South Salt Lake Journal | September 2023

YOUNG CODERS WHO IDENTIFY AS FEMALE BUILD WEBSITES, GAMES AND MORE WITH SEGO LILY HACKS

By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com

For those not in the know, a “hackathon” has nothing to do with the criminal activity known as computer hacking. A hackathon is actually a social coding event that brings computer programmers and other interested people together to develop projects such as software, websites and games.

Attending virtual hackathons during the pandemic inspired a young programmer, Jasmina Frederico of South Salt Lake, to form a new coding nonprofit in Utah. The organization, Sego Lily Hacks, offers opportunities for young people who identify as female to learn computer coding and build their own projects. This past summer, Sego Lily Hacks also did a service project in which they assembled hygiene kits for women in need.

Frederico spoke of the need for a club like Sego Lily Hacks. “Having a community of underrepresented genders in Utah is important,” she said. “It encourages equity.”

Pranavi Gundu, co-director of operations for Sego Lily Hacks, explained, “We’ve seen people who identify as female sometimes struggle in the computer science industry. We wanted to create a community for them.”

Members of Sego Lily Hacks range in age from middle schoolers to college students.

Members of Sego Lily Hacks recently gathered for a hackathon. (Photo courtesy of Jasmina Frederico)

USA Rugby to host International Friendly in Utah

Rugby is a popular sport in Utah and teams and players here have helped build up the sport in the United States. One player who has thrived in this environment is Paul Mullen.

“I’m from Ireland,” Mullen said. “It’s on a small island off the coast. When I went to high school on the mainland, the only sport they played was rugby. It was sink or swim. Fortunately, I was able to excel.”

Utah’s Major League Rugby team, the Utah Warriors, is hosting an attempt at the Guinness World Record for the largest rugby scrum, and proceeds from the event will benefit 5 for the Fight and Make-A-Wish Utah. With fan and player participation, the challenge will take place immediately following the upcoming international rugby spectacle featuring the USA Eagles and France’s Stade Toulousain on Sept. 16.

“We have a partnership with Stade Toulousain,” Utah Warriors CEO Kimball Kjar said. “They are arguably the Real Madrid of rugby. They won the most recent French championship. They are the most successful rugby club in the world. One goal of the partnership is to grow the sport of rugby but specifically within North America to help their brand grow. We also want the Utah Warriors brand to grow internationally and throughout Europe. We want to create events that showcase the sport of rugby.”

The thrilling matchup will be held at America First Field in Sandy with gates opening at 3 p.m. and game kickoff at 4 p.m. The pursuit for the world record begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets to participate in the scrum, along with a commemorative T-shirt, cost $10 and can be purchased as an add-on at checkout when purchasing match tickets here.

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By Daniel Olsen | d.olsen@mycityjournals.com

“American football fans like big hits,” Mullen said. “Rugby is the same but doesn’t go on for four hours. It’s only 80 minutes.”

While Mullen didn’t grow up in the United States, he still is happy to be a part of the national rugby team.

“My grandfather grew up in the U.S.,” he said. “For me to represent America is a great honor.”

This momentous endeavor in rugby history serves to engage the community and rugby fans from around the world and raise funds for the Utah Warriors’ local nonprofit partners. Fans who have upgraded their match ticket at the cost of $10 are invited to come down onto America First Field after the game, where over 3,000 people will lock arms to break the record of 2,586 participants set in 2018 in Aichi, Japan.

“This will be the biggest scrum in the world,” Mullen said. “It should be a friendly scrum. It is like a huge huddle. That would be cool if it was broken.”

“The long-term goal is to make Utah the epicenter of rugby for North America,” Kjar said. “We also want to be growing on a global scale. Utah has a love affair with the sport of rugby. Rugby playing countries led to the University of Utah playing rugby on their campus and eventually American football. Rugby was being played in the mid-20th century. BYU has won five national championships. Utah won a national championship too, in about 2010. Highland High School was successful and won over 20 national championships. We have one of the largest Polynesian communities outside of Polynesia. The guys that are in the NFL out of Utah all played rugby. Rugby is a part of Utah’s DNA. We are trying with

the Warriors to help people understand the energy that is played in this sport. We can help re-awaken the energy of the sport.”

This event should be an educational opportunity for those involved.

“Anyone who hasn’t come to a game of rugby should come. It’s a perfect opportunity to watch the best players in our backyard. We make it very easy for people to come out and enjoy the sport and game. Educational things. Gives people a view of what the sport looks like. People love it carries the day,” Kjar said.

“The Rugby World Cup is the biggest event,” Mullen said. “But we are playing against incredible world class athletes. They are one of the best clubs in the world.”

While this event will take place during

the middle of the Rugby World Cup, there will still be plenty of talented athletes who will line up against each other. The Rugby World Cup will take place from Sept. 8-Oct. 28.

The tickets are much cheaper than basketball, football, and soccer,” Mullen said. “It will be hard hitting with lots of scores and tackles. It should be an exciting time.”

While not every player from these teams will be in attendance, it will still be a world class matchup.

“We will have six to seven Utah Warriors playing as well as many of the best players from Toulouse,” Kjar said. “These are some of the best players in the world.” l

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Solution to misbehavior is sensory stimulation

At Advantage Arts Academy, a free arts integration charter school in Herriman, staff members respond to student misbehavior with an untraditional method—they send the student to play.

“Most kids who have extraordinary behavior issues are dysregulated,” AAA Special Education Director Jennifer Evans said. “Their proprioceptive systems are out of whack and there they are overstimulated. If you don't flesh out these systems, then what you're doing all day long is you're putting out fires. If they are emotionally dysregulated, they're not even in your classroom. They're off volcanoing in the hallway or in the administrator's office.”

To address students’ sensory needs, Evans implemented two systems at AAA: Sensory Pathway and Sensory Lunch.

The Sensory Pathway is an obstacle course with a series of physical exercises that provide proprioceptive input to kids’ vestibular systems and calms their anxiety and frustration.

Evans said when students are able to move their bodies and get the sensory input they need, they can regulate their emotions, and are able to spend more time learning in the classroom.

“You'd have to see it to believe it,” Evans said. “They just feel so much better and they can go back to class and focus until they get their next break. And then there's no volcano going, which is what I call it. So it's like heading up the mountain to the explosion, and we head it off before we get up to the top.”

Jennifer Jolly’s 9-year-old son, who struggles with undiagnosed ADHD and emotional issues, participates regularly in the Sensory Pathway.

“Our son has taken advantage of this as a way to escape when he feels overwhelmed or out of control of his body,” Jolly said. “This has often led to a very successful return to a classroom instead of being sent home for aggressive behaviors.”

Evans works with teachers and parents to identify patterns in a student’s behavior, which could be triggered by anxiety, overstimulation, hunger or strong emotions, and schedules a visit to the Sensory Pathway before the time of day they tend to act up.

First-grade teacher Addison Bowcutt said it has “saved her life” as a teacher.

“I had a lot of students last year that really needed some sort of sensory stimulation,” she said. “Had they not had the chance to get it out, it would've been a complete disaster. While in the Sensory Room, they would complete an obstacle course, jump on a trampoline, or whatever else they needed at the time to just fulfill their sensory needs. Anytime a student would come back from the Sensory Room, it was like they could take a breath of air as a relief, and they were ready to learn again. Rather than hyperfocusing on their overstimulation, they could actually focus on the task at hand.”

The other program which has made a huge difference for overstimulated students is Sensory Lunch, which is an alternative location for lunch, held in a small room, with fewer people, less noise and dimmed lights.

“The lunchroom is a very loud, chaotic place for a student,” third-grade teacher Annie Rose said. “There are lots of kids and they have to make choices. I get stressed going in there sometimes because there's so much going on.”

Last year, she had a student who was agitated every day after lunch.

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

“They would have such a hard time coming down to do math right after lunch, that it caused a behavior problem almost every day, so I'd have to calm them down and it was a whole process,” she said.

When Sensory Lunch was implemented midyear, select students were invited to eat their lunches in the less stimulating environment.

“The sensory lunchtime allows for a less chaotic experience, where eating is encouraged with a small amount of friends and then a break period to be physical without all the stimulation of a playground recess,” Jolly said. “This has worked very well for our son so far, as we have had fewer phone calls from the school to come and get him during this particularly hard time of day.”

Melissa Tryon said the school’s systematic approach to addressing her extremely shy son’s behavior has been a game changer. At the beginning of last year, he didn’t want to go to school and he wouldn’t interact with the other kids. He would call several times throughout the day asking to come home.

Once he began participating in the Sensory Lunch and Sensory Pathway, his school experience changed.

“By the end of the year, he was happy to go to school every day, eating lunch with the kids in the lunchroom again and playing soccer with others at recess,” Tryon said. “He would come home with fun stories every day and was in much better spirits overall.”

AAA Principal Kelly Simonsen said students and parents are much happier because of the way behaviors are being addressed at school.

