ‘Be -

cause I get to see all of you.’ And that just really affirmed to me that the music is just the medium and once we can help these kids—you know, they’re sponges, they are learning and they’re growing and they have hard things in their lives, but if they learn these skills early through music, through interpersonal connection, they will be so much more able to give back to their world, to their community so I just really, really believe in this organization and what we’re doing,” Broadbent said.

“I’m thinking especially, because I worked with her today, of a girl named Cordelia. She is a hard little girl but she was in my group, and I can tell she’s learning other skills from other places in her life but she has done pretty good,” Broadbent said. “She enjoys music but at first her emotions were unchecked. She didn’t have the ability to focus or to concentrate or to follow simple directions, and now a year later she’s doing really, really well. I’m really proud of her that she’s devel -

oped some really good skills that are helping her personally.”

The mission to transform lives continues through Peace Through Music International. The team behind the program are more than willing to help some of the world’s most vulnerable younger citizens.

“That’s our goal,” Clay said. “Everybody benefits. People that are in a terrible place are more vulnerable to human trafficking and extremist groups and hate. If you can change that at the beginning, I mean, you’ve changed the world. You’ve improved their lives, but you’ve also improved the community.”

“I’d like people to know Peace Through Music International is a foundation that really focuses not necessarily on creating musicians but using music as a catalyst for peace and for healing from trauma,” Tandar said. “That’s our biggest mission.” l

Students learn how to read musical notes to improve their well-being. (Photo courtesy of Monica Clay/ Peace Through Music International)

A young student learns how to play the harmonica under instruction from the team of Peace Through Music International. (Photo courtesy of Monica Clay/Peace Through Music International)

Mural Fest’s exploding popularity raises challenges for Arts Council

South Salt Lake’s internationally known “outdoor gallery” is adding to its collection as the sixth annual Mural Fest is set to transform more post-industrial cityscape into big, vibrant wall art.

Yet the festival’s outsized success, which has attracted international attention, now raises questions about the program’s sustainability and has brought unanticipated challenges to the city’s small Arts Council, including a deluge of applicants.

In its first year, 23 artists applied to paint murals—this year’s applications reached 593.

The Fest aims to add 10 new murals every year during the month of May, and if all goes to plan, next month will push the program across the halfway mark of its 100-murals goal—part of the city’s larger ambition to establish itself as a hub for creative business.

But this year the SSL Arts Council has run up against a different type of wall as it’s struggled to find property owners willing to offer their buildings for use as outdoor canvas.

“I am concerned about the sustainability of the program. Finding the walls in the downtown area is challenging with the development. I’d like to see more developers get on board,” said Lesley Allen, director of the SSL Arts Council, during a presentation to city leaders.

The city is home to an abundance of artready walls, but a combination of redevelopment uncertainty and ambivalent attitudes toward street art has made securing facades for this year’s Fest especially difficult, according to Allen, who spoke with the City Journals.

“Some older property owners have this idea in their mind that it’s just graffiti style art. When they think of a mural they think it's going to look like some gang lettering or whatever,” said Allen, whose trying to reshape community attitudes toward wall art by selling property owners on the advantages.

“It’s taken time to educate property owners and businesses about the benefits of murals, and they're starting to see what it's doing to transform the neighborhood. It's bringing people in and it's getting businesses a lot of attention.”

Artistic license is double-sided at Mural Fest

Skip Marsh is a third generation screen printer and businessman whose Technical Services and Supply sells screen printing equipment throughout the Intermountain area—and he’s one of SSL’s business owners with a glowing perspective of Mural Fest.

“I think (murals) improve the appearance of the buildings and revitalize the community to a degree. It gives a little character to South Salt Lake, especially in the industri-

By Zak Sonntag | z.sonntag@mycityjournals.com

al area. It’s all very positive,” he said.

In 2021, he worked with artist Miles Toland whose mural Air and Aether brought new energy to Marsh’s 75-year-old building at the West Temple location that’s housed the family business since 1952.

“I thoroughly think he did an amazing job,” Marsh said of Toland.

Nonetheless, Marsh understands why some businesses demure from murals, alluding to the inherently subjective value of art and the way property owners have unique aesthetic preferences.

“When I look at some of the other murals that have been done, there's some that I like and some that I don't,” he said, expressing that while he loves his mural, “some of the other stuff out there is different, which is not bad, but I just don't happen to care for it.”

Had Marsh not been able to pair with Toland, he may have declined to participate in Mural Fest; that reality poses a challenge for Allen, who must find ways to match property owners with muralists whose aesthetic style fits their own.

This can be tricky for a few reasons.

The Fest is committed to giving muralists broad artistic license, which Allen says is critical for attracting talent on the program’s relatively small budget.

This year Mural Fest will cost around $75,000—making it the Arts Council’s single biggest outlay and gobbling up almost half its annual programing budget.

Even still, it’s not enough to pay artists competitively.

For instance, going rates for professional muralist are between $20 and $30 a square foot, which means a five-story wall like the one painted at Central Point Condominiums during the 2022 Mural Fest could alone cost up to $60,000 on commission.

By comparison the highest artist’s allotment at this year’s Fest is only $4,000.

Additionally, as with Central Point, some facades present technical challenges not all artists are capable of; along with working at heights, artists sometimes need specialized skillsets to incorporate windows and relief features.

Street cred

As the program’s reputation spreads, sought-after artists have agreed to produce at cut-rates simply to be featured in an outdoor gallery of growing renown.

“When I was going through the applications, I could not believe how many talented artists [were interested], and the amazing murals they're doing. It’s just crazy how much talent there is out there,” Allen said.

A major force driving the fests popularity is the artists’ own promotions.

“I attribute the growth of mural fest to a lot of things,” said Allen, pointing to a new website and marketing campaign. “But I think the biggest thing is word of mouth and the artists and their posts and followers they have…in the mural community.”

Veronica Zak

One muralist that’s helped generate excitement and visibility for the program is Veronica Zak, a multi-genre artist whose twice painted at Mural Fest.

Zak’s talents as an artist manifested early, and painting awards in high school in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio led to a scholarship at The Savannah College of Art and Design, where she studied animation and fine arts.

“I would have liked to be really good at math or science, but every time I picked up a paintbrush it worked out really well for me, so [a creative life] just became a no brainer.”

She relocated to Utah in the 2010s on the strength of a growing arts scene, along with the state’s outdoor beauty, which has made its way into pieces like her Red Rock mural currently on display downtown.

Zak believes murals are a decisive force for community building, and says they’ve

Murals help vivify redeveloping downtown districts. (Zak Sonntag/City Journals)

made SSL’s creative zone more welcoming and neighborly.

“I think there’s a fine line between a cool, hip underground artsy neighborhood or a neighborhood stricken by poverty, and I think that fine line is the presence of art,” Zak said, pointing to her hometown of Cleveland as an example.

“It’s a fine line between an artsy neighborhood and a run-down neighborhood. It’s just that little bit of extra effort and the murals elevate it slightly above.”

Zak’s style tends toward realism. However, mural work has challenged her to paint in different styles that make sense for the scale and purpose of the medium.

It’s also challenged her physically.

“This is a massive feat of physical labor. My arms and back will be sore for weeks,” Zak said.

