South Salt Lake Journal | January 2023

NO VACANCY AT CITY’S ANIMAL SHELTER

By Zak Sonntag | z.sonntag@mycityjournals.com

On a December afternoon, in the kennel room at South Salt Lake Animal Services (SSLAS), 22 dogs erupt in a fit of cacophonous barking because Jackson Wood, animal care volunteer, has entered the room with a leash— each of the dogs, no doubt, hopes the leash is for them.

Moments later a Great Pyrenees named Spaghetti bounds down the hall and leaps out the backdoor to take a turn in the yard, a massive white tail wagging vigorously behind him.

The excitement may seem typical of a 2-year-old canine, but it’s a stark contrast to the dog who was brought to the shelter a week before, malnourished and dangerously thin, with gouge wounds in his neck from a pinch collar.

“When he first came here, none of this would be happening. He wouldn’t let you pet him, he was skittish and afraid. He’s come a long way,” said Jenica Laws, Animal Services supervisor, who explained that many animals are brought to the shelter neglected, abused and malnourished.

If Spaghetti is a testament to successful work of civil servants like Laws, the daunting truth is that this Great Pyrenees is just one of the bourgeoning number of strays who’ve pushed shelters to capacity across the state—according to data from Best Friends Animal Society—and with adoptions becoming further and fewer between, providers like SSLAS are working to understand causes of the surge and find new ways to get animals help.

Uptick in abandonment

One reason for overcapacity at kennels today is related to the uptick in animal ownership during the COVID-19 pandemic, as households acquired pets both as a way to

Jenica Laws takes a break in the day to spend time with a cat at the shelter. (Zak Sonntag/City Journals)

PROVENTION CELIAC DISEASE STUDY

This study is for adults 18 - 70 years, they must have a diagnosis of celiac disease. This study involves the use of a drug called PRV-015. PRV-015 is an antibody designed to block an immune system protein called interleukin 15 (IL-15). IL-15 is made in the small intestine and is one trigger that causes intestinal inflammation followed by death of the intestinal cells. In people with celiac disease, this immune response can be caused by eating gluten, in previous studies, PRV-015 has been shown to reduce inflammation in the intestine and improve the symptoms of celiac disease when used together with GFD (gluten-free diet).

GSK HPV EVE STUDY

This is a study for females 16- 26, The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that commonly affects the skin and the soft tissues (mucous membranes) around the genital area. These infections are common in both men and women and are often transmitted through sexual intercourse or another skin-to-skin contact. Symptoms vary from rashes to warts in the hands, feet, face, and genital area. Some types of cancer, such as cervical cancer are linked to HPV infections. There are more than 100 variants, this study is looking at an investigational vaccine called HPV9, the main purpose of the study is to see whether the study vaccine is safe when given to women aged between 16 and 26 years, in a 3-dose vaccination scheme. In addition to this, the study will look at how safe the study vaccine is compared with an approved (already available for use) HPV vaccine called GARDASIL 9.

This study is for adults 18 and older, who haven’t already received a flu vaccine this year, This study aims to see if a new type of influenza vaccine, called quadrivalent influenza modRNA vaccine (qIRV), is well tolerated and can help the body produce antibodies that may help fight influenza. Hemagglutinin (HA) is a protein that is made by the influenza virus that is important in how the virus works. The influenza virus can mutate the form of HA it makes, which means each year different strains of the influenza virus, making different forms of HA, become widespread worldwide. Each year surveillance is conducted to predict what influenza strains are likely to be most common that year, and vaccines are then tailored to combat these.

Granite School District doubles down on efforts to prevent illnesses this winter

By Lizzie Walje | l.walje@mycityjournals.com

While statistics affirm that the chokehold of Covid-19 has lessened, in a September White House press briefing, federal health officials claimed that with an average of 400 deaths each day, this number of fatalities is “still too high.” Moreover, as we enter the long stretch of winter, it’s become evident that Covid has joined the ranks of routine illnesses Americans should highly consider vaccinating against.

What are these other routine illnesses? Most notably, winter marks flu season, and according to a recent post by the Salt Lake Tribune, Utah is currently facing what might just end up being its worst season in a while as cases and hospitalizations surge.