“We’re not labeling behaviors as proof of negative

worth of a student, but we’re helping students understand this behavior happens when you feel dysregulated and here's how we're going to help you calm yourself, here's some things that you can do,” Simonsen said. “We’re helping students understand their own behavior and their own brains.”

She said it has been a relief to parents who’ve been told for years that their child had a behavior problem.

“We're saying we recognize that your student has this need and here's how we're going to help to meet it, and you just see a lot of parents feel validated,” Simonsen said.

Jolly's son previously disliked school but now loves it.

“He knows now he has options instead of being labeled the ‘hard’ kid or the ‘problem’ child,” she said. “He loves being in school and has a few friends. We have had so much respect for some of the teachers at AAA who are willing to, not only accept, but to favor these strategies and systems.”

Bowcutt said changing the mindset of seeing “naughty” students as kids who are overstimulated, has made a huge difference in her class.

“I saved myself a lot of phone calls, emails and visits to the office because these kids got a chance to help themselves,” she said. “Overall, it has created a better learning environment for the school as a whole.” l

Participating in physical activities helps students regulate their emotions and improves their behavior. (Kelly Simonsen/AAA)

Students who spend time doing physical activities in the Sensory Pathway return to class ready to learn. (Kelly Simonsen/AAA)

Pet therapy: A scratch behind the ears for humans

Sometimes it feels like a dog’s life

If you’re lonely or stressed there’s nothing like having someone to lean on, who will listen without judgement to what’s been getting you down, someone who doesn’t give unsolicited or unhelpful advice, someone who doesn’t care if you are sick, or old or anxious.

Now what if this someone was also cute and soft and they met you in the place where you needed them the most, say at school just before a big exam or in the hospital when you’re not feeling so great?

An Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI), or more familiarly pet therapy, can provide that special someone for humans who could use a “scratch behind the ears.” Utah Pet Partners is a local nonprofit provider of pet therapy and is dedicated to improving human health and well-being, in partnership with therapy animals.

“These sweet dogs help release anxiety during exam week,” said Heather Panek, the dean of nursing at Arizona College of Nursing in Murray, where therapy pets visit on a monthly basis to ease the stress of test taking. “There’s nothing more beneficial for our students than a laugh, a snuggle, and a moment or two with no worries.”

Where to get some puppy love

Utah Pet Partners collaborates with about 100 volunteer teams (pet and owner). Teams are often deployed to Primary Children’s Hospital and other hospitals around the state, local veterans homes, and memory care and assisted living facilities. At times they are summoned for crisis response and suicide prevention at mental health facilities.

There is empirical evidence that therapy animals reduce anxiety, improve healing time, and increase motivation for accomplishing difficult tasks (among many other positive outcomes). “Dekker knows just when people need to feel supported and when they need to be leaned into,” said Whitney Stewart, Pet Partners human volunteer, and owner of Dekker, a black standard poodle. “He doesn’t shy away.”

Therapy animals are frequent visitors to elementary schools, where their presence has proven benefits on emergent readers. When a child has someone to read out loud to, someone who will endlessly listen and not judge as they sound out words, they are willing to try harder and read longer, improving comprehension, test scores, and most importantly the love of reading.

One local volunteer team, Rumble (and his human companion Megan Stewart), have weekly visits at Brookhaven Elementary, where the fourth-grade class has named themselves Rumble’s Readers and eagerly look forward to his attention.

By Ella Joy Olsen | e.olsen@mycityjournals.com

Teams typically visit for about an hour to 90 minutes. There is no charge for a visit, as the organization is donation and volunteer based. However, for-profit companies will be asked for a donation. The visits are not intended for entertainment or novelty, they are therapeutic.

Purrrrfect Partner - Qualifications of a Volunteer team

About 90% of therapy animals are dogs, but many animals are eligible to volunteer in a pet team varying from cats to birds to llamas (no wild or exotic animals like iguanas).

“There is a handler course and an in-person evaluation each team must pass,” said Melany Hillstead, executive director of Utah Pet Partners. “We need to know how the pet will respond if they are hugged, or petted by people with limited mobility, and how they will respond in a stressful situation or in a crowd.”

The national Pet Partners organization provides the teams with professional handler training, support and mentoring, careful team assessment, and they have a commitment to animal welfare. Once the team passes the tests and a health examination, and becomes a registered Pet Partner team, they will be available for visits. Insurance is provided and the location of the visit is vetted for safety of the volunteers.

Treats for good behavior

The best reward for volunteering with Utah Pet Partners is the pleasure of helping others and in sharing the love of a good animal. But the organization also provides an annual volunteer appreciation picnic. This year it was held at Wheeler Farm and included dinner, a prize drawing, and games and treats for the pets. A doggone good time was had by all.

To inquire about a Pet Partner visit or to volunteer, visit utahpetpartners.org l

Dekker and his human companion Whitney Stewart visit the Arizona College of Nursing campus in Murray during exam week. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)

Volunteer teams frolic at the volunteer appreciation picnic at Wheeler Farm. (Photo Utah Pet Partners)

These puppy eyes make everything less stressful. Moses is a Utah Pet Partners volunteer. (Photo Utah Pet Partners)

Dazzling the skies: Drone light shows take flight

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

During the Cottonwood Heights Butlerville Days celebration, a merging of lights and technology took center stage in the night sky. Residents gathered to watch a mesmerizing drone show, where art and innovation collide.

Cottonwood Heights Culture Manager Ann Eatchel added the drone show to this year’s celebration after meeting with Open Sky, a drone light show company. She wanted to bring a new element to the annual celebration and offer an alternative to fireworks.

Not quite breaking with tradition, Eatchel scheduled the drone show for Friday night and the regular fireworks show for Saturday. There was mixed reaction from residents for both shows.

“Some people left the drone show saying that was the coolest thing ever…It didn’t have the loud noises that can scare pets and it doesn’t leave the smoke and pollution a fireworks show does,” Eatchel said. “And then I had people say no, I’m a fireworks person. I gotta have the booms, gotta have the sparkles. So it totally went both ways.”

Cities across Salt Lake County are choosing drone shows over fireworks for celebrations. Salt Lake City held a drone show for its Fourth of July event and the city of South Jordan teamed with LiveDAYBREAK to bring a drone show to city residents.

Nate Mortensen, Open Sky CEO, said demand for drone shows has increased significantly. Last year, the company did about 30 shows, but now they’re doing that many each month. He says comparing drone shows to fireworks is an apples to oranges situation. While drones can’t replicate the pop and sizzle of fireworks, the show provides cities with the ability to person-

alize the production and tell a story.

“We customize and change the show to match the theme of each event that we fly and use this as a storytelling opportunity as opposed to just entertainment,” Mortensen said. “If you can imagine staring at the sky and seeing shooting stars or meteors crossing the sky, it happens so quick, but you really remember that experience. A drone show is 10 to 13 minutes of choreographed shooting stars that you're watching in the sky.”

A customized drone show’s cost can be equivalent to a fireworks show, usually starting around $15,000, based on the

number of drones used. Most city shows average 150 drones but Open Sky has created shows using hundreds of drones at a six-figure cost.

Proponents of drone shows say drones are better for the environment and safer for residents than traditional fireworks. But while a fireworks show can last up to 30 minutes, a drone show lasts about half that time.

Each drone costs thousands of dollars and battery life lasts about 14 minutes. Mortensen has found that’s a great length of time to keep the audience engaged without losing their attention.

The Cottonwood Heights event featured 150 drones with music and was customized to include the city’s logo and the logo of two event sponsors. If she has her way, Eatchel would love to offer both a drone and fireworks show at next year’s Butlerville Days.

“I have a whole plan if the council wants to move forward,” she said. “But I’m here to do what the council wants, what the Butlerville Days committee wants and what the public wants.”

As drone technology evolves, Mortensen expects the Open Sky shows to bring more creativity, choreography and customization to his clients. He’s excited to see what comes next and he challenges everyone to get out to see a drone show in person.

“Watching [a drone show] online is a great way to see it. But it’s much different in person when you see the size and the scale of these formations that are hundreds of feet wide and hundreds of feet tall. It’s really something to behold,” he said. “The most common takeaway we hear from people after a show is they didn't know what to expect….It just exceeds their expectations when they finally see one in person.” l

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Cottonwood Heights residents enjoyed the city’s first drone show during Butlerville Days, as more cities explore drone show options. (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)

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For Cottonwood girls soccer, fun is now the name of the game

TheCottonwood girls soccer program was in a state of disrepair, according to Athletic Director Greg Southwick not too long ago.

“It needed an infusion of new energy,” Southwick said. “Something seemed to be missing.”

Having brought on Bryce Harvest as the girls’ new head coach along with his brother Brylee [Cottonwood’s boys’ coach, as an assistant] early this summer seems to have done the team a lot of good.

That confidence in what the Harvest brothers do on and off the pitch is already translating into results on it, too.

The Colts kicked off the season at home with a 3-0 thumping of Providence Hall on Aug. 7, and then went on the road Aug. 10 and outlasted 5A Granger, 5-3.