‘Universal language’

Mural Fest’s outsize success stands as an example of how a tiny department in a small city government can punch above its weight as the event has helped put SSL on the wider cultural map.

One of the ways the Arts Council achieves this is by structuring itself as a 501(c)(3) while remaining a subsidiary of the city, which allows it to draw on resources from the mayor’s office while simultaneously applying for independent, project-based grants, according to Allen.

For now, Allen, the sole full-time employee of the Arts Council, is racing to find walls with the hope that this year’s Mural Fest will be its biggest ever, then use that momentum to push the mission onward.

“When people see art in their neighborhood it helps them identify with where they

live,” Allen said. “Art has such a way of empowering people. It's a universal language that can [overcome] a lot of the differences we have in however we view the world.” l

WMurals showcase local talent. (Zak Sonntag/City Journals)

Wall art beautifies commute for S-line riders. (Zak Sonntag/City

Cottonwood boys basketball returns to the state QFs for first time since 2007

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

“It was a good season for Cottonwood basketball,” said Cottonwood High head boys basketball coach Marc Miller. “We finished 23-2, won our first region title since 2007 and made it the quarterfinals of [5A] State [Tournament].”

To get there, Cottonwood put the ball in the hands of senior Kirath Makhar, the floor general who led the Colts starting five into a quick huddle out of the halftime locker room, ahead 40-23 in this 5A second-round game against Payson, Feb. 24.

Makhar was in a groove, cleaning his shoes with one hand while the other held the ball at the elbow off one inbounds play. There was no chance a Payson defender would even try taking the ball away.

Makhar then picked up his dribble, spinning a pass into the key before it was deposited back out and three dribble handoffs led to a trey from senior Max Russo. Then, another trey from Russo. Then a heat check from Russo clanked off the back of the rim as the Colts played a 3-and-D game the rest of the way. Russo hit his fifth three point shot in the third with three minutes to go, and by then Cottonwood was up 57-32.

At that point, Russo already had 19 points. It was his show’s along with the senior Makhar who [8 points] dished out 13 assists.

The PA played the Harlem Globetrotters theme during a Payson timeout after Makhar cut the lane and no-look zinged a pass across court to senior Jackson Price who splashed another three for a 65-40 Colts lead.

You could sense something special was going on in the Cottonwood high gymnasium. Before the game had even ended, some

students were already removing their shirts and were admonished by the PA announcer to put them back on—else they’d be removed from the gym.

Makhar, who was 5A’s top assist man, and Russo who was 5A’s top three-point marksman, would both come out for their curtain calls midway through the fourth in a 73-52 rout of Payson. Junior Chris Cox added 18, and Price had 13.

Plenty was at stake—a trip back to Weber State University’s Dee Events Center in Ogden for the 5A quarterfinals. The Cottonwood women had already been upset a day earlier at home in overtime to another south Utah County school [Spanish Fork]. The Colts boys were not planning to make it two in a row here at the home gym and they didn’t.

In Ogden, it was an ugly, chippy game, and fouls were the name as seven-seed Timpview employed a taller lineup and tried keeping the more athletic Colts from getting open looks at the basket.

It worked, as Makhar struggled getting going and so did Russo whose three-point shot wasn’t falling for a two-seed Cottonwood team making its first trip to the 5A quarterfinals since 2007.

Timpview also dribbled and passed well into the shot clock on every possession. But Cottonwood hung tough, cutting the Timpview lead to three with a Russo jumper, 50-47 with 7:04 left in the game.

After a Timpview turnover, Cox had a good open look on a corner three but it rimmed out.

Makhar who had been largely invisible for the first three quarters, started heating up and no-look dumped into Cox in the lane who was fouled. Cox swished both free throws and the Colts cut the Timpview lead to one, 50-49 with 5:42 to play.

After Timpview knocked down a zone-buster three, Price scored his 12th and 13th points on a pull up jumper cutting that Timpview lead to 53-51 with 4:09 left.

But the Colts were also getting thumped on the boards. Couple that with a costly turnover leading to a layup and Timpview was now ahead 55-51 with 2:59 to go in this 5A quarterfinal game.

Barreling into the lane, Russo spun around his defender to narrow the Timpview lead back to 55-53. But Timpview splashed another zone-buster three to take a commanding 58-53 lead.

With 1:13 left in the season, junior Ryan Nielson squirmed open for a three at the elbow. Makhar who led the way with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists found the junior—but the shot bounced out.

Then after a Timpview player stepped out of bounds on a full-court press that Cottonwood laid down, Makhar missed a 3 off a ball-screen that is usually designed for Russo as it clanked hard off the back iron and over the backboard.

But Makhar made up for that miss on the ensuing play going coast-to-coast on a layup with 41 seconds left, drawing Cottonwood closer at 59-55.

After Timpview again turned the ball over thanks to the Colts’ suffocating press, Price missed an open three in the corner—but on the rebound a Timpview player stepped out of bounds. Makhar found Aiden Oliphant open under the hoop but he kicked it out to Price who missed an open three.

The Colts had great open looks the last 41 seconds, but a Russo putback was too little, too late and their season ended with a 6057 loss to Timpview.

“It was a fun team to coach and a season I think all us players and coaches will remember for a long time,” said coach Miller. l

The Cottonwood Colts capped a memorable season with a quarterfinal run at the state tournament. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Ona windy spring afternoon at Golf the Round in South Salt Lake, the sound of a titanium driver rings out as Will Doyle whacks a ball down the range—a high, strait shot that bounces past the checkered flag at 200 yards.

He sighs with satisfaction.

Whether hitting a mid-week bucket or piling into a cart with friends to play nine holes, Golf the Round is Doyle’s preferred course, which he says residents love for its affordable prices and unintimidating atmosphere.

“It’s a place where if you want to be competitive you can, but you don’t have to. It’s mostly about getting outside and being with friends,” said Doyle, 30, whose played since the age of 6, and says the game has taught him life skills in “building resilience.”

Soon, however, he may need to find new links.

Golf the Round is in negotiations with Dakoda Pacific Corporation for the sale of its land lease agreement. If a deal is reached it will turn the 69-acre parcel of fairways into an industrial park of tilt-up warehousing.

Players say the potential demise of Golf the Round has big implications, as the SSL starter course is considered a needed welcome mat for newcomers in a sport often seen as exclusive or cost-prohibitive, according to those familiar with Salt Lake County’s golf culture.

“It’s not expensive to play or come to the range. And taking that barrier out of golf is fantastic. You don’t have to be a member at a private club. You don’t have to shell out a bunch of money. You can come here and pay 10 bucks for 75 balls,” said Doyle, who worries that higher prices and fewer options may deter future generations from taking up the sport.

Water

The property is owned by Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility (CVW), who leases the land to Golf the Round, and who was approached by Dakoda Pacific in 2021 regarding a lease buyout of the course property.

The negotiations were kept quiet until January 2023 when the South Salt Lake City Council passed a rezone of the golf course area from Commercial Corridor to Flex Zone at the behest of Dakota Pacific—a move that seemed to seal the course’s fate.

Although that may not be the case.

Representatives for Golf the Round have remained tight-lipped, and while the company has not yet issued a public statement, sources say ownership is considering resisting the sale—even as pressure builds against them.