“This uptick comes after flu cases decreased dramatically in the first years of the coronavirus pandemic, and Utah isn’t alone— the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported similar trends across the country,” the article stated.

Incidentally, there’s yet another illness making the rounds this holiday season. The respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, is surging in cases across the country. As of November 2022, cases of RSV and other respiratory illnesses are showing sharp increases across the country. The main demographic affected? Children.

With a triple threat of illness on the horizon, schools across the nation, including those in Granite School District, are working hard to remind parents and students to remain vigilant against illness and not to be fooled by the shift back into normalcy. Just because social distancing is no longer actively enforced, doesn’t mean that risks aren’t present.

Granite School District took to its social media pages to remind students and families of the following: “Cold and flu season is here and although Covid-19 case counts in the Granite School District have remained low, we’d like

to remind students and families about the proper protocols for staying home when sick. If a student is feeling sick or demonstrating any symptoms of Covid-19, or any other illness, they should stay home.”

As of now, testing is particularly helpful because if one is ill and can rule out Covid-19 as the cause, they can take further action to get tested for RSV, the flu, or other respiratory infections. Taking control of your health and getting a proper diagnosis can help dictate the best course of treatment. Moreover, because RSV is largely affecting children, it’s yet another illness families should be aware of. With children spending more time in close quarters during the colder months, maintaining wellness becomes a districtwide priority.

“If you have symptoms, we highly encourage that you test,” Granite School District asserted on their Facebook page. “Those

who test positive should isolate for five days. Please see our website for Health Department Guidelines. Masks (including KN95) are available for students and staff upon request at your school.”

As always, vaccines are one of the most effective ways to ward off illness and remain healthy during the winter months. It is advised that those who are eligible should consider receiving a Covid-19 booster and a general flu shot. Especially children who will be interacting in close quarters for the next handful of months.

In an effort to mitigate cases, Covid-19 vaccines remain free, and appointments can be scheduled at major retailers such as Walgreens, Walmart, and CVS. Grocery store pharmacies also have availability for appointments and stock of both Covid-19 and flu vaccines. For those who haven’t received

a Covid-19 or flu vaccination before, it’s never too late to get your first dose. These vaccinations have been proven effective and are considered beneficial for the vast majority of people.

As for schools? The biggest takeaway is for students to self-isolate and stay out of the classroom if they feel sick. Although Covid19’s overall threat level has decreased, what we have learned from its presence remains helpful. Social distancing, isolation, and masking up help reduce the spread. These safety measures aren’t just helpful for Covid-19 mitigation, but for preventing the spread of the flu and RSV.

For more information regarding districtwide policies and responses to Covid-19 and other illnesses, Granite School District has guidelines on its website, including protocol for students who test positive. l

SOUTH SALT LAKE TEAM

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Granite School District is providing families with helpful tools to combat winter illness including promoting vaccinations and staying home when sick. (Flickr)

cope with the stresses of lockdown and also because work-from-home lifestyles made ownership more feasible, animal experts say.

But now many of those same owners have surrendered or abandoned their animals as the whipsaw return to pre-pandemic lifestyles made pet caretaking more difficult, according to SSLAC.

“A lot of what we’re seeing is that people said, ‘Hey, I got a pandemic puppy. Turns out I’m not home as much as I was,’” said Julie Taylor, communications and outreach manager for the city of South Salt Lake.

“Now that many have transitioned back into the office you’re seeing some increased behavioral dilemmas. When there is separation anxiety or pets are not getting their exercise, they tend to be a lot to handle,” said Taylor, who believes behavioral issues are a significant contributor to the increased strays and surrenders and says the challenges are especially evident in canine populations.

In addition to having less time at home to be with animals, Taylor says that many pet owners have abandoned or surrendered animals due to financial hardship.

“I think you have the possibility that folks in this extreme housing crisis, and with the cost of living in general having gone up, who can’t necessarily afford to feed their pets. It’s become an expense that’s beyond their budget. I think we’re witnessing some of that with strays and abandonment,” Taylor said.

Compassion fatigue

Worse still, the psychological toll on animals only increases with abandonment as the trauma of orphanage and malnourishment intensify. And while admission to a shelter will return many animals to health, the emotional hardship doesn’t end there—and it doesn’t stop with the animals.