If you ask Bryce Harvest, the secret to the Colts’ early success is to have fun playing the game.

“The girls explained to me that they didn't care if they won or lost; they just wanted to have fun playing soccer. Overall, that's my only goal,” said Harvest, who has never been a high school head coach before this season.

It may sound crazy to the average soccer novice, but it helps to know the generation of “Let’s Go” and dabs to know what this all means. Harvest, who graduated from Cotton-

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

wood in 2019, absolutely does—he gets it.

“In my short tenure so far, I've built relationships with these girls that span soccer; we've taught them how success is a byproduct of the process and if they work hard, be on time, get good grades, then and only then will we win games,” he said.

It doesn’t hurt that the Colts have several team leaders who played on Cottonwood’s girls basketball team that won a region title, last year.

“Ciel Budge and Alivia Hutton are both seniors; Lulu Vernon is a junior,” said Harvest of his team leaders. Vernon alone accounts for five of the Colts’ eight goals thus far as they continue through their preseason. She and freshman Elli Galkin will look to provide a scoring spark for Cottonwood.

One might recall that Ciel Budge was the Colts’ tiny, spirited guard who took a nasty elbow from a Payson player—and was doing a chicken-dance on the sidelines shortly after that. For the girls’ soccer team, Budge is a winger and leads a midfield with two freshmen [Taylor Young and Alyssa Julian] and Sophie Yates, who is a sophomore.

Hutton was Cottonwood’s glue on the basketball court, the player who would be the most likely to dive for loose balls and take charges. If you guessed that Hutton would

be playing defense for the Colts soccer team, you’re right. The senior Hutton leads a backline dotted by another senior in Mary Neilson and sophomore Nicole Nelson while senior Kya Budge is the team’s goalkeeper.

For coach Harvest’s senior-laden team, they set four goals at the beginning of the sea-

son.

“First was to double the amount of goals scored from last year to this year, second was to halve the goals allowed on us from last year to this year, third was to win three games— one more than last year—and finally was to have fun no matter the outcomes we face.” l

The Cottonwood girls’ soccer team has a bit of fun in front of the camera. (Photo Bryce Harvest)

Cottonwood alum and others help strengthen Cottonwood’s football program

When Cottonwood head football coach Donovan Malmrose set out last March to build back the program he knew from when he played at the school, he knew he had to reach out to a few classmates.

Then they reached out to a few more people. And suddenly, Malmrose had more help than he’d ever anticipated.

“These guys deserve so much credit, I don’t even know if they realize the impact they’ve not only had on our football boys, but at the high school on so many levels,” said Malmrose, who was first a QB coach under Casey Miller—then was put in charge of the wide receivers for Cottonwood, the position he played from 2004-06.

The way Malmrose started bringing back interest in the program was by enlisting the help of a former classmate and teammate, AJ Jones.

“[AJ] brings the juice and energy,” Malmrose said. “He’s had some business success that allowed him to come work as a hall monitor at Cottonwood High and would literally just work on getting any students into class.”

Continued from front page

Frederico’s interest in computers began when her dad, who worked in software development, taught her the basics of Python, a computer language. She also attended coding summer camps during high school. “It was a really good experience,” Frederico said.

During the pandemic, when Frederico was a sophomore at West High School, she met other girls her age from Canada, Texas and Washington at a virtual hackathon. The girls teamed up to build a website that listed local COVID vaccination sites.

After that, Frederico was inspired to create Sego Lily Hacks. “I wanted something based in Utah,” she said. “I had never seen hackathons in Utah that were open to teenagers.”

The group’s first in-person hackathon was held at Artemis Health in Gateway in October 2022. “Coders can come in, attend workshops, make new friends and win prizes,” Frederico said.

“Some people build websites, games or stop-motion animations,” Gundu added. Prizes range from AirPods to Amazon Echo Dots and skincare products.

Frederico and Gundu are also members of Hack Club, an international club for teenage coders. Last July, they teamed up with the Girl Scouts of Utah for a hackathon which was held on the premises of BILL, a company in Draper. “We flew in four other girls from California and Texas,” Gundu said. “We hosted workshops on building websites and games.”

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

According to Malmrose, by March, Jones was already on campus talking to kids about their own personal struggles and meeting them halfway.

“He’s always having awesome conversations with these students about developing good habits right now and sharing life lessons,” said the Cottonwood coach about Jones, who’s the Colts defensive coordinator. “He cares so much, we’ve had so many conversations after practice and it’s always about making the school, our boys and their well-being [better].”

Another part of the puzzle that seemed to have solved some issues internally according to Malmrose is the hiring of Alo Moli. Having graduated from Cottonwood in 2009, Malmrose brought Moli on to do his old job.

“Our wide receivers coach Alo Moli has also made a huge impact after school and practice hours,” Malmrose said. “He organized the football support for other Cottonwood sports; we had a lot of success at the basketball games and plan to continue that trend.

“Coach Alo Moli and coach AJ Jones have taken so much pressure and weight

Earlier in the summer, members of Sego Lily Hacks met at BILL to do a service project. “We asked ourselves, what can we do to help women in the community?” Gundu said.

Inspired by The Period Project, the club members decided to assemble hygiene kits for women in need. Each kit included tampons, pads, soap sheets, lip balms and stickers. They intend to donate the 200 kits either to the Women’s Center in Salt Lake City or The Period Project in Utah.

Changes are underway for Sego Lily Hacks as Frederico heads to Pennsylvania this fall to attend Lafayette College. “I plan to double-major in computer science and law,” she said.

Gundu, who lives in South Jordan, graduated from Hillcrest High School last May. She plans to attend the University of Utah to double-major in information systems and international studies. Gundu will continue to help manage Sego Lily Hacks along with member Aishwaryaa Udeshi who is based in Texas.

“Right now we hoping to get more team members,” Gundu said. “We’re looking for leads, mentors— people who are passionate about computers to lead the group.” Sego Lily Hacks is also always seeking new members.

“Utah has become known as Silicon Slopes,” she added. “We want more girls to see that they can be a part of it.”

To learn more about Sego Lily Hacks and find out about upcoming events, visit their Instagram @segolilyhacks. l

off my shoulders.”

In addition to those two key hires, there have been several others, according to Malmrose.

“Coaches Donnie Beck (Cottonwood grad 2001) and Alec Febo (Stansbury grad) have had an excellent offseason. Coach Donnie Beck has done a tremendous job with the bigs; he’s brought them together and they are such a close group, literally brothers.

“Coach Alec Febo is our strength and conditioning coach, and he’s had some amazing success in the weight room; during every max period, our kids were growing and improving.”

But the additions to Cottonwood’s football coaching staff didn’t stop there, said Malmrose.

“We’ve had a few more of our teammates join our staff who have a wealth of football and life knowledge. Coaches John Martinez (Cottonwood grad 2009) who played and started at USC and Etu Moli (2010) came over, as did coach Sione Finefeuiaki, a Bingham High graduate.

“Along with their knowledge, these two also bring a lot of passion and energy

to the game, it’s contagious,” said Malmrose, who is excited about the direction in which the Cottonwood football program is headed after it was literally on the brink of collapsing.

“I could go on and on about all my coaches and how much I love them and how great they all are,” he said. “Other coaches are also having a massive impact on our program and on myself as a coach.

“Hunter Workman (Cottonwood grad 2019) has been working many parts for us on the team, and so are coaches Kyle Delaney (1997), Kobe Grover (2019), John Durkin, Chris Chidester (2006), and Bret McCormick (2005).”

Many of these coaches were hired in March, said Cottonwood’s new head coach, who added that he is grateful for their help as the Colts head back into regular play in 4A Region 10 after several years as a football independent.

“We’re blessed to have these awesome coaches giving their time and energy for our kids,” Malmrose said. “This last group of coaches makes that [big a] difference in our program.” l

Cottonwood volleyball wins its first match under head coach Michaela Hatch

Last year, the Cottonwood volleyball team went 0-13 under the direction of then first-year head coach Michaela Hatch. But, as the great Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “the only constant is change.”

“Our first win against Highland was a great start to the season,” said Hatch about the Colts’ win, Aug. 10. “The girls have trained incredibly hard through all of last season, and in the off season, and they are now getting the return on that investment.”

Cottonwood [1-0] won the first game, 25-21. But, Highland bounced back to take the second game, 25-21.

The Colts galloped on, winning the third game 25-22, and then closed out the home opener by taking the fourth game from Highland, 25-21.

“Sophomore Saris Rengifo and Mariah Stolp, a senior, went on several aggressive serving runs throughout the night,” Hatch said. “And we've got a strong right side block between opposite Eimi Vatuvei, a sophomore, and our middle blockers, freshman Ellie White and junior Abby Salisbury.”

It was Cottonwood’s first win under

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

coach Hatch. And the Colts are off to a 1-0 start with this nonregion win over Highland.

A lot of that cohesion this early in the season can also be attributed to the players Hatch is fortunate to bring back.