The rezone applications sailed through both the planning commission and city council with unanimous support for the Dakoda Pacific proposal. (Councilmember Corey

Golf the Round on its last leg?

By Zak Sonntag | z.sonntag@mycityjournals.com

Thomas, who works for Golf the Round, recused herself from discussions and abstained from voting.)

On its face, the move appears at odds with a community so vocally supportive of open space and affordable housing—considering the project does not appear to directly achieve either goal.

Nonetheless, leaders say the change is a win-win, based on estimates that show the new arrangement will produce over 400 additional jobs and up to $1.6 million in annual tax revenue, according to reports provided by the city and Dakoda Pacific.

Additionally, and perhaps more compelling, it will save millions of gallons of water, which will flow instead to the drought-depleted Great Salt Lake.

Phill Heck, general manager of CVW, confirmed that replacing the golf course will save up to 1 million gallons per day in the summer, with total annual water savings between 130 and 170 million gallons.

But it’s not just about water—it’s about revenue, too.

Central Valley Water, the largest wastewater treatment facility in Utah, is supportive of the Dakoda Pacific proposal in part because it promises to be more lucrative than the golf course—which is especially appealing now as the interlocal agency is under multi-million dollar renovations upgrading infrastructure and technology.

“We need to use our resources more effectively financially. It's just not viable to run the golf course for us. This (Dakoda Pacific proposal) is a much better financial situation for Central Valley, and the city as well,” Heck said.

Superfund site

The plan has brought attention to lesser known facts about the property, including its former history as the location of nuclear material processing operations, which left behind radioactive refuse and earned a designation as a “superfund” site.

In the 1950s through the late 1960’s Vitro Chemical operated a uranium enrichment facility as part of federal operations to enhance the military nuclear arsenal in the Cold War effort.

Radioactive tailings were impounded on the site before being excavated in a remediation process undertaken by the Department of Energy in the 1980s.

However, ongoing tests required by federal law show that radioactive materials Thorium and Radium still exist underground—exposure to which poses health hazard.

As a result the property is limited by deed restrictions that preclude residential development, and limits the depth at which commercial development can lay foundation and utilities.

Discussions of radioactive material

caused anxiousness to bubble up during the public hearings, and councilmembers asked whether the Dakota Pacific project may inadvertently stir up contaminated particles at put residents at risk.

Jason Head, representing Dakoda Pacific, told the council that invasive geo-technical testing has shown the troublesome elements are “deep enough down and covered with enough soil that the EPA and DEQ both agreed that no further action was needed.”

City staff say the industrial park is one of the few feasible projects for the site partly due to its relatively shallow ground needs, with minimal excavation required for utilities that will not surpass 15 feet (Thorium and Radon at the site are shown to lie at depths between 25 to 40 feet.) And the site designs include radon gas mitigation systems.

Councilmember Sheryl Bynum, who

represents the city on the CVW board, helped allay concerns and vouched for the safety of the plan.

“Central Valley has been very cautious. Many experts have analyzed this…and they have definitely done their due diligence,” Bynum said.

The agreement between Golf the Round and Dakoda Pacific remains in the air. In the meantime residents and golfers are having conversations about the proposals bigger meanings.

“If golf as a sport wants to continue it will have to adjust. Whether that’s changing turf or finding other ways to be more sustainable,” Doyle said.

“But I think if you’re going to give up a community resource like a golf course, it has to be for a very good reason. And this [Dakoda Pacific] idea doesn’t feel balanced.” l

Golfers practice their swings on Golf the Round’s range. (Zak Sonntag/City Journals)

Will Doyle winds back for a drive. (Zak Sonntag/City Journals)

Granite District bus drivers recognized for School Bus Driver Appreciation Day

By Peri Kinder | Peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Lorelei White’s day starts at 4 a.m. and by 5:50 she’s on her way to pick up the first students on her school bus route. She loves every minute of it.

It takes a special temperament to be a school bus driver. Dealing with a bus full of kids, plus Utah weather, road construction and other drivers requires a thick skin, resilience and courage. That’s why Granite School District wants to ensure its bus drivers feel appreciated.

White started driving for Granite in August 2020 after training during the summer to receive her Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Since then, she’s developed a true love for her job. She decorates her bus for the seasons and holidays and gets to know the students she transports every day.

“The kids are the best part,” she said. “I just love working with different schools and having different students. It’s a split shift, so I can do stuff in the middle of the day. I have days off and if I choose I can take the summer off. It fits with my schedule.”

On School Bus Driver Appreciation Day (Feb. 22), a huge snowstorm hit the Wasatch Front, canceling classes across Salt Lake County and postponing the drivers’ open house. But David Gatti, Granite School District director of transportation, wanted to make sure his drivers still had a day of recognition and gratitude for their hard work.

“We love our drivers,” Gatti said. “They’re great human beings who come in and work hard for us all the time. Even when

the rest of the world sometimes gets the day off, a lot of times they have to be in. Even if it’s a snow day.”

District officials held an appreciation reception for school bus drivers one morning before driving their routes. With 180 drivers, 142 daily routes (plus extra events like games and field

trips), Gatti said the district takes care of its people but is always looking for new drivers.

There are several open spots for school bus drivers and the district offers free training, plus pays them to train for their CDL. Anyone interested can call Gatti at 801-879-1255 for more information.

“You need to like kids and the rest we can help you with. As long as you like kids, we can teach you all the different parts of driving a school bus,” he said. “The school bus driver shortage is one of the biggest shortages related to education. For us, getting them in is important but keeping them in is more important. It’s an interestingly stressful job.”

White said her biggest challenge is finding a place for a bathroom break, especially during field trips, but it always works out. Road construction can also be an issue with having to find a detour on the fly.

Even Gatti gets behind the wheel when needed. He’s driven 150 times during the last two years to make up for being shortstaffed. But people are starting to apply again. White heartily encourages people to look into school bus driving as a career.

“The office staff is great,” she said. “I’ve always felt supported. When I have questions I can go in and ask. The schools are great to work with. Most of the administration and teachers I’ve worked with have been really good and helpful.” l

Granite Credit Union earns the Juntos Avanzamos designation

Granite Credit Union is the first credit union in Salt Lake County to earn the Juntos Avanzamos designation by creating safe, affordable and relevant financial products and resources in Spanish, and addressing specific needs of the Hispanic community.

On March 21, Granite Credit Union held a proclamation celebration at the Columbus Community Center (2530 S. 500 East) to signal its commitment to Hispanic businesses.

“We’re so excited to have this designation,” said Katie Ann Powell, Granite Credit Union community relations officer. “In order to get it we had to go through an extensive application that we had to complete. Usually, credit unions don’t get it on their first time when they try to apply but we did and that was huge for us.”

The designation affects each of the credit union’s eight branches in Utah and will be used to create strategies and partnerships that support Hispanic businesses and give underserved communities more financial opportunities.

Juntos Avanzamos (Together We Advance) was created by the company Inclusiv to recognize credit unions that empower Hispanic customers. Granite Credit Union helps its members navigate the financial process by employing a bilingual, culturally-competent staff, offering a Spanish website and building community partnerships.

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

“We have a lot of community partners and we’re growing in community partners with the Hispanic community. Juntos Avanzamos saw that and are now giving us this designation,” Powell said. “We’re signaling to the Hispanic community that we’re a partner and we’re open for business.”