“A major problem in our work is compassion fatigue. We put our heart and soul into these animals. We love them from the first day they arrive. We come in and take care of these animals day-in-day-out,” Laws said. “But we see a lot of horrible things in this field, with neglect and abuse cases. We feel for those animals and it can be overwhelming, so we get a lot of compassion fatigue.”

To address their own emotional exhaustion, animal care workers rely on professional counselors and supportive relationships with city employees. Laws described the atmosphere at animal services akin to a family who provide a shoulder in times of fatigue.

Crowdfunding for animals

Compassion has also driven workers at SSLAS to find creative solutions to help animals in need.

A poignant example is seen in the story of Malin, a 3-month-old Yorkie-Pomer-

anian who was thrown from a moving vehicle, according to an eyewitness, resulting in two broken legs and five broken ribs. To save Malin’s life required a $10,000 surgery, a sum beyond SSLAS resources.

In desperation, leaders at SSLAS tried something new and put out a plea for help on Facebook. The community response was remarkable, showing that compassion goes beyond the walls of SSLAS.

“We raised the funds in a day, and even exceeded the $10,000. She had surgery that day,” Laws said.

SSLAS hopes the crowdfunding success can be replicated for other animals at the shelter, including a 1-year-old Great Dane named Bubbas, who’d been found with a broken foot that healed crookedly and now requires corrective surgery.

“Without our volunteers none of this would be possible”

SSLAS relies on a team of volunteers, who clean kennels, exercise dogs, and pro-

vide much needed emotional attention to animals.

“We only have three animal officers here and one front desk. Without our volunteers none of this would be possible. These animals have been neglected and abused, and the volunteers help get them acclimated, take them out on hikes up in the mountains, play with them outside, clean their kennels,” Laws said.

Volunteer Wood, a student at Cottonwood High School, has been a critical part of the shelter’s training efforts.

“I’ve lived with animals throughout my life. I’ve grown to love them and love being with them. And when I heard they were short staffed, I decided I wanted to help,” Wood said, pulling Spaghetti, the Great Pyrenees, into a cuddly hug.

Wood explained that after arriving at the shelter Spaghetti was scared and averse to humans. So Wood began sitting patiently with the dog in its cage. Eventu-

ally, he had a breakthrough and was able to remove his pinch collar.

Now when Wood enters the kennel, Spaghetti lunges emphatically into his arms.

In his time at the shelter Wood has witnessed a number of breakthroughs. The animal that affected him most was Mamba, a pit bull who was brought in emaciated and demonstrably afraid of men—a trait that Laws says is common of dogs who’ve been physically abused.

With the same patience shown with Spaghetti, Wood has slowly retrained Mamba to be comfortable around males.

“The fact that he’s no longer afraid of men,” Laws said, “that is huge!”

What happens if strays continue to increase?

With SSLAS and other shelters in the region experiencing full kennels, more resources will be needed to maintain no-kill policies while finding homes for the growing number of orphan animals, service workers say. But with shelters just one of many public services competing for funding, expanding animal services remains an open question.

No immediate plans exist to relieve pressure at SSLAS, but Taylor, the city’s communication and outreach manager, expects to see additional funding requests for animal services in the coming budget season.

“I anticipate this will be on the list of wants and needs. Anytime we see a need and we’ve met capacity, then absolutely (animal services) will be up for discussion here in the spring as we move into budgeting and assess our needs,” Taylor said.

As for Malin, the Yorkie-Pomeranian, following her life-saving surgery she found a new permanent home—with Laws who, now along with Malin, has four dogs and four cats. l

Jackson Wood works with Spaghetti in the yard. (Zak Sonntag/City Journals)

Animal services workers stay busy in December. (Zak Sonntag/City Journals)

SOUTH SALT LAKE 2022

Clockwise: Cottonwood’s Kolt Kids preschoolers learned the letter G stands for goat and then they got to learn about taking care of goats. (Terilee Herbon/Cottonwood High)

Local artist Gerry Swanson paints highlights of the La Sal mountains. (Bill Hardesty/ City Journals)

Aruna, Jenisha, Januska, Bhagya, and Sarika dance to the song titled “Guransh Fulda Banai Ramailo” at the Nepali-Bhutanese New Year Celebration at the Columbus Center on April 16. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals)