“I am lucky to have a lot of returning players this year, including our captains, seniors Haley Ngu and Mia Peterson as well as Abby Salisbury, a junior, as well as a new transfer, senior Mariah Stolp,” Hatch said.

By press time, the Colts will be serving up their first points as a member of Class 4A Region 10.

Comprising of crosstown rivals Hillcrest and Murray, as well as former Region 7 foes Stansbury and Tooele, Region 10 will also sprinkle in Jordan and Park City in what is sure to be a competitive league—one that the second-year coach is looking forward to watching blossom into something remarkable.

“We also have a lot of raw talent with a ton of potential,” Hatch added. “I am looking forward to watching them grow and develop their skills and mental game as the season goes on.” l

Do You Have a Chronic Wound?

If you have a wound that has been open for more than 4 weeks, then something in your body is not allowing that wound to heal properly. Chronic wounds are defined as wounds that fail to proceed through the normal phases of wound healing in an orderly and timely manner. Often, chronic wounds stall in the inflammatory phase of healing.

How do you heal a wound that will not heal?

Debridement (removal of dead tissue) is the most common treatment for stubborn wounds, and involves the removal of unhealthy tissue within a chronic wound to promote the growth of healthy tissue, reduce complications of infection, and speed up the healing process.

Your care team may also suggest the following treatments:

• Antibiotics

• Skin substitute grafts

• Laser Treatments

• X-rays to assess for bone infection

• Scans to ensure proper blood flow is getting to the wound to promote healing

Visit Innovation Medical Group today to get a wound care specialist to help guide your care plan and to get your life back without a chronic wound present. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 801-758-2091. We are located at 4624 Holladay Blvd on the second floor in Suite 201 right above Olympus Family Medicine. We accept all major insurances and look forward to being able to enhance your quality of life.

The Cottonwood volleyball team. (Photo Michaela Hatch)

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

South Salt Lake Turns 85: Yes, We are a City!

This year, South Salt Lake is turning 85, and it’s a year to celebrate. Our history can be found in a collection of books, articles and pictures, and a few of our senior residents still remember our early days. Did you know that South Salt Lake exists as a city because of the vitally important need for a sewer system? During the 1930’s the population was growing rapidly, and sewage was held in septic tanks or cast into ditches. This became problematic, as waste would leak from tanks and contaminate waterways—people were getting sick. The solution was to create a sewage system but before that could happen, a decision had to be made. In 1938, a ballot was presented to citizens and business owners, to remain a part of Salt Lake (and to be taxed as a first-class city) or to disincorporate and build its own infrastructure. Those in favor of splitting off narrowly won, and on September 29, 1938, South Salt Lake officially became an incorporated township.

Growing Up in South Salt Lake

While I wasn’t around in 1938, my grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles decided to settle here in the 1960s. Growing up on Burton Ave, one of my favorite memories is walking to the former Madison Elementary through the field which is where City Hall is currently located.

Ann Wilson was a long-standing and well-loved crossing guard and would help us cross 300 East. While living on Burton, we always had the best front-row seats for the annual 4th of July Parade. It’s still the same route! At night, the fireworks would follow at the former Granite Park Jr. High Field (now Lincoln Elementary). The event grew more popular, as did the size of the fireworks, and eventually moved to the Granite High field. As a kid, I loved riding my bike along 400 East, where the S-Line and Zellar are now located. Each year the SSL Lions Club hosted a big breakfast at Ream’s parking lot and would donate to the community, such as Lion’s Park on Robert Ave. As a ‘fun fact,’ my mom and I are both Granite High School alumni and played as ‘Lady Farmers’ on the women’s basketball team and shared the same coach.

At 17, I took a job placing orders at Free Wheeler Pizza. That was before I found out that the delivery drivers earned a whole lot more money. It’s not uncommon to see females deliver food now. I was enrolled at the University of Utah when I applied for my first position with the city in their utility office. I found it interesting learning about the things the municipal government takes care of, but I found the most enjoyment in working with people and assisting them.

“Be the change that you wish to see.”

I eventually earned degrees in business management and administration, I also applied and took on new city positions with accounts payable, the building department, and as the business licensing official. When Bob Gray became Mayor, he offered me the Chief of Staff position, which helped me to understand the role and its potential to bring about great change. When he decided not to run for re-election, he encouraged me to do so. It wasn’t something I had even contemplated, as entering the political arena isn’t easy, but I came to a realization. My passion and knowledge were here in South Salt Lake. I could come to work every day and bring about change in the trajectory of the community my family lives in. As I announced my candidacy, I was told by some, “You can run, but you won’t win.” Instead of discouraging me, it fueled my determination to win.

Go, Farmers! As a graduate of Granite High School, Class of 1944, and a member of the marching band, lifelong resident and hometown hero Ida Bickley stands with Mayor Wood inside the Granite Branch County Library with her diploma in hand.

While campaigning, I spent a lot of time listening. There were a lot of concerns about the closure of our schools, and it got my attention. Taking office in 2010, it became one of my top priorities to build stability for our youth and give their families a reason to stay here. Having always felt a strong connection to the city, I wanted others to feel that way too. Promise South Salt Lake was a direct result of looking for solutions to support our local schools, our youth, and their families and taking on the challenges we face as a uniquely diverse and wonderful community.

Turning 85 is a great time to refl ect and recognize our accomplishments and call out our amazing resiliency in facing challenges and moving forward. I believe South Salt Lake remains strong, as we are visionaries, problem solvers, and understand what building community is about—Join us in the celebration!

Mayor Cherie Wood

Public Meetings

For more info: www.sslc.gov

City Council

Wed, Sep 13, 7 p.m.

Wed, Sep 27, 7 p.m.

Planning Commission

Thu, Sep 7, 7 p.m.

Thu, Sep 21, 7 p.m.

Civilian Review Board

Mon, Sep 11, 6:30 p.m.

Fall Leaf Bag Program

WATER SCAM ALERT

Beware of Water Quality testing payment scams. Some SSL residents have reported notices on their door or individuals visiting their homes claiming to represent a water quality testing agency and requesting payment for mandatory water quality tests. This is incorrect and a scam, please exercise caution. No SSL representative will ever request payment for water

quality testing. SSL tests water quality every year and publishes a free Water Quality Report on our website. Always ask if you are unsure. Contact SSL Water Division with any questions or if you would like your water tested for free. If you have any questions or need your water tested for free, contact our SSL Water Department at (801) 483-6014 or email water@sslc.gov.

Fall is approaching and that means glorious temperatures and color changes. It also means leaves clogging storm drains. You can help keep our creeks and rivers clean by raking your leaves and clearing nearby storm drains. Take advantage of our free Fall Leaf Bag Program and get free leaf bags starting October 1. Residents may pick up five free leaf bags at City Hall. Visit SSLC.gov > Public Works to learn more.

CELEBRATING 85 YEARS AS A CITY Share Your Unique Story

SSL is collecting resident stories, memories, and photos to share online and during our 85th Celebration event, Friday, September 29th. Visit the sslc.gov homepage to the Celebrate SSL Event news item to find the form. If you would like us to record your story on video or audio, contact us at connect@sslc.gov, 801-464-6757.

South Salt Lake City Council Action Report Summary

Public Safety

Back to School Crosswalk Awareness in Utah

As the new school year is underway, it’s crucial to prioritize the safety of our students as they head back to school. By following established state laws and city ordinances and encouraging others to do the same, we can help create a safer environment for our children and pedestrians to walk to and from locations in our community.

Crosswalk Laws in Utah:

1. Stop for Pedestrians at Crosswalks: As a driver, you must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians who are already in a marked crosswalk or who are approaching a crosswalk on your side of the road. Always come to a complete stop and allow the pedestrians to safely cross before proceeding.

2. Yield to Pedestrians in Unmarked Crosswalks: In Utah, pedestrians have the right-of-way at intersections, even if there is no marked crosswalk. Always be attentive and yield to pedestrians crossing the road at intersections.

3. No Overtaking Stopped Vehicles: If a vehicle is stopped at a crosswalk to allow pedestrians to cross, you must not overtake or pass that vehicle. Wait patiently until the pedestrians have safely crossed the road.

4. No Driving on Sidewalks or Crosswalks: It is illegal to drive on sidewalks or crosswalks unless it’s an authorized driveway or access point. Keep these areas clear to ensure pedestrians have safe passage.

Back-to-School Safety Tips:

• School Zone Speed Limit: Respect and obey the reduced speed limits in school zones to ensure the safety of children walking to and from school.

• Avoid Distractions: Whether you are a driver, student, or parent, avoid distractions while crossing the road. Keep your attention focused on the road and your surroundings.

• Walking in Groups: Encourage students to walk to school in groups or with a buddy. There’s safety in numbers.

• Use Designated Crosswalks: Always use marked crosswalks when crossing the street. Jaywalking can be dangerous and unpredictable.

• Crossing Guards: Respect and follow the instructions of the crossing guards. They are there to help students cross safely.