The celebration brought Granite Credit Union dignitaries together with local community leaders as the proclamation was adopted. The document states the credit union has compassionately responded to the needs of the community, is taking strides to provide financial services to underserved markets and has acknowledged its role in “People helping people.”

Next steps include making sure the Hispanic community knows they can come to Granite Credit Union for help, whether that’s for business or individual financing, and adapting programs to make services accessible and understandable.

“You want to be served in the language you’re comfortable speaking, even if you’re bilingual,” Powell said. “We’ve also partnered with a lot of different organizations around the community doing clothing drives or workshops specific to the Hispanic community, but primarily it’s providing things in their language.”

By holding regular events, partnering with service projects and sponsoring community get-togethers, Granite Credit Union will continue its mission to bring inclusive

concepts and ideas to Salt Lake County. For more information, visit Granite.org.

“We want to make more relationships with the Hispanic community and drive more members as well, so they know they are safeguarded here, this is a safe space, they have resources for themselves,” Powell said. “For the Salt Lake area, this is a

huge deal. We have a lot of Hispanic members or bilingual people in our community and we feel they should feel at home here. We also feel that we are an example to other credit unions to also do this…We’re hoping to be pioneers in that sense.” l

Granite District School Board President Nicole McDermott (left) and Granite school bus driver Colleen Spratt attend an open house celebrating School Bus Driver Appreciation Day. (Photo courtesy of Granite School District)

Local dignitaries from Granite Credit Union and the community celebrated the credit union’s Juntos Avanzamos (Together We Advance) designation, signaling commitment and collaboration with the Hispanic community and businesses. (Photo courtesy of Granite Credit Union)

Cherie Wood, Mayor 801-464-6757 mayor@sslc.gov

South Salt Lake City Council Members

LeAnne Huff, District 1 801-440-8510 lhuff@sslc.gov

Corey Thomas, District 2 801-755-8015 cthomas@sslc.gov

Sharla Bynum, District 3 801-803-4127 sbynum@sslc.gov

Portia Mila, District 4 801-792-0912 pmila@sslc.gov

L. Shane Siwik, District 5 801-548-7953 ssiwik@sslc.gov

Natalie Pinkney, At-Large 385-775-4980 npinkney@sslc.gov

Clarissa Williams, At-Large 505-879-2457 cwilliams@sslc.gov

City Offices

8 am to 5 pm 801-483-6000 220 East Morris Ave SSL, UT 84115

Animal Service 801-483-6024

Building Permits 801-483-6005

Business Licensing 801-483-6063

Code Enforcement 801-464-6757

Fire Administration 801-483-6043

Justice Court 801-483-6072

Police Admin 801-412-3606

Promise 801-483-6057

Public Works 801-483-6045

Recreation 801-412-3217

Utility Billing 801-483-6074

Emergencies 911

Police/Fire Dispatch 801-840-4000

Press Play! Let’s Celebrate our Bright Future

I’m feeling excited and optimistic about 2023. My optimism comes from the support of our City Council and their forward-thinking approach. Investing in the services and amenities our community needs and deserves provides our residents and businesses with a great place to live, work and play. We are “pressing play” and off and running.

I’d like to take a moment to share a few bright spots from this year’s State of the City that residents can look forward to in 2023.

• Our City is turning 85! We hope you will join us to celebrate in September. It looks to be a light-filled birthday party night!

• More street lighting improvements throughout the city. Several hundred city-owned street lights will be the next to be upgraded. While we are at it, we will identify the “dark spots” in our neighborhoods and turn them into “bright spots” to keep our city safe.

• Beginning in May, we’ll see construction on the Redwood Building of the Historic Scott School to be followed by construction outside to fence the green space, upgrade the lighting and parking and make everything ADA accessible.

• Dog lovers rejoice! South Salt Lake is getting a new Dog Park on Oakland Ave.

• The Fire Department will see the addition of our new fire truck, three new ambulances, and new employees!

• This spring we are going to begin offering Celebrate South Salt Lake Block Party Mini-Grants. Residents who are interested in getting their neighbors together can apply to receive guidance on how to host a block party and some seed money to get the party started. Stay posted!

• Parley’s Trail continues to get better. A new bridge will rise above the tricky crossing at 900 West carrying cyclists onto the beautiful Jordan River Parkway trail. Watch for a Bike with the Mayor event once the bridge is open!

If all of this sounds like a lot of fun, please join me in “pressing play.” Here’s to 2023, and to a bright future ahead for South Salt Lake.

IN THIS ISSUE: Keep your eye out for several of our 2023 State of the City award winners, which include the individuals, partnerships, and businesses that make our community one to really celebrate. Find them all at sslc.gov.

Citizen of the Year, Joy Glad

Legacy Family of the Year, The Dipo Family

United Way & Promise SSL Partner of the Year, Circles Salt Lake Education Partner of the Year, Woodrow Wilson Elementary Community Advocate, Hoang Nguyen

Employee of the Year, Hannah Tuia

Council Champion, LeAnne Huff

Equity Champion, SSL Recreation Department

Changemaker, SSLPD Chief Jack Carruth

Best Creative Industry, Old Cuss Cafe

Mentor of the Year, Randy Sant

Volunteers of the Year, Wendy & Lisa Miner

Community Champion, Bill Hardesty

Best Lunch Spot, Moochie’s

Best Small Business, Curly Hair Studio

Mayor Cherie Wood

Public Meetings

For more info: www.sslc.gov

City Council

Wed, April 12, 7 p.m.

Wed, April 26, 7 p.m.

Planning Commission

Thu, April 6, 7 p.m.

Thu, April 20, 7 p.m.

Civilian Review Board

Mon, April 3, 6:30 p.m.

State of the City 2023

LeAnne Huff, District 1

Investing in the residents of South Salt Lake isn’t just a side job for Councilwoman Huff. As a licensed mental health clinician, LeAnne is currently a program administrator overseeing crisis services for the State of Utah. In this role, she works with local, state, and national stakeholders helping to build out mental health crisis response services and provide better care in our communities.

— City Council Champion

the background, as he is both a showoff and enjoys joining the conversation from time to time. Kona is 23 years old, and LeAnne has cared for him for his entire life, as having a bird like Kona is a lifetime commitment (which can be around 60 years). She doesn’t take this responsibility lightly as most macaws have an average of 10 homes in their lifetime. Her cat, Cora, just blends into the background.

Have a question or concern regarding South Salt Lake? Reach out to the city via our Neighborhood Connect!

SAVE THE DATE

Citywide Curbside Cleanup Program

LeAnne came to Utah from her home state of Oregon in 1989 and to South Salt Lake in 2014, while her work involves mental health, her love for the mountains and skiing fueled her reasons to move here. Her passion for animals, and in particular horses is strong, as she loves to ride, and takes amazing care of her dear horse, Bel. If you’ve ever been on a call or Zoom meeting with her, you may have heard Kona, her blue and gold macaw in

LeAnne’s unique perspective as a licensed social worker and as Crisis Services Program Administrator for the State brings a much needed and valued skill set to the table, whether it be as part of the City Council, in integrating new Crisis Intervention training and procedures with our police HRO team and with Promise’s Mental Health Council. We appreciate all her work seeking solutions and meeting the needs of our residents.