Above: Guests dance in the rain to the music as a puddle begins to form in the center at the Brazilian Arts Center. (Jesse M. Gonzalez/City Journals)

Right: American Express volunteers fill up wheelbarrows of mulch for tree planting on Arbor Day at Fitts Park. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals)

Fourteen-month-old

Promise

Ulises

South

Clockwise:The Colts 4x400 relay team finished second at region. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

K9 Officer DROM joins the force. (Courtesy of SSLPD)

SSL employee sings “What A Wonderful World” during the State of the City event at the Columbus Center April 25. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals)

Alvarado paced the Colts attack this year as they enjoyed their best season in years. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Salt Lake Police motorcycle officers stopped by Harley-Davidson to participate in the Wounded Warrior Project’s mental health program, Rolling Project Odyssey. The officers did a motorcycle demonstration for the attendees. (City Journals)

Building for the future of downtown South Salt Lake

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

South Salt Lake is a city of continuous change and sporadic growth. With a list of shops, breweries and restaurants, one can find themselves lost in the layout of a city that is constantly developing and building and rebuilding. With an influx of new and upcoming residents in the area, the leaders of South Salt Lake are preparing for a new model of accommodation.

In the center of South Salt Lake, known as the Downtown East Streetcar District, and just off of Burton Avenue and Main Street, near the TRAX line and other residential conveniences, lies a large stretch of dirt that will one day become the first of many revitalization projects to take place: One Burton.

One Burton will be an eight-story residential and retail hotspot for the people of downtown South Salt Lake looking for a modern live/work/play environment that will consist of 50 two-bedroom units, 103 one-bedroom units along with 27 studio units. Aside from the living quarters, amenities include an art gallery, a gym and spa, game room, conference rooms, shared dining and barbecue zones, not to mention a rooftop courtyard and a special events room that residents can rent out for social gatherings.

On Nov. 15, the team behind the finalization of the One Burton construction plans came together for a shovel turn and speeches from city officials, including Mayor Cherie Wood.

Daniel Rudofsky, one of the leaders of a New York-based real estate firm Abstract Development Group, celebrated the solidification of the efforts put into the planning of making One Burton a more tangible reality. “We’ve been working on this project for close to two years now,” Rudofsky said. “We engaged with construction company Jacobsen about two years, two and a half years, but we slowed down due to some sewer issues in the area.”

“It’s actually an interesting story: the developers of this area got together and are putting together a public infrastructure district and are building a sewer system for the area. It’s a whole different project. We’re funding the project through additional taxes.”

The project may have been held back by several months due to the complexities of the sewer system which hindered plans of ground construction, but the strategies needed to be set forth in order for the process to begin have been realized and cemented. “It’s tough to get 12 developers together to do anything, and the fact that we were able to get it done is an amazing process,” Rudofsky said.

With the site being close to I-15 and I-80, the location of One Burton may prove to be an ideal spot for residents who take public transportation on a daily basis.

“We are providing our tenants with a really nice and amenitized apartment building.

They’re going to love living here. They’re going to love the positions of the jobs, and then when they get home in the morning, or at the end of the day, they’re going to have a place to hang out downstairs at some of the retail stores below the apartment building.”

City officials say development is getting back on track as pandemic restrictions start to ease.

“Covid kind of slowed things down in development downtown and really getting projects up and going, but this is exciting because this is the first of eight. You’ll probably see groundbreakings for the next six months,” Wood said. “We really focused on allowing density for residential aspects.”

One of the major factors in supplying the residents of South Salt Lake more ample platforms to work from, to live from, would be to create a lasting impact for the growing city such as One Burton, a structure that could pose as the highlight of the community, so half apartment complex and half retail zone works to be an adequate combination.

“We want this quadrant of the city; it doesn’t have a lot of residents in it, and we really wanted to be respectful of the transportation infrastructure that’s here with I-80 and I-15. We also have the streetcar S-Line here and TRAX. We really felt that if there was a place we could raise density limits in our community, this would be the place,” Wood

said.

The plans to make the area more walkable and more vibrant are in motion for the future of South Salt Lake City. “We’re focusing on multi-use development, so commercial on the first level and residential above that. We’re really excited about this one. I grew up on Burton Avenue, just two blocks from here, so I love the name One Burton,” Wood said.