• Be Visible: If your child walks to school, wear bright, reflective clothing and carry a flashlight, especially in lowlight conditions.

• Bike Safety: If students ride bikes to school, remind them to wear helmets, follow traffic laws, and use bike lanes when available.

Remember, our students’ safety is a shared responsibility. By being aware, considerate, and vigilant, we can make a positive impact on their journey back to school.

At our SSL National Night Out event in August several members of the community gathered at the Central Park Community Center, and booths were set up to share information and answer questions, o ering free food and activities. It’s always wonderful to gather in support of building stronger neighborhoods.

Coffee with a Cop

Sep 6, 9-10 a.m.

In-Person

Délice Bakery & Café 2747 S State Street

Business Watch Sep 7, 5 p.m.

American United Credit Union 3226 S Main Street

Neighborhood Watch Sep 7, 7 p.m.

Go to sslc.gov for the virtual link

Volunteer at the Pamela Atkinson Resource Center

Want to get involved, donate, or find out more? Let’s point you toward TheRoadHome.org to volunteer!

Our youth are heading back to school soon, so please remember, please drive cautiously and be mindful of student crosswalks around South Salt Lake. Locate all the current crosswalk locations at sslc.gov.

Message from SSLPD Chief Jack Carruth

A bit of SSLFD History, the rst volunteer SSL Fire Department was established in 1941 with 30 volunteers.

Reaching new heights, in 2023 the SSLFD acquired a new L42 Tiller Ladder Truck with a 107-foot ladder that includes a driver in the back to help maneuver the trailer through the streets and around obstacles.

South Salt Lake Community Center

2530 S 500 East

Contact Brooke Field: bfield@sslc.gov or 801-412-3217

Central Park Community Center

2797 S 200 East

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

Historic Scott School Community Center

3280 S 540 East

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

SSL Community Centers

Finding Financial Freedom Through Financial Literacy

Financial literacy is the ability to take control of one’s financial situation, make informed decisions, and navigate the complex world of money management. It transcends economic status, age, or background, offering a pathway for individuals to achieve stability, independence, and peace of mind. By embracing financial literacy and seeking out valuable resources and advice, we become better equipped to navigate the complexities of personal finance, avoid debt traps, and make sound choices.

Promise South Salt Lake is committed to empowering our community members with the tools and knowledge to achieve financial independence. We are lucky to have Mountain America Credit Union host free community financial empowerment classes at the Co-Op. These classes will cover topics such as managing and reducing debt, improving credit scores, creating a budget that fits your needs, and building savings accounts. In addition to these great workshops, you can schedule private one on one sessions that are tailored to your needs. All this is completely free to you!

We invite you to join us and take the first step toward your financial empowerment journey. Our classes are open to everyone, regardless of your current financial situation or background. Together, we will learn, grow, and build a stronger and more financially resilient community.

Free Little Libraries Bring Literacy to All

You may have noticed a few new free little libraries popping up around our community. We are excited to now have a total of 4 little libraries available right here in SSL. Our newest additions come from a partnership with Kids Read Salt Lake.

Lynda S. Brown, President of Kids Read Salt Lake says, “We are excited to partner with Promise South Salt Lake to provide great books for elementary school-age children at our Read and Succeed libraries. Our goal is to help motivate them to learn, inspire them to dream bigger, and open their minds to infinite possibilities for themselves. From birth to grade three children learn to read. From third grade on they read to learn. Too many of our children stop reading well at the 3rd grade level and we want to change that so our children, who are our future leaders, politicians, business owners, neighbors, and friends will have as productive a life as possible.”

While Kids Read Salt Lake will ensure there are a variety of books for youth, community members are also encouraged to share their own as well and make the little libraries their own by sharing appropriate books that cover different genres, topics, and languages for all ages. We hope the libraries will serve as a tool to foster a love for reading and a place for community members to gather, connect, and socialize.

Find Free Little Libraries at the following locations:

• Central Park Community Center

• Historic Scott School

• Bickley Park & Playground (Pirate Ship)

• Fitts Park (near the community garden)

SL County Senior Center EVENTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2023

Live Entertainment

Fridays at 10:30 am

Kevin the Piano Animal - Sep 8

Dieter Wachtel - Sep 15

Waldis Bradley Duo - Sep 22

BD Howes - Sep 29

Special Meal: Birthday Special

Tuesday, Sept. 5

Monthly Blood Pressure Checks with Fire Department Every second Wednesday of the month.

Weds, Sep 13 at 9:15 am

Vital Aging: Monthly group Wellness Discussions with licensed therapist

Weds, Sep 20 at 10:30 am

Call 801-539-7069 to make a one-on-one appointment.

U of U Exercise Class (Strength Training)

Weds and Fridays at 12:30 pm, starting Aug 30

Vaccine Clinic Thurs Oct 5, 10 am to 1 pm

Mind Over Matter (MOM)

Thurs, Oct. 19, Nov 2, Nov 16,12:00 – 2:00 pm

Columbus Center – 2531 S 400 East 385-468-3340

New hours starting Sep. 5 8:30 am – 4 pm

PROMISE Tours are typically held on the 3rd Thursday of each month, except August. Contact us at promise@sslc.gov or 801-483-6057 to reserve your spot.

Welcoming Salt Lake

Welcoming Salt Lake is an annual celebration bringing together people and local events that celebrate the contributions of immigrants and refugees and highlight the role communities play in ensuring everyone feels welcome. Check https://slco.org/new-americans/programs/ welcoming-salt-lake/ for a complete list of events and join us as we celebrate Welcoming Week here in South Salt Lake with our cultural showcase event - In Harmony Together.

To learn more and register for Community Art Classes visit SSLArts.org

ART55+ Creative Arts

for Seniors

Instructor Laura Sharp Wilson

Every Wednesday 10:00-11:30 AM

SSL Community Center 2531 S 400 East FREE!

Craftoberfest 2023 is Coming Sat Oct 7th –SAVE THE DATE!

Congrats to our Rec team winners!

The end of the summer means the wrap-up of championship playoffs for many of our local softball and soccer leagues. Congratulations to all our winners, including our Central Park Teen Team who won the teen league! (Congrats to Purple People Eaters, Grizzlies, and Wofford’s European Car!)

Craftoberfest is a Free Public Event coming Saturday, October 7th from noon to 5 pm along Oakland Ave in South Salt Lake.

Celebrating SoSaLa’s Downtown and Creative Industries Zone, with live music, bring your family, support local art vendors, grab a beer or craft cocktail, and enjoy gathering as a community.

Lunch on the Move CLUCK TRUCK

Wed, Sep 20 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SSL City Hall 220 East Morris Ave, Northside

Discover a new food truck each month!

SSL’s 85th Celebration

Celebrating 85 Years—South Salt Lake

A lot has happened in 85 years. Let’s take a moment to remind ourselves as a city where we started and where we are headed, as this City on the Move keeps expanding and improving as we grow. “Press Play!” was the theme for our State of the City in 2023, as several plans are now underway: large infrastructure projects, renovations at Historic Scott School Community Center, bringing about new and affordable housing investment to South Salt Lake, and much more. We look forward to these exciting new developments and have much to celebrate.

The Quest for Civic Identity Incorporated as a city in 1938, South Salt Lake is made up of seven square miles, from 21st to 39th South, and running west of 500 and 700 East to the Jordan River. SSL is also highly accessible. Several major transportation hubs (State Street, I-15, I-80, 21st South) intersect here, including TRAX, S-Line, and Parley’s Trail.

SSL POPULATION

1940: 1,599

2020: 26,777

“Our City was rst named Millcreek because of the Mill and the creek that ran through the land. Most of the land was suitable for farming and there was plenty of water to develop gardens and farms. But by the beginning of the 20th century, this area was growing by leaps and bounds, and areas previously farmed were being subdivided for the building of homes.” —South Salt Lake History, 1997

THEN: In the 1950s the population of South Salt Lake approached over 7,000 residents and was then recognized by the State officially as a City of the THIRD CLASS. South Salt Lake identified areas as “The Seven Villages,” rather than as neighborhoods. The east side of State Street was primarily developed as residential, and the west mostly commercial and labeled the “Center of Industry.”

In the 1990s several residents were saddened as centralized city o ces along State Street, including the previous city hall building, auditorium, re and police stations, library, and the former Madison school were torn down to make room for a new FHP hospital (now the GTI, Woodrow Wilson Elementary, and Ramada Inn). SSL City Hall o ces were relocated to 220 Morris Ave.

NOW: Following the 2020 Census, the population of South Salt Lake was over 26,000. Adapted through SSL’s 2040 General Plan, 16 Neighborhoods are now identified in South Salt Lake. Take a moment to find out which neighborhood you live in by going to a searchable neighborhoods map at sslc.gov.

HORTON THE WATER TOWER

Standing at 162 ft, Horton the Water Tower was built in 1949 and was the rst of its kind both in its design and function. Horton held water for 40 years and is considered a symbol of the city. While no longer in use, the water tower now marks SSL’s Creative Industries Zone, a new area in our Downtown SSL designated to open creative business and retail spaces.