High Runoff: Tips to Keep You and Your Family Safe

As the snowpack melts and rain continues, here are some important things to keep in mind to keep you and your family safe this spring.

• Do not go near flooded rivers and streams.

• Please do not allow your kids or pets to play or swim in the flood water.

- Flood water may contain hazardous waste or raw sewerage.

- Flood water can also be deeper than it appears, posing a drowning risk for young children.

• Don’t drive through flooded streets. “Turn around don’t drown.”

• Flood insurance is not part of your regular homeowner’s insurance, it is a separate policy.

Curbside collection of bulky waste items will take place May 1-10, 2023. Pickup will be provided for approved items that are boxed, bundled or bagged. Your pick-up schedule will be sent in advance. Properly prepared items must be placed curbside by 6:30 a.m. on the scheduled collection day.

• Stay alert, listen to news and weather alerts.

• To learn the real risks of flooding, www.FloodFacts.utah.gov

If you notice an area (street, river, storm drain) that is flooding or gaining water rapidly, please jot down the location, take a picture, and send it to South Salt Lake Neighborhood Connect, 801-464-6757, connect@sslc.gov.

South Salt Lake City Council Action Report Summary

Public Safety

Two Outstanding Officers

Awarded Chief’s Star for 2023

South Salt Lake’s Police Department recently held its annual Awards Banquet to honor the dedicated officers who have gone above and beyond to serve our community. This year, we are proud to recognize two outstanding officers who have been awarded the prestigious Chief’s Star for their exceptional service and high standing.

Officer Neil Hill has been a dedicated member of our department for over a decade. Throughout his tenure, he has shown exceptional dedication to his duties and a genuine desire to serve our community. Officer Hill’s commitment to public safety has been recognized by his colleagues and the community at large, and we are proud to have him as a member of our team.

Officer Carson Aprato is another exceptional officer who has demonstrated exceptional professionalism and commitment to our community. As a valued member of our department, Officer Aprato has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the highest standards of law enforcement. His dedication and hard work have earned him the respect and admiration of his colleagues and community members alike.

We are honored to have Officers Hill and Aprato as members of our team and recognize their exemplary service with the prestigious Chief’s Star. Their contributions to our community are invaluable, and we are grateful for their dedication to the South Salt Lake Police Department.

State of the City 2023 Changemaker Award

Policing with compassion is what makes our very own Police Chief Jack Carruth stand out. Chief Carruth came to his current role with over two decades of experience in law enforcement. Having advanced through the ranks in our City, he knows the challenges faced by officers and residents alike. He consistently takes on immense challenges and meets them with a community-based lens –seeking solutions through collaboration, innovation, and compassion.

A tall order met him when the Men’s Homeless Resource Center was cited in SSL. Chief Carruth took initiative to seek solutions that would support those experiencing homelessness, the partners who serve them, and our residents and businesses. Not only has he led out on the model for Homeless Resource Officers in the State, but has set the standard for best practices in this realm. He prioritizes consistent, high-level training for his team, always striving to move the needle for modern policing in our community. Most recently, he has sought a Licensed Clinical Social Worker position to corespond with officers.

To commit to additional transparency, Chief Carruth has been instrumental in standing up a Civilian Review Board (CRB) that reflects our diverse, dynamic community. Through a partnership with the CRB, he has successfully implemented changes that reflect the Board’s feedback and input. He also continues to advocate for the community through leadership on statewide police organizations and collaboration with local and state officials. Chief Carruth, is the epitome of a compassionate changemaker and we are grateful for his unwavering service to SSL.

New CERT Trainings in MAY — Volunteers Needed

South Salt Lake Fire’s Community Emergency Response Team or CERT program was developed out of the need for a welltrained civilian emergency workforce. CERT provides community self-sufficiency through the development of multifunctional response teams who act as an adjunct to the City’s emergency services during major disasters. After a major disaster or emergency, there are many things to consider, from making initial assessments to taking quick action, and CERT training provides individuals validated guidance to manage and respond in the best way possible.

The SSL Fire Department is sponsoring Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in-person free training on Saturday, May 6th, and Saturday, May 20th. CERT training gives volunteers the same basic skills firefighters master, such as search and rescue, administering first-aid, establishing a medical treatment area, suppressing small fires, and much more. It also gives volunteers an overview of the City’s emergency management strategy for helping residents respond to and recover from a large-scale disaster.

Community Meetings

Join us for a community conversation.

Coffee with a Cop

April 5, 9-10 a.m.

In-Person

Délice Bakery & Café 2747 S State Street

Neighborhood Watch

Residents are encouraged to participate.

April 6, 7 p.m.

Find the virtual meeting link at www.sslc.gov

Text a Tip to SSLPD

You can now send anonymous text and web tips to the SSLPD.

To register for the CERT training class, visit: www.sslc.gov/239/ Community-Education

To learn more, connect with CERT Program Manager, Rick Birrell: rick.birrell@gmail.com

To send an anonymous text tip:

1. Text your tip to 274-637 (CRIMES).

2. Start your text message with the keyword: SSLPD

3. Within a minute, you will receive a text message with your alias. This confirms that your text message was received. The alias identifier is used by the officer to communicate with you, through text, regarding the tip you submitted.

4. Remember, the officer does not know your identity or location.

The Community Opportunity Center (The Co-Op)

www.sslcoop.org

2530 S 500 East Co-Op supervisor, Abram Sherrod: asherrod@sslc.gov or 801-464-6757

Mon-Thur, 9 am to 8 pm Fri 9 am - 6 pm

Central Park Community Center

2797 S 200 East Promise Contact, Patrick Holman-Hart: pholman@sslc.gov or 801-386-4949

Join our Historic Scott School afterschool program for a community Earth Day celebration on April 21st from 4 to 6 p.m.. Over at Historic Scott School, they are passionate about increasing access to nature, which is why they are so excited to celebrate it with our South Salt Lake community. Historic Scott School youth will be learning about different birds for 5 weeks with Hawk Watch international. At the Earth Day celebration, youth will be stationed with each bird ready to teach community members about them. The youth are so excited to demonstrate their hard work and knowledge about birds and why we should make sure we are preserving their natural habitats. Photo opportunities with the birds will be available, as well as food and a sustainable art project that the whole family can enjoy. We hope you will join us!

Community Centers

STATE OF THE CITY 2023 United Way & Promise SSL Partner of the Year Circles Salt Lake

As an early partner at the new Community Opportunity Center or Co-Op, Circles holds quality programming for SSL residents. Their work aligns closely with the Promise SSL program, which aims to ensure that all residents, from youth to adults, have the opportunity to receive an education, and be healthy and prosper. Circles combines best practices in several disciplines including community organizing, grassroots leadership, S.M.A.R.T. goal setting, financial literacy, mentoring, peerto-peer counseling and learning, and child/youth development. Circles, with the assistance of dedicated volunteers and community members, provide resources to our families including job opportunities, transportation and healthcare.

Michelle Crawford, Executive Director of Circles Salt Lake, is also the champion of the United Way of Salt Lake Promise Partnership Regional Council (PPRC) Financial Stability Network. With a focus on building assets for low-income community members, they are working on strengthening access to tax credits for low-income families and the utilization of the Bank On program.