One Burton will be the first building to rise as plans for other similar constructions are underway.

Another issue that had been considered in the development of One Burton was the position of the billboard sign that is nearly in the center of the base and off the side of the highway. “Normally, something like a billboard could make it where you couldn’t develop something like an eight-story apartment complex but with the development and technology and the willingness to upgrade the billboard, we’re able to make it happen. It won’t intrude into the apartment at all,” Wood said.

“That was always considered of something that needed to be figured out. The developers were super excited about this new technology and excited to have figured out how to sort of build an L-shape around the

billboard.”

Wood has been mayor of South Salt Lake for 13 years, and growing up in the area, she has seen some of the struggles that the city has faced. “I’ve worked for the city since I was 19, and one of our major struggles has always been that we don’t have an identity. No one knows that there’s a city of South Salt Lake. So, how do you change that and how do you build a community?”

Many people, especially those who are just moving to the Salt Lake City area, are without the knowledge that South Salt Lake isn’t just a neighborhood, and Wood has worked tirelessly to build a city that everyone will recognize.

“The downtown developments last for 50-plus years, and that is really what I felt we needed in a small community in an urban core. To plan it right, make it walkable, bring some vitality, some energy here. Places like after you come to some area, you’re like, ‘Oh, did you know that this is in South Salt Lake? It’s so cool. That type of thing,” Wood said. “So we really want to create our own destiny as a community.” l

City officials and project leaders celebrate the groundbreaking new work that will supply South Salt Lake with a contemporary residential and retail building. (Jesse M. Gonzalez/City Journals)

Daniel Rudofsky, head of Abstract Development Group, is happy to see the One Burton project in development. (Jesse M. Gonzalez/City Journals)

Foundation partners with Jazz players to bring holiday meals to families

By Lizzie Walje | l.walje@mycityjournals.com

The holiday season coincides with the giving season, and during this time of year, we see individuals and organizations band together to help those who are less fortunate or currently struggling. The Granite Education Foundation is no stranger to helping district families find access to food. As Granite School District’s philanthropic organization, the foundation is consistently looking for ways to mitigate student hunger and help families suffering from food insecurity.

On Nov. 22, the foundation partnered with Smith’s Food and Drug stores and Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz to provide holiday dinners to some ecstatic and grateful children. The event took place at Valley Junior High where turkey and other holiday essentials were distributed.

“It means a lot to be able to have that reach and to be in the position that we are,” said Clarkson, a point guard for the Utah Jazz. “We just want to, you know, bless everybody, just like they bless us. You know, the energy and support that everybody gives in this community has been amazing.”

The JC Cares Foundation, Clarkson’s initiative partnered with Smith’s, a subsidiary of Kroger’s Zero Hunger and Zero Waste Foundation, to provide these holiday meals. “It’s been great to partner with the Kroger Zero Hunger and Zero Waste Foundation. Kroger is a huge corporation that has the capacity to do so corporation tangible good, which makes their involvement all the more impactful,” the JC Cares Foundation posted in a media memo.

The students were able to meet Clarkson amongst other Utah Jazz players as they received their holiday meals. “Everybody is happy, smiling, it warms everybody’s heart…it’s

Q & A Business Spotlight

Tribal West Lacrosse was started in 2002 by Brett “Fish” Bartlett, as the premiere destination store for all your lacrosse needs. With uniforms, helmets and protective gear, plus an 8-foot tall bubble gum machine retrofitted to put out lacrosse balls, Tribal West is the best lacrosse store in the western states.

Fish started coaching lacrosse in Utah in 1996 with a travel team and became head coach at Jordan High School in 1997, where he coached for 10 years.

Q: What sets your company apart from the competition?

Our in-store shooting cage has a radar gun that displays how fast the player throws. It also allows athletes to try different sticks and pockets to find the perfect equipment. We create custom-strung sticks with individualized mesh and colors, game-ready in 24 hours.

We offer team discounts and fundraising opportunities and work with Intermountain Lacrosse to outfit more than 350 players each spring and fall. We also provide vending for tournaments across the Intermountain West.

Q: Does your business solve a problem for your customers?