Community east-west trail finally complete after 30 years

After 30 years and piecing together both funding and physical sections, the final leg of the 8-mile, east-west Parley’s Trail has been completed with a bridge on 900 West over the Jordan River, to be celebrated with an opening ceremony next month.

Headed by Parley’s Rails, Trails and Tunnels (PRATT) Coalition, the completion of the bridge over 900 West and the Jordan River completes Parley’s Trail connecting the west part of the valley to the East Bench. Construction on the section began in May and recently culminated this August.

“One of my favorite things about this section of trail was the influence PRATT had with common sense and vision,” said Juan Arce-Larreta, the chairperson of PRATT Coalition.

Six years ago, the coalition looked at this zone of the trail, finding it dead ended at a newly renovated 900 West. “It became this six-lane interchange, an on-and-off ramp where cars were now going 45 and accelerating to get onto the freeway, or decelerating coming off these high-speed main roads,” Arce-Larreta said. “So when we met there, we agreed we can’t expect or ask people to cross here, it’s just not safe.”

There were ideas of diverting the trail traffic to a safer crossing point down the way. But realistically the members knew asking that of riding cyclists and pedestrians was futile. “When you build a trail that comes to a main road, if you don’t have it going straight across, they’re not going to do it and you set yourself up for failure and create a dangerous situation,” Arce-Larreta said.

Thus the team ideated a bridge to solve the problem. The bridge brought the project from a $1.5 million to a $6.5-million project. “But do you do it right or do you just do it? I believe you do it correctly, you don’t do it in a hasty way,” Arce-Larreta said. “Let’s do it the right way, and that would be building a bridge.”

A look back at the Sugar House tunnel

A similar problem arose back in the ’90s at 1300 East in the heart of Sugar House. The road was too busy, too dangerous of an ask for bikers and pedestrians to cross the main vein through the tightly packed, urbanized area. In 1992, Salt Lake City adopted an Open Space Master Plan, ideating the concept of an off-road bicycle pedestrian corridor connecting Hidden Hollow to Sugar House Park, ultimately connecting Parley’s Canyon to the Jordan River Parkway.

In 1998, Kids Organized to Protect the Environment (KOPE) of Beacon Heights Elementary launched a problem-solving campaign to brainstorm ways to cross 1300 East between Sugar House Park and Hidden Hollow, finding that a tunnel would be the best solution.

By Genevieve Vahl | g.vahl@mycityjournals.com

“Kids are expected to be thinking outside the box,” said Lynne Olson, a former board member of PRATT Coalition. “When you allow young people to be a part of the solution planning, they come up with some pretty creative ideas, which, given enough thought, can be implemented into a truly remarkable product. And that’s what happened here.” The Draw at Sugar House was born.

In 1999, the University of Utah Department of Civil Engineering’s Community Transportation Team confirmed a tunnel would be the safest crossing, at the site of the historic Utah Central Railway. “It would cost less than an aerial bridge and would create fewer hazards to pedestrians than a traffic light and crosswalk,” Olson said. The PRATT Coalition was then formed in 2000.

In 2002, The National Endowment for the Arts New Public Works Initiative awarded Salt Lake City Planning Division money to host a juried competition to design the pedestrian crossing. “The winning design by local landscape architect Steven Gilbert and famed environmental artist Patricia Johanson was chosen for its careful attention to the cultural and ecological history of the place and its potential to enhance the transportation corridor,” Olson said. An artist’s vision and design

Johanson is an internationally known environmental artist who combines engineering, sculpture, landscaping, flood control, wildlife habitat and an outdoor classroom into her designs that work within the

environment in which they are set, taking inspiration from the land and natural ecological patterns of the area. “We need to envision and implement shared landscapes that collaborate with nature, rather than build more infrastructure demonstrating power and control,” Johanson wrote for the publication “Humans and Nature.” “By incorporating functional infrastructure within the living world, engineering can become more resilient, inclusive and continuously creative, harnessing and preserving the biological processes on which we all depend.”

The design, coined Sego Lily Plaza at the Draw, is both artistic and functional, including a major sculptural element only visible in its entirety aerially, in the shape of a Sego Lily, the Utah state flower, for its significance in the survival of early pioneers to avoid starvation by eating the flowers’ bulbs, per Native American recommendation.

In the case of a 100-year flood, the installation directs water overtopping the Parley’s Creek detention pond in Sugar House Park to collect in the basin that is the Sego Lily to then flow under the eight-lane highway draining into Parley’s Creek in Hidden Hollow. The 1300 East road is a certified dam, but even with this year's unprecedented snowmelt that flooded Sugar House Park, the water didn’t even make it to the Lily diversion mechanism, remaining in the well-designed basin of the pond with 1300 East damming it. The three petals function as the dam’s armature. The north petal rises

30 feet to counter waves to prevent erosion from under the road if a major flood were to happen. The east petal is striated with irrigation channels with seven veins representing the seven creeks that flow into the Great Salt Lake Valley. The south petal has winding pathways to get up to 1300 East.

“It is a major piece of water-control and transportation infrastructure, incorporating Parley’s Trail, which links the Bonneville Shoreline Trail to the Provo-Jordan River Parkway,” Johanson wrote. “This would be the first flood control system in America that has not only been designed as a work of art, but also accommodates many layers of functionality, from safe highway crossings to trails, wildlife corridors, educational programs and tourist magnet,” Olson said.

On the west end of the tunnel is a sculpted floodwall, faux “slot canyon” built featuring hoodoos representing Echo Canyon which was a “natural conduit through the mountains, used for thousands of years by wildlife and Native Americans migrating between the Rockies and the Great Basin,” Johanson wrote of the functional sculpture that features water catchment basins and habitat ledges for native plants and animals. Echo Canyon was the final leg for early pioneers before crossing the Weber River and scaling the Wasatch Mountains. “Johanson’s land art floods the imagination with memories, symbols and feelings of the men and women who walked the same path over 100 years ago, as well as reminding us of the forces of nature we do our best to nego-

An aerial view of Patricia Johanson’s environmental art in Sugar House Park working both functionally as a water diversion mechanism and artful installation. (Adam Isaac Hiscock/Wikimedia Commons)

tiate with,” Olson said.

The term “draw” “was used by Utah’s earliest settlers to describe the sunken riparian corridors that carried water off the Wasatch Mountains, most of which have now been filled,” according to Johanson. It is a low area, sloping down in one direc tion only and sloping upward in three oth ers. “I never design until I have discovered the meaning of the place,” Johanson wrote. “Each place has a unique set of conditions and we need an intimate understanding of what it has been, is now and will become in the future, in order to create a design that is more than a willful act.”

Connecting communities with the trail

“It was cost prohibitive to do the trail all at once,” Arce-Larreta said about Parley’s Trail. So the trail has been piece mealed together for the past 30 or so years as funding has been raised for each new section. “Say the first phase of the trail we completed may have cost $2 million and a comparable section of the trail is now cost ing $6 million. Inflation costs increasingly went up,” Arce-Larreta said. “Every time we would come to another phase, it was another major fundraising effort and cam paign.”

As it was for the Sego Lily Plaza and the Draw, Olson said. “But it was because there was such a coalition of people intent on making this work for as many commu nities as possible that made it a bit easier to get funding,” Olson said. Johanson’s proj ect got funding primarily from the federal government, the second largest donors be ing the state and the county with some pri vate donations.

“There were a lot of people in the pub lic who didn’t think putting money into

some artistic elements in the underpass was a good use of funds,” Arce-Larreta said.

“But people love it now. It’s an amazing amenity in the community and people still

With more experience, the Cottonwood girls tennis team is back

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

and experience are propelling the Cottonwood girls tennis team forward this year.

Enthusiasm

“The team is doing great,” reported Cottonwood head girls tennis coach Teisa Linscott of her team that had one tune-up prior to beginning a new season in the new Class 4A Region 10.

When City Journals talked to Linscott, it was the day before her Colts were playing Park City, who along with Jordan, Stansbury and Tooele and rivals Murray and Hillcrest will now compete with Cottonwood for those coveted team and individual spots in the 4A state playoffs for the next two months.

For now, 14 Colts will jockey for those coveted five positions. Led by junior Emie Linscott who opened the state’s eyes last year, she looks to be the odds-on favorite to play first singles.

In second singles, sophomore Annie Woodward also returns after a successful freshman season last year. Both she and Linscott won their first matches of the season in straight sets.

In third singles, junior Bella Morris played in, and won her opener as well.

In first doubles, sophomore Addison Allen and freshman Juliet Lewis played in and lost their season opener. And so did seniors Katelyn Julian and James Wilkenson, in second doubles.

In all though, the Colts defeated Timpanogos 3-2 in matches to go to 1-0 on the season.

By the time this is published, Cottonwood will be in the thick of a two-monthslong season in the new 4A Region 10, hoping to reclaim some of last year’s success.