As a small city with a diverse population, the work Michelle and Circles Salt Lake does is vital to ensuring SSL residents have the support and tools they need to navigate the challenges that can occur from the Cliff Effect and intergenerational poverty. Circles guides us in making impactful progress for those experiencing poverty in our community. They truly are helping individuals and families go from surviving to thriving.

Historic Scott School Community Center

3280 S 540 East Promise Contact, Maisy Hayes: mhayes@sslc.gov or 801-803-3632

Mayor Cherie Wood (left), Michelle Crawford, Executive Director (center), and Bill Crim, CEO of United Way of Utah (right).

Celebrating Afterschool

Professionals who make a Profound Difference

Promise SSL is celebrating Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week from April 24- 28 2023, along with the National Afterschool Association, to recognize, appreciate and advocate for those who work with young people during out-of-school hours. Every young person deserves quality afterschool experiences that positively impact their development. It takes skilled professionals to create these experiences. Because of the important role afterschool professionals play in the lives of kids, they deserve recognition and support! Research shows that afterschool professionals are the key to the program quality that mitigates risk factors and positively impacts youth outcomes. Afterschool programs run by skilled professionals result in increased social-emotional skills, school attendance, and academic performance. Let’s recognize, appreciate, and advocate for afterschool professionals who make a profound difference in the lives of young people during Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week and beyond!

STATE OF THE CITY 2023 Education Partner of the Year

Woodrow Wilson Elementary

This year, our longest-standing school partner through our Promise South Salt Lake program is being celebrated as the 2023 Education Partner of the year – Woodrow Wilson Elementary. Dedicated to the highest quality public education for our South Salt Lake youth, Woodrow’s faculty and staff have given countless hours to ensure that youth are learning core competencies and showing growth in grade-level learning. Let’s not forget this is coming on the heels of pandemic closures and some challenging times.

We all know that education comes with quarterly report cards; schools also get a similar performance grade. Due to thoughtful leadership, dedicated teachers, and a commitment to ongoing professional learning, Woodrow Wilson is now receiving a school grade of a B from

the State Board of Education. Students are showing exemplary growth in learning English/ Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. We are so proud of the amazing team of educators at Woodrow Wilson Elementary and the stellar work they have done to strengthen learning outcomes for SSL youth and families.

MURAL FEST Artist Meet & Greet

Sat, May 13, 2023

Creative Industries Zone

Downtown South Salt Lake

Follow the FEST:

www.themuralfest.com

IG and FB: @themuralfest

Follow all our mural artists on Instagram!

Anna Charney @annacharneyart

Beau @beau.graff

Brooke Smart @brookesmartillustration

Caro Nilsson @caroznilsson

Cole Eisenhour @ljr3rd_

DAAS @daas

Denise Duong @lildfromokc

fatspatrol @fatspatrol

FEEBEE @feebee_n_jay

Kiptoe @kiptoe1

Lizzie Wenger @zielizg

ART55+ Creative Arts for Seniors

Instructor Laura Sharp Wilson

Every Wednesday, 10:00-11:30 AM

FREE!

The Co-Op Art Room

2530 S 500 East

Celebrating Women Artists: Bad Dog Arts

Register at www.SSLArts.org

$20 Residents, $60 Non-resident

To celebrate women artists, each week we will honor a different woman artist and get inspired by their bold, bright, and beautiful art. Maddie will give you step-by-step instructions to explore a variety of materials that will include markers, charcoal, fabric, and yarn. No previous experience is necessary. SPACE IS LIMITED!

Community Happenings

Exploring Art with Creative Aging

Instructor: Donna Pence

Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 PM

April 4, 11, 18, 25 & May 2, 9, 16, 23

The Co-Op Art Room | $25 Materials Fee Register at www.SSLArts.org

The foundations and themes of art will be explored using the inquiry approach. Art materials and methods will be experienced through handson self-expression activities. Reading, writing, and discussing topics that have been explored by many artists over time and across cultures will also be required. A culminating exhibition will take place upon completion of the course.

NOTE: Due to this special grant-funded opportunity, this course requires a commitment to attend all classes in the series. We understand that extenuating circumstances may arise, but please make sure that you are able to attend the full 8 weeks before signing up.

Best of SSL

Our favorite part of State of the City is recognizing the incredible people who make SSL truly a community. Sending our warmest thanks to all of you!

Find the complete video of this year’s ceremony or read the awards booklet at www.sslc.gov.

2023 STATE OF THE CITY AWARDS

Legacy Family of the Year — The Dipo Family

Henry Dipo built their first home on Oakland Avenue in 1903. Since that first home, a dozen more were built, and the Dipo Family grew their family tree, naming the first boy of the next four generations, Henry. The Dipo family not only took over west Oakland Ave but many of the family members have also been employed by South Salt Lake. From, Henry Dipo was a police officer for 21 years, 10 of which served as the Chief of Police and a handful more worked for Public Works, the Sanitation Department, the Water Department and others as Crossing Guards. The heritage of the Dipo Family is now led by the matriarch, Lorraine Dipo. She has lived on Oakland Ave for 69 years. There isn’t a person that is employed with SSL Public Works that doesn’t know this spirited woman. She has raised 6 boys in this city and now has 32 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. As the City’s need for a larger Public Works campus has grown, it is the Dipo family who has willingly sold their properties for this much-needed expansion. We want to thank the Dipo Family for their dedication to the city and their sacrifice to help the city grow and prosper into the future.

Employee of the Year — Hanna Tuia

Hanna is a City Planner and has only been with South Salt Lake for a year and a half. In her short time with us, she has seen many changes to the Community Development Department. Throughout these adjustments, Hanna has always been willing to help above and beyond her assigned tasks. This includes learning how to intake and process business license applications. She has a keen eye and an innate ability to think outside the box when issues arise. Hanna is helping create and implement new workflows in iWorQ for all our planning applications, which has been a more complicated process than any of us expected. Hanna is exceptionally reliable, and we never have to worry about the quality of work or end product she produces.

Community Advocate — Hoang Nguyen

Starting up a business is never easy, but operating a group of successful businesses that give back to the community in a significant way is what we’d call a legacy. Let’s take a moment to share the story of someone who has become an advocate for South Salt Lake.

As one of seven children, Hoang Nguyen and her family came to America in 1983 by way of California after fleeing Vietnam. In 1987, her father was tragically killed during a robbery, leaving her mother widowed at only 35 and still having several small children. As Hoang says, “It was devastating. It was hard being in a brand new country, not really knowing the language, and trying to navigate everything. It was a challenging time for our family.” The Nguyen family eventually moved to Utah in 1992 and settled on the west side of Salt Lake in Glendale, where her love for community building began.

The Nguyen family ventured into the restaurant industry, starting with Utah’s first Pho restaurant. The journey was followed by many restaurants and developments along the way and eventually became Sapa Investments. Sapa now has many successful ventures that share the common thread of touching lives and giving back to the community.

A few years ago, after taking a tour of our Promise SSL, Hoang became a huge supporter and has since continually found ways to connect and introduce new partners to our City. She was the connecting force that brought AT&T to donate 20K to the Co-Op, and for finding resources for PAL to provide turkeys to several local families during the holiday season, and eye care to our youth. Hoang has facilitated connecting SSL with policymakers to help make them more aware of the needs of our community.