When I started coaching, players couldn’t find a place to buy equipment or uniforms, or get equipment repaired. As the sport grew in Utah, I decided to open a full-time lacrosse store.

It’s been a fantastic ride, watching the sport double and double again and again over the past quarter-century.

all love. It’s community,” Clarkson said.

Valley Junior High School principal Mandy Chapple was one of many to express gratitude. “The children [were] beaming, just so happy,” she said. “The kids are super pumped to see [Clarkson], as well as receive this much-needed meal for our community.”

If you’re looking to get involved directly in the Granite School District, the Granite Education Foundation is a great place to start. Their yearlong initiatives are vital to those who need assistance, particularly when it comes to food insecurity. l

Q: Who is your ideal client?

Girls and boys who play lacrosse, ages 5-18, as well as college and club players.

Q: How do clients find you?

New players usually find us by word of mouth. Once they’re on a team, with people who’ve been here before, they come visit and become part of the Tribe Experience which means friendly employees who are passionate and knowledgeable about the sport. People are always surprised that our prices are lower than expected.

Q: Why should clients come to your store?

First, they’re supporting a local business. Plus, online

stores don’t stay open late to make sure your kids' sticks are ready for an early game. We didn’t open to be rich and retire, we opened to grow the game and have a place players could call their own.

Customers are basically family. They come watch a lacrosse game in our lax lounge, talk about games and rules of yesteryear and try out new products and tech.

Q: What else should readers know about your business?

My wife Soni has been an integral part of Tribal West Lacrosse. She was the first paid full time employee of Utah Lacrosse Association and started the girls high school lacrosse team at Jordan High, winning four straight state championships. She was also the first women’s head coach at Westminster College.

Lacrosse is such a great community to be a part of. It goes well beyond playing, coaching or reffing. It’s a way of life. We’re a unique and diverse group of individuals who love team play, bettering ourselves and giving back to our community.

Utah Jazz point guard Jordan Clarkson handed out holiday essentials to families of Granite School District at Valley Junior High School in West Valley City prior to Thanksgiving. (Photo courtesy of Granite School District)

Granite School District releases weather closure procedures and introduces free app

By Lizzie Walje | l.walje@mycityjournals.com

Here in Utah, our infrastructure is equipped to handle the rapid onset of winter conditions with relative ease. However, when should safety take precedence over school attendance, and how can school weather protocol keep families and students safe? This year, Granite School District has outlined its own protocols and procedures.

In a statement on its website, the district made it clear that keeping schools open is a top priority. “First and foremost, please know that Granite School District aims to keep schools open whenever possible. Snowstorms are a reality in the Salt Lake Valley, and though winter weather may present challenges, school closures or delays are rare.”

Furthermore, the district takes efforts through social media postings, text messaging, and other platforms to keep students updated on any closures. The district does its part to keep students apprised, however, it is best to assume that schools will remain open even during storms and other disruptive weather.

The district works hard to maintain a tight and functioning bus schedule that ensures students arrive at school on time. However, weather can cause unexpected delays, which is why the district relies on the mobile application, “Here Comes the Bus.” The app, available on Google Play and the App Store, provides information regarding the whereabouts of your bus, including its real-time location. The application also provides scheduled and actual arrival times for both home and school routes and sends out push and email notifications when a bus is near.

Signing up for the application is simple, and Granite School District provides stepby-step instructions and troubleshooting on its website for those who are interested in utilizing the app. The application is both free and user-friendly, making it easy for students to navigate.

While schools aim to operate during snowstorms both major and minor, there are always exceptions and other factors to consider. Ultimately, it should be up to parents to determine if conditions are safe.

“We trust parents to make the ultimate call when it comes to their child’s safety. Not all streets are plowed at the same time, and snow totals may differ from region to region. If you do not think it is safe to send or take your kids to school during inclement weather, please keep them home. School officials will be lenient regarding tardiness and absences during winter weather,” the district stated on social media.

The district works to prepare for any inclement weather in the forecast and is equipped to utilize virtual learning in the event of a school closure. Thankfully, in recent years, virtual learning has become a

viable alternative in the event that in-person learning needs to be temporarily halted.