Utah Water Savers incentivizes homeowners to create waterwise landscapes

By Genevieve Vahl | g.vahl@mycityjournals.com

We’veall seen the waste of water. A sprinkler gushes water onto the concrete. The delicate rays of water to be dispersed evenly across the grass jumbled into a mass of unfettered drench reaching nothing but the hot concrete to evaporate into thin air. In arid Utah, that’s a problem.

“Approximately two-thirds of drinking water in Utah is used to water lawns and landscapes,” according to Utah State University’s extension Center for Water-Efficient Landscaping. “Much of this water is being applied inefficiently, either due to sprinkler system design flaws or because sprinklers are running too long.”

A unified approach to saving water

In May of this year, a program called Utah Water Savers, the nation’s first statewide landscape incentive program, rolled out, working to eliminate wasteful moments exactly like this. The Division of Water Resources has partnered with Central Utah, Jordan Valley, Washington County and Weber Basin Water Conservancy Districts to develop the program that gives rebates to qualified homeowners in municipalities that have adopted water efficiency standards, of up to $3 per square foot when they replace their grass with water efficient, or waterwise, landscaping.

The most recent legislative session allocated a one-time $5 million and an ongoing $3 million to the program, on top of the $5 million one-time allocation in 2022. “This means that the amount of money available to help homeowners reduce (they don’t have to entirely eliminate all lawn) have increased threefold,” said Cynthia Bee, the public information officer for the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District and one of the creators of the localscapes method.

These state funds are available to those living in municipalities that have adopted water efficiency standards for new construction—52 cities have already done so—and will be matched in areas served by Central Utah, Jordan Valley, Washington County and Weber Basin water conservancy districts. Cities will be added as landscape ordinances are updated to meet state requirements. “New construction will operate within some limits on how much lawn area they can have and how water is applied,” Bee said. “The incentives are intended to help those with existing landscapes who choose to convert them to the new standards, to do so more affordably.”

“I think having our new growth come in as waterwise as possible is going to make a significant difference because the water and the landscape decisions we make today impact our water use decisions for decades to come,” said Candace Hasenyager, director of the Utah Division of Water Resources.

“Every planning decision, every land use decision, is a water use decision,” Bee said.

The team concocting the program in-

volved experts from across the spectrum of industries, including horticulturists, maintenance staff, landscape construction, water experts, collaborating to create tangible, efficient solutions to the ongoing reckoning with drought, water shortages and rising populations in the West. “The last couple of years of drought has shown us that we need to do better and that we’re willing to do better,” Hasenyager said.

“Rather than trying to go through each funding source and municipality separately and make it really awkward, we built all of that calculating into the Utah Water Savers site,” Bee said. “Instead of each individual agency doing their own thing in their own program, we’ve all banned together in one unified approach.”

The localscapes method

Current homeowners can “flip their strip” or convert their yard entirely using the Utah Water Savers Program localscapes method, created specifically for Utah.

“Localscapes is an approach to landscaping that shows how to get landscapes that fit, rather than fight, our climate,” Bee said. They include waterwise plants, trees and shrubs local to Utah with different creative landscaping solutions to fill yards with purpose-

ful activities and zones, ultimately looking to remove nonfunctional grass. “There are parts of your landscape where the only time you’re there is when you’re pushing the lawn mower,” Bee said. Localscaping promotes looking at those nonfunctional turf areas and reevaluating what it could be used for.

“In places where there’s an active purpose for it, we want to be able to keep it, which means you can keep up to 35% lawn,” Bee said.

But where there is no active recreation point—the kids outgrew the playset, the park strip is not walked on—and with a minimum of 200 square feet, localscapes can “integrate water and land use planning,” to better serve the climate and the homeowner. “Changing out these different specialty zones becomes really easy over time and it makes the yard far simpler to manage,” Bee said.

“We want water efficient plants, but water efficient plants are only a plant with potential if you don't change how you're delivering water to that plant,” Bee said. Also no water is saved if the sprinkler system is inefficient. “In a localscape, we control that water, only providing water to the plants that we’re intentionally planting. We’re disadvantaging the weeds and you’re seeing fewer of them,” Bee

said.

To realistically get homeowners to convert their lawns into thriving localscapes, Utah Water Savers requires free classes, both in person or online, to teach how to apply localscapes correctly, within the water efficiency standards, giving tools on how to do it yourself. Hired out landscapers can also be used, depending on the homeowners’ budget. “We’re trying to provide a full slate of tools to help them accomplish the outcome,” Bee said.

To apply, go to utahwatersavers.com, enter your water provider or register for an account and you can see what type of rebates you qualify for in your municipality. For example, the process of submitting a landscape plan to be approved, completing the project within one year and maintaining the new landscape for a minimum of three years are common parameters.

“The key is you need to apply before you start,” Bee said. “We do not rebate retroactively, so don’t tear out anything until you’re approved in the program.”

Homeowners’ experiences

In the months since its launch, some homeowners talked about what is working and not working.

Draper homeowner Nancy Bromfield and her husband flipped their strip, side yards and front and backyards, removing 7,500 square feet of grass across the whole property. Because of their flagstone walkway in the back, they did not qualify for the rebate back there. “But we didn’t care. We still did it because we knew we wanted to save water and we knew it was the right thing to do,” she said.

Now between the front and back, their property has 2,500 square feet of grass. “We overseeded our water hogging grass with white Dutch clover,” a localscapes plant type, Bromfield said. They also added 40 tons of rock around their property amongst the waterwise plants. “Having these beautiful pollinator friendly, waterwise plants have brought us different varieties of bumble bees and hummingbirds and moths. It’s just amazing.”

When they bought their home in July 2013, the previous owners were using 115,000 gallons of water a month, making a bill of $147, with a winter consumption of 60,000 gallons. After implementing their localscape via Utah Water Savers in July of 2023 they have gotten their water consumption down to 13,000 gallons, over a 100,000 gallon difference. In addition to the water cuts, their lawn care efforts have been cut drastically too. “It used to take us 46 minutes to cut the grass, now it takes seven minutes, front and back,” Bromfield said.

They were once quoted $20,000 to $30,000 to redo their yard because of its sheer size. But with the localscape approach, their project cost about $4,000 with a rebate check

Waterwise plants dispersed within Nancy Bromfield’s front rock beds. (Nancy Bromfield)

of just over $1,000. “The rebate was about 25% of what we spent, but only 40% of what we did was rebate eligible,” Bromfield said.

To help find the right waterwise plants for her full-sun-all-day property, Bromfield attended localscape university classes, the required classes in person—which she found especially helpful—visited ConservationGardenPark.org/plants, as well as used the localscapes YouTube channel.

For others like Elizabeth Sweat and her husband, who are a part of a homeowners association in Draper, the online classes proved trivial, but they found visiting the Jordan Valley Water’s Conservation Garden Park much more helpful in their project vision. “They had all different stations and you could learn and look at examples and I grabbed brochures. That was more educational than anything,” Sweat said. Although the couple did the work themselves, they found the process more expensive than expected. “Once manufacturers and rock companies saw that the state was paying, they jacked up their prices,” Sweat said.

They also had to make several runs to the county dump to dispose of their 90 square feet of sod they removed per project requirements, tacking on unexpected expenses. Bromfield left her ripped up sod out for free for the taking, and about three quarters of it was gone by the end of the day. The rest they had to take to the dump. “Unfortunately,” she said.

Both homeowners did most of the work themselves and both found it difficult to get an initial inspection because of increased demand. But once someone did finally make it to their properties, it was a five to 10 minute review.

Ultimately, both homeowners would

recommend the program to others. “I would recommend it if you want to flip your strip, but if you’re trying to make some money on it, it won’t,” Sweat said.

“I would definitely recommend it. It’s really weird how I didn’t like gardening and now I have my plants and I really enjoy taking care of them,” Bromfield said. “It’s really cool the world that it opened up for me that I had no idea of.”

Time for a change

“Doing a small project is a great place to start. You don’t have to commit your whole landscape. Commit your park strip, your side yard,” Bee said. “Test everything out that we’re teaching and verify for yourself before you obligate yourself to do more.”

Since the launch, there have been over 2,500 applications across the state and another 460 flip your strip applications. “That’s almost 3,000 applications, which is pretty amazing,” Hasenyager said. In Washington County alone, just over 600,000 square feet of grass has already been removed, according to Hasenyager.

“We’re in a change window, we have to change, that’s non-negotiable,” Bee said. “What we’re figuring out is how do we do it in a way that is the most orderly and accomplishable for people.”