Thank you, Hoang, for becoming a friend to Promise SSL and our City.

Community Champion — Bill Hardesty

Many say newspapers are a dying industry, but here in South Salt Lake we are fortunate to have a monthly City Journal published in paper and electronic form. Adding to our luck was having Bill Hardesty as our reporter for four years.

Mr. Hardesty or Bill as many know him has covered the South Salt Lake beat in well over 200 articles. In his time reporting in our City, he rarely missed a City Council Meeting or Community Event. Making his work even more herculean are the complex and at times contentious topics he covers. Bill experienced four budget seasons, many critical legislative decisions, the opening of the Men’s Resource Center, continued his coverage during the COVID-19 shutdown, watched as we established a Civilian Review Board, and kept tabs on the Granite High turned library. He was indeed interested in all things South Salt Lake, what makes the city tick and is willing to dive in and provide all sides to a story.

Bill enjoys teaching with the University of Utah’s Continuing Education program, serving on the Taylorsville City Cultural Diversity Committee and is an active member of the Promise SSL Equity Committee. We hope to see additional bylines from this Community Champion real soon, but understand if retirement is a more relaxing gig.

Cottonwood basketball’s magical season ends with a region title, trip to state

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

It was a magical ride for the Cottonwood High girls basketball team, according to head coach Teresa Soracco.

“Winning Region 7 was a great accomplishment, and it was awesome to have both the boys and the girls teams achieve that this season,” Soracco said. “These girls are an amazing group that represent our program, the school and the community in a positive light.”

The Cottonwood [17-6] girls came from all walks of life; they were filled with determination—like junior guard Alivia Hutton who is known for her tough-as-nails defense.

Hutton’s No. 13 jersey was always the first Colt you’d see if you were the opponent as she’d dare you to continue your dribble into her secret lair with her palms out. The junior was known for her steals [46] as much as rebounds [64], this season.

Standing next to Hutton literally and figuratively in terms of ferocity and guile was junior Ciel Budge, who wore that No. 1 jersey, the one who took a vicious elbow into the ribs against Payson on Cottonwood’s home gym and had to come out of the game.

Budge’s 67 steals led the team and

epitomized the Colts’ never-say-die spirit that permeated throughout the locker room and irritated the camera operator so much that he’d often aim his camera on the scoreboard between timeouts.

If you were able to make it past Hutton and Budge, that only meant that you were playing right into the hands of the sister combo of forwards—senior Ali Tripp and her younger sister, sophomore Ashlyn.

Ali had just as many steals as several of Cottonwood’s guards [48], but the senior Tripp was often out in transition on the wing first and was Cottonwood’s leading scorer [18.6 points per game], having benefited most from these full-court traps that were so carefully woven.

Ashlyn was tough enough that the sophomore played the last part of the season with a plastic mask attached to her face after having taken a nasty shot to her noggin. Suffice it to say that you really didn’t wanna go down her block, either [she had 30 steals and 73 rebounds as well].

But, if you made it all the way past Cottonwood’s two top leaders in steals, and past the sister duo of the Tripps, you were now stuck inside the painted area and the lair of the three bigs.

Depending on the moment, the dastardly operation was overseen by either senior center Kennedy Covili [3.3 rebounds per game], sophomore Avea Van Der Beek [4.2] or Carley Caton [4.6] who was a freshman—but it didn’t matter who because if you put the ball up in their area chances were pretty good that any of the three bigs were going to get to it first.

Off the bench, Cottonwood had some key contributors as well, players like junior Kya Budge who, in the same Payson game that Ciel took a shot to the ribs, was one of Cottonwood’s top scorers with seven points.

In the game on Feb. 10 versus Tooele that clinched the Region 7 crown for Cottonwood, senior Rio Barrowes had six assists that night, senior Chloe Farnsworth three rebounds and senior Olivia H. Solomone two points on Senior Night, indeed a fitting way to go out on top.

But if it wasn’t for head coach Soracco, the mastermind behind the whole op-

eration, none of this would have occurred in the first place. As legends often do however tip their cap to everyone else except for themselves so too did the Colts’ head coach.

“I am extremely proud of how hard our team worked this year. They came in every day and pushed hard to improve in practice and never gave up during games. While we didn’t end the season the way we wanted it to they fought in our last game to the very end sending us into overtime,” said Soracco of the Colts’ season-ending loss, a 5653 OT thriller to Spanish Fork in the 5A second round.

“They never once gave up. They played with heart and grit. They are a great group of girls and had a tremendous season. They worked as a team and in the end that hard work paid off. We are all so grateful for the support we felt from the community,” Soracco said. “I was incredibly lucky to be able to coach this group.” l

The Colts were region champs beating teams like Hillcrest before losing in double overtime in the playoffs. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

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Cottonwood boys soccer leans on younger players to fill key roles due to injuries

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

ForCottonwood boys soccer, a younger lineup will try to gain experience in a shortened preseason while the older players heal up from injuries, said head coach Brylee Harvest.

“We return seven players out of last year’s starting 11, however, our depth is being tested very early with injuries sustained from our players [during their] club seasons. A lot of rather inexperienced varsity players have been forced to step up and learn on the fly,” said the second-year head coach.

“We had seven players make their varsity debuts in our game against Green Canyon (March 7) and I can imagine we will have more to come as we look to solidify a rotation until we can return to full health,” Harvest said.

At Green Canyon, Cottonwood [0-1] played a very young starting 11 that had a few issues getting going in Cache County, a two-hour drive from the Colts’ campus. They fell into a 2-0 hole by halftime but played a bit better in the second half en route to a 3-0 loss, March 7.

According to Harvest, the Colts have a core group of players that is “very experienced with 15 seniors and 11 juniors” listed among the 32 players on Cottonwood’s varsity roster.

It’s that core group, the coach said, that he hopes will keep the team grounded and focused once those injuries have healed.

“Every team will face adversity in a season. I am hoping we are experiencing the bulk of it now,” added Harvest, who has a 1011 record as Cottonwood’s head coach and reached the 5A second round last year after a thrilling late-minute victory against Hillcrest.

With a preseason schedule of games that is rather light, the Colts will actually have their home opener against a school with whom Harvest, a former Cottonwood standout under the last coach Dominic Militello, is definitely familiar: Jordan.

Jordan will be a part of the revamped Class 4A region next year with Cottonwood.

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Insofar as holding a crystal ball or any kind of prediction about how this season might go, Harvest said he was optimistic about Cottonwood’s chances in Region 7 despite all of the injuries that were affecting more than half of his regular starters.

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“After the magical season of 2022, remaining poised with inevitably higher expectations will be the main point of emphasis for us this season. Our region is very tough, and we recognize that there is much we can improve on from last year and early in this nonregion slate,” Harvest said.

“We open region play with last year’s region champion Stansbury March 22 and on

the road against our rival Hillcrest, who we know will eagerly be awaiting [us for] our March 24 battle,” Harvest said. “It should be an exciting conclusion to 5A.”

“We would like to leave 5A with a bang,” continued the coach. “Combining our abundance of upperclassmen with the amount of resiliency this team showed in my first season, it really is hard to put a ceiling on this team.”