The district also acknowledges that its desire to stay open isn’t just for academic purposes. “Like any public service, people count on schools to remain open, and there are many services we provide beyond education,” the memo says and then goes on to state that students rely on schools staying open for multiple reasons. First and foremost, many working parents and families do not have the luxury of drastically shifting their schedules, and often have to risk leaving their children unsupervised or missing work.

Another reason why Granite District Schools aim to stay open? Food security. More than half of the district’s students rely on their neighborhood school for breakfast and lunch. Students may risk not having their nutritional needs met in the event of closures. Finally, schools often provide a warm and safe environment for students in the cooler months.

As previously mentioned, the district will aim to be lenient during major storms and extreme weather. Especially considering that many Granite School District institutions are located on or by major roadways and highways that are often impacted the most by delays. The district also aims to mitigate automobile congestion by limiting emergency late starts. These late starts are often the culprit of an increased vehicle pileup.

Unless you receive notice from the district, and/or your child’s specific school it is best to assume that classes will be in session. To learn more about opting in on push notifications and other helpful alerts,

the district has outlined how to do so on its website. Assuming it’s routinely updated, social media is also a good place to check for any emergency information. Above all

else, prioritize your own safety and use discretion when navigating the roads. Even smaller-scale storms and weather can prove disastrous if not carefully navigated. l

Snow is cleared off the walkway in 2019 at Oakcrest Elementary. (File photo courtesy Tod Cracroft)

Former White House photographer chronicles, shares inside the presidency

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

When former White House photographer Pete Souza was in fourth grade, he taped a photo from the New Bedford Standard Times on his closet door.

It was soon after the assassination of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy in November 1963 with Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson being sworn into the presidency with Jacqueline Kennedy by his side aboard a plane that would fly to Washington, D.C.

“For whatever reason, I was transfixed by the images that came out,” Souza recently told a standing-room only auditorium at Salt Lake Community College’s Grand Theatre. “There was something about the still image that even as an 8 year old, I was struck by enough so that I taped these pictures to my closet door. I know that the photograph taken by Army Capt. Cecil Stoughton, one of the two military photographers assigned to the Kennedy White House, became probably the most famous official White House photograph ever.”

Little did he know then that he found his future career. It took Souza enrolling in a photography class during his junior year at Boston University to realize “it’s what I wanted to do. It was magic to me.”

Souza, who photographed Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama during their presidencies, began his career shooting for the Hutchin-

son, Kansas newspaper. He moved on to the Chicago Sun Times, where amongst his assignments, he was to photograph the campaign of Harold Washington, who in 1983, became the first Black mayor of Chicago.

That same year, Souza received a call from a former photo director at the Kansas

City Star, where he was turned down for a job. She invited him to join the White House photography staff during the Reagan era.

“One of the things I used to tell my (Ohio University) students was, ‘don’t ever piss anybody off professionally because you never know how they’re going to help you some day,’” he said. “Being an official White House photographer was an amazing experience. Documenting the presidency for history, in a lot of situations, I was the only photographer in the room.”

He recalled covering Reagan when he greeted wounded Marines in 1983 after a terrorist attack in Beirut; watching the space shuttle Challenger explosion in 1986, all four summits with Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev; the Iran-Contra scandal; at the hospital following his wife Nancy’s breast cancer surgery; and even, joining him on vacation.

“He and Nancy would go to Camp David every weekend and ride horses and here he is helping her from a horse,” Souza said as an image projected on a screen behind him. “The idea is that you’re making photographs, not for the next day’s newspaper, but for the National Archives. Every single picture that I made during both during the Reagan administration and the Obama administration are now at the National Archives.”

Souza not only took the photos of the serious moments of the commander in chief, but also, the lighter ones.

“I’m trying to humanize them as much as possible. This is Reagan at a hotel in Los Angeles,” he said referring to another image. “I walked into the hotel room where he was staying, and he was folding a piece of White House stationery into the shape of paper airplane. He looked up at me and he’s, like, ‘I’ll be right with you.’”

Then, Reagan flew his official White

House stationery paper airplane off the hotel deck.

After Reagan left the White House, Souza freelanced for several publications, including National Geographic. Then, as a national photographer for the Chicago Tribune, Souza was among the first photojournalists to cover the fall of Kabul, Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks; he did so by joining the local Northern Alliance soldiers and crossed the Hindu Kush mountains by horseback in 3 feet of snow. Also, while at the Tribune, Souza was part of the team who were awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for explanatory reporting on the troubled air traffic system.