“Not only is there more water in our reservoirs and groundwater, less is evaporated that completely leaves the system. There’s more that goes into our lakes and streams including the Great Salt Lake,” Hasenyager said. “I think there’s a really good incentive for people to do it. Not only for those that are here today and making our current water supply more resilient, but also those that might be here tomorrow.”l

Please

Understanding Grief: Caring for Yourself, Caring for Others

Thursday, September 14, 2023

6:45–8pm

Larkin Sunset Gardens Mortuary

1950 East Dimple Dell Road, Sandy, Utah

SPEAKER

William G. (Bill) Hoy, PH.D., FT

Author • Educator • Grief Counselor • Chaplain

Bereavement is not about “recovery,” but rather, about finding renewed life. The basic task for a bereaved person is to learn to live in a radically–changed world that no longer includes the physical relationship with our loved one. In this practical, community workshop, Dr. Bill Hoy will help bereaved people and those who care for them understand the practical steps to take charge of their grief and live again, even in the aftermath of incredible sorrow. For those in attendance who are curious about how to help, there will be ample ideas for the practical things to say and do (as well as to not say and do!).

During the workshop, we’ll find answers together to questions like:

• What simple actions can I take now to get my life back on track?

• Is what I’m feeling and seeing normal?

• How do I deal with well–meaning friends and their unwanted advice?

• The holidays are coming; what in the world are we going to do without them?

This event is complimentary of Larkin Mortuary and registration is not required.

For more information, call (801) 571-2771

Waterwise plants finally taking space in the Bromfield’s front localscape. (Nancy Bromfield)

Why do we continue to see labor shortages, even with big wage increases?

The labor market continues to be a puzzle. The unemployment rate is back to where it was before the pandemic and the number of jobs created is much higher than analysts expected. However, we still struggle to bring people off the sidelines and back into the labor force. Shouldn’t a strong economy entice more people to work?

This is one of the challenges the Federal Reserve faces as it tries to bring the economy back to normal. The Fed is targeting “below-trend” growth in the economy to cool things back down after several years of overheating. But in doing so, the Fed runs the risk of pushing it into a recession.

Inflation is down significantly compared to last year, but price increases remain too high. While supply chains are largely back to normal, some sectors are seeing “sticky” price increases that are struggling to come down. This includes the service sector, where price hikes are primarily driven by wage increases rather than input prices. So, when the Fed says they want below-trend growth, what they mean is they need the labor market to slow.

One of the main measures of labor market strength is the labor force participation rate, which measures the pool of poten-

By Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Senior Economist

tial workers available in the economy.

The U.S. labor force participation rate peaked in 2000 at 67.3%. Since then, it has been gradually trending lower, dropping to 63.3% in early 2020 as baby boomers reached retirement age and left the labor force. This “silver tsunami” of retiring boomers wasn’t a surprise, but the COVID pandemic caused the wave to crash.

In two months, from February to April 2020, the participation rate dropped to 60.1%, as 22 million people lost their jobs during the outbreak of COVID. Since the pandemic, the participation rate has been slowly increasing as groups of people return to the workforce. But the rate currently only stands at around 62.6%, and it hasn’t increased in four months. This gap in labor participation represents millions of people who haven’t come back off the sidelines to return to the workforce.

Different groups have had unique reactions to the pandemic economic shocks. The labor force participation of “prime age” workers who are between 25 and 54 years old dropped initially in 2020 but has since fully recovered and is now higher than before the start of the pandemic. However, the labor participation rate of workers

55 years and older is still far below levels from 2020. The participation rate for this age group has been trending lower for the past 18 months.

This imbalance in the labor market is one of the main targets of Federal Reserve policy actions. Since it is very difficult to increase the supply of labor and get people to come out of retirement and return to the labor force, the Fed instead is focused on reducing the demand for labor. Rising interest rates increase the cost of business borrowing, which should slow demand for

workers.

However, many businesses are reluctant to let workers go and job vacancy rates remain high. It’s still too early to tell whether a soft landing is possible or whether the overheated economy will cool too quickly over the next few months. If the current labor market conditions continue, this could represent a new normal and we won’t return to pre-pandemic labor force participation. Dynamic economies like we have in the United States can adjust, but the road ahead remains foggy. l

Supporting Our Police Force for a Safer Community

In a recent national study, a concerning trend has come to light within our police departments. Law Enforcement agencies across the country are facing challenges in recruiting new officers, and what's more, a growing number of officers are opting to leave their positions or retire earlier than expected (Source: Police Executive Research Forum).

We know that when a police force is stretched thin, struggling to respond promptly to emergencies and investigate crimes, it impacts our community’s safety. The heart of effective policing lies in the experience and expertise of our officers. If we find ourselves with a shortage of seasoned officers, it could affect the quality of training, decision-making, and overall effectiveness of law enforcement agencies.

The life of a police officer is anything but easy. They face a multitude of demands, carrying the weight of public expectations on their shoulders. Every day, they confront challenging, and sometimes heart-wrenching, situations. It's important to recognize that amidst the stress, many officers are driven by a genuine desire to make a positive impact in their communities. However, it's crucial to acknowledge that prolonged exposure to stressors can take a toll on their mental well-being, leading to burnout and other health issues. We must stand together to support their journey toward mental wellness.

Aimee Winder Newton

Salt Lake County

Councilwoman|

District 3

As a society, it is our responsibility to treat our police officers with empathy and respect. While constructive feedback is valuable, it's equally important to remember that the weight of their responsibilities can impact their mental health. Demonstrating appreciation and understanding will go a long way in boosting their morale and overall well-being.

Police officers are not just symbols in uniform – they are individuals with families, emotions, and aspirations. The pressures they face on the job can ripple into their personal lives, affecting their relationships and overall happiness. Recognizing their humanity and the toll their profession takes on their mental health enables us to build a community that truly values those who safeguard us.

Challenges police officers endure are immense, often exposing them to traumatic events and high-stress situations. Research indicates that police officers are more suscepti-

ble to mental health struggles compared to the general population.

As a united community, we can make a difference by offering support for the emotional well-being of our police officers. Express your gratitude for their dedication and support programs focusing on mental health training for both officers and the public. Educate yourself and those around you about recognizing

signs of mental health issues and providing a compassionate hand.

By standing together, we can ignite a positive transformation. Let's prioritize the mental well-being of our law enforcement officers, ensuring they have the necessary support and resources to thrive personally and professionally. In doing so, we fortify our police force, cultivating safer and stronger communities for all.

Last month, I watched the neighborhood kids trudge back to school. Hunched under the weight of heavy backpacks, the little Quasimodos marched into the school year carrying a 300-page summer homework packet, an associate’s degree they earned at math camp, 750 colored pencils, scissors, an emotional support stuffed animal, cleaning products, a mass spectrometer, a non-BPA bento box and some allergen-free crackers.

When I attended elementary school in the 1900s, we didn’t use backpacks. They hadn’t been invented. It was too cumbersome to drag our handcart to school, so we carried our math, history, language, science, reading and social studies books home in our arms every night.

Most kids didn’t fail because they didn’t understand the homework, they failed because they were too weak to carry 50 pounds of textbooks.

Parents and educators set the bar for us at “extremely low” and we were lucky to hit that. One of my biggest challenges came in fourth grade when I started the school year wearing homemade avocado-green culottes. And it got worse. My Bionic Woman lunchbox had an unreliable latch, so I spent lunchtime worrying my PB&J would fall onto the floor and

Getting Schooled

Peri Kinder

Life and Laughter

everyone would laugh.

Not sure if I learned anything that year.

The motto at the elementary school near my home is “Academically smart, character strong.” I don’t think my school had a motto, unless it was “Sit down and shut up.” It wasn’t that our teachers didn’t care, they just thought “quiet reading time” or “rest your heads on your desks” was the best way to spend the majority of our day.

But that first day of school was always exciting. New school supplies had to be arranged carefully in my desk, including a brand new cardboard pencil box with a built-in pencil sharpener that was never sharp enough to create a point. It just mangled the top of my pencils, leaving a broken lead I kept pushing back into place.

And, of course, there had to be space

for my colorful hoppy taw, for hopscotch, and a bag of cat’s-eyes so I could shoot marbles at recess. Not real cat’s eyes. I’m not that old.

My grandson is in sixth grade, taking classes like flight science, robotics and computer engineering. When I was in sixth grade, we wrapped eggs in styrofoam and threw them off the school roof.

#Science

Luckily for today’s hard-working students, they get vacation days all the time. They’re off for Burning Man and Mardi Gras and Oktoberfest and (ironically) International Literacy Day. In the 1970s, we had Christmas Day off and a half-day for Thanksgiving. We didn’t even miss school for being sick. We just took our pneumonia-filled lungs to class and hoped we didn’t die during recess.

I’m not saying elementary school was better in the 20th century. It wasn’t. Not at all. If we could eat with a spoon in kindergarten, we would be at the top of the class. Kids who knew the difference between a letter and a number were named class president. Our role models were Bugs Bunny and the Muppets, so we were trained early in sarcasm.

Kids are so much smarter now than we ever were. I’m amazed at what my grandkids learn. I have a 7-year-old granddaughter learning Spanish and a 6-year-old granddaughter building LEGO robots. When I was their age, my biggest challenge was learning cat’s cradle. I guess the content in those heavy backpacks is paying off.