When asked what he saw in the near future for the Colts soccer team, Cottonwood Athletic Director Greg Southwick said he liked the progress he’s seen.

“They were training real hard in the offseason from what I was told,” Southwick said. “There’s never any problems getting guys out for the soccer team here due to our very unique demographics.”

By order of jersey number, the 2023 Cottonwood Colts boys soccer team is:

Mazin Qader, Ben Barrowes, Hunter Vuong, Max Granzin, Matthew Miskimens, Guido Rocha, Arefa Salih, Yusuf Hussein, Vesal Azmayandeh, Diego Lopez, Ashis Tamang, Ulises Alvarado-Morales, David Galkin, Twana Kergaye, Josh Stettler, Adam Kergaye, Riyan Bakrim, Andres Acosta, Rex Hanson, Parker Evans, William Avila, Kaleb Whitkaer, Alan Hernandez, Talmage Winward, Jairo Licona-Vera, Hiram Lopez, Zennyth Young, Andres Alvarez, Craig Stephenson, Oscar Serrano-Hernandez, Issac Zamudio and Niyaz Kergaye. l

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Brylee Harvest and his squad and back in action this spring (weather permitting). (File photo City Journals)

In first season, Cottonwood unified basketball brings inclusion, support for student-athletes

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Cottonwood

High sophomore Alizia Sherard was playing in her first unified basketball tournament.

As a new team to unified basketball, Sherard was excited, nervous and wanted to do her best.

“I was playing for my dad; he’s my hero,” she said, adding that she has practiced with him at home. “I like playing hoops with all the kids and making my shots. I was nervous at first, but when I’m on the floor, it feels like home so it’s just fun.”

It’s the first time she’s put on a jersey to represent Cottonwood.

“It feels good. I feel part of school,” she said.

Cottonwood players partnered with their peer tutors and other students to learn basketball basics—how to pass, how to defend, and when to shoot the ball, said paraeducator Libby Calton.

“Our goal is for them to learn, to work hard and mostly, to have fun,” she said. “This has been fun. It started with the parade of athletes; they thought that was so cool. Then, we’ve had some good games and people are here cheering for them. It’s been a great experience.”

In unified basketball, there are five players on a team—three athletes and two unified partners. Teams play against other squads of the same ability in two eight-minute halves. Supported by Special Olympics and the Utah High School Activities Association, unified sports has both a competitive and a player development level, the latter which provides more of a cooperative environment with partners being teammates and mentors.

UHSAA referee Paul Madsen said he appreciates unified basketball.

“There’s great sportsmanship,” he said. “Everyone is helping each other. It’s wonderful to see.”

At the Feb. 27 regional tournament at Murray High, Cottonwood took second in its division.

In Utah, involvement in unified high school basketball has skyrocketed. This year, there were the most teams in its history competing to play at state—73 teams, said Courtnie Worthen, Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools manager.

At both the regional and state tournament, administrators from school districts and educational foundations supported the student-athletes. They were joined Gov. Spencer Cox and First Lady Abby Cox to support the March 8 state unified basketball tournament, which was held at Weber State University.

Abby Cox said she was proud of everyone in the gym.

“Utah, as a state—we are part of the inclusion revolution,” she told them.

Unified sports engages students with and without intellectual disabilities on the same sports teams, leading to not only sports skills development and competition, but also inclusion and friendship, Worthen said.

“Unified sports provides social inclusion opportunities for all teammates to build friendships on and off the court,” she said. “The teammates challenge each other to improve their skills and fitness and at the same time, increase positive attitudes and establish friendships and provide a model of inclusion for the entire school community.”

Unified sports, Worthen said, is included in the Unified Champion Schools model, where a unified team is supported by the entire school and there is inclusive youth leadership and whole school engagement.

“With schools that embrace the Unified Champion Schools model, they create communities where all students feel welcome and are included in all school activities and opportunities. Students feel socially and emotionally secure, they’re more engaged in the school and feel supported, and are respected,” she said. “It changes school climates.” l

In its first-ever unified basketball tournament, Cottonwood High’s unified team played Grantsville High and took second place. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Cottonwood High players give each other a high-five after playing Murray High at the regional tournament. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

With good shooting, Cottonwood’s unified basketball team took second place at their regional tournament. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

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First, robots came for assembly line workers. Then they came for agricultural and warehouse jobs. Then a cyborg assassin time-traveled from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor. What will artificial intelligence target next?

If you ask our publisher, journalism is on the robotic chopping block. He recently sat down with our editorial team and told us we’d better get our act together or AI will certainly replace us within five years.

It’s the plot of every sci-fi movie. “Let’s merge robotic efficiency and human connection to create a utopian workplace.” But then, the robots download a virus and turn into killing machines. It doesn’t end well for humanity.

But let’s back up a bit. When encyclopedias were created in the 1700s, people were astonished to have so much information at their fingertips. What’s an encyclopedia you ask? Thanks for asking, young whippersnapper.

Encyclopedias are books bound in fake leather that weigh the equivalent of a baby hippo. They were like printed versions of Wikipedia that became outdated as soon as they were purchased. They were used for footstools and sometimes for murder weapons.

Peri Kinder

Life and Laughter

Rage Against the Machine

came chatbots, or virtual assistants, like Siri, who learned to answer our stupid questions with a bit of sass.

Now, journalists are encouraged to use AI to produce copy. ChatGPT launched in November and millions of people have tried it out, creating everything from poetry to fake news. It’s like a Google search on steroids.

In fact, it’s so good at creating fake news, that the CNET media website published stories for months before the articles were discovered to be riddled with errors, misinformation and plagiarized material. Oops.

Following my publisher’s orders, I typed a few questions into ChatGPT and immediately ran into a virtual brick wall.

“How many people are living on Earth?” I asked. ChatGPT replied 7.9 billion but added its data ended in September 2021. I guess anyone born after that date doesn’t count.

by emotionless robots like Tucker Carlson?

Sometimes, the “journalism” churned out by AI is racist, offensive and inappropriate because, and here’s the issue, humans create code for these bots. Fallible, stupid humans who unintentionally create programming that mimics their own limiting beliefs.

In These Times writer Hamilton Nolan said, “Journalism is the product of a human mind. If something did not come from a human mind, it is not journalism.”

He said journalism requires accountability. The writer should be able to explain the origins and sources of any story.

Can AI do that? Will robots request interviews from other robots? When questioned, will AI fall to pieces like HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey after being given contradictory orders: lie to the crew but be completely truthful. Pretty much like anything on Twitter.

They were also used for rampant plagiarism. Teachers often received essays copied straight from Encyclopedia Britannica.

As technology advanced, plagiarism got easier with the ability to copy-andpaste from any website; more efficient and much harder to detect. Then along

I asked it to tell me a joke. ChatGPT explained it didn’t have a sense of humor or emotions and didn’t understand jokes. So it could be a Utah legislator.

So, will AI adapt to create personality, voice, humor and journalistic ethics or will future generations get used to reading pedantic and pretentious articles written

I’m mixing movie metaphors, but if Sarah Connor’s interactions with the Terminator taught us anything, it’s that we control our own destiny. Can we unite robotic efficiency and humanity? The fate of journalism could hang in the balance.