In 2004, Souza served as the official photographer at Reagan’s funeral. It was during the flight from Washington, D.C. to Reagan’s final resting place in Simi Valley, California that he realized then he had never seen any pictures of JFK’s casket being flown from Dallas to Washington, D.C.

“Cecil made the decision not to be on the plane with JFK, but to take this film to a lab there in Dallas, get it processed, and get that picture sent out to the world. I can’t imagine trying to make that decision because my instinct would have been you got to be with the President on that plane. Cecil probably chose the right thing to do, but I don’t know that I would have been able to make that decision,” Souza said.

That same year, while working for the Chicago Tribune, Souza was documenting newly elected U.S. Sen. Obama. He recalled Obama’s first D.C. office in the basement of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, with no windows or anything on the walls.

“People already were talking about that someday he might be a national candidate and I was like, ‘Man, this is going to be a great contrast photo if he ever makes it.’ The thing that struck me so much about that first day was that I’ve just met the guy, and I’m in his personal space, photographing as he’s having lunch,” he said, pointing out in his photograph that Obama’s young daughter Sasha was eyeing part of the uneaten sandwich. “It’s as if I’m not even there. He’s just more about his businesses. I’m about my business. For a photojournalist, that’s the kind of stuff that you want, right? Somebody who’s just going to do their thing while you’re doing it.”

Souza went on to become the chief official White House photographer.

“I was able to say to him, ‘Look to do this job the right way, I need unfettered access’ and he agreed. My goal was to create the best photographic archive of a president that had ever been done,” he said.

Souza captured moments, which now the world can see on his Instagram posts.

He has moments that highlight the passing of the Affordable Care Act to same-sex marriage, from the president receiving the No-

After his presentation, former White House chief photographer Pete Souza signed his books for students and the community at Salt Lake Community College. (Photo shared with City Journals)

bel Peace Prize to Obama singing “Amazing Grace” as an eulogy for Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who was killed in 2015 in a Charleston church shooting. He also shared photographs of Obama touring the 9/11 Memorial Museum while under construction and visiting the firehouse where 18 firefighters died during the twin towers’ collapse.

Souza snapped historic moments.

He photographed Obama visiting Nelson Mandela’s prison cell in South Africa; reflecting at Martin Luther King Jr.’s memorial as the first Black president; sitting on the bus where Rosa Parks refused to give her seat to a white man; and joining in the 50th anniversary of the civil rights march in Selma, Alabama.

Souza’s lens not only saw the occasions that marked Obama’s presidency, but also personal times, when Obama and his wife have a quiet moment in a freight elevator or intertwining their hands on a boat rail in the Gulf Coast. His photographs show the president playing in the snow with his daughters, intensely coaching daughter Sasha’s basketball team or getting zapped by a 3-year-old boy dressed for Halloween as Spider-Man—all which audience members chuckled at as stories were shared.

“I would use quiet cameras, usually one with a wide-angle lens and another one with a short telephoto lens. I had a knack for being unobtrusive. President Obama, in his memoir, says I had an ability to remain invisible. I don’t think I was invisible, but I think I was able to blend in so much so that I became part of the presidency. I could go right behind him and show things from his perspective and do it in a way not to disturb anybody,” he said.

Perhaps the first of two of the most emotional photos, Souza said, is when Obama and all the national security team were gathered inside a small room within the Situation Room complex in May 2011. Souza took a spot opposite of the officials who were watching a screen that showed Special Forces on the ground raiding the Pakistan compound of Osama Bin Laden, who claimed responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“You’ve essentially got all the most important people in the executive branch of our government all jammed into this room and there’s nothing they can do. They are powerless in this moment because it’s totally up to those Special Forces guys on the ground. You can imagine the tension and anxiety,” he said, recalling that Obama quietly took a place in the corner. “As soon as they had Bin Laden, and the helicopters lifted off from the compound in Pakistan, everybody started filtering through. The reaction was very subtle. There was no high fives, no cheering.”

A second poignant photo Souza shared was when Obama gave a hug to the Wheeler family who just lost their 6-year-old son Ben during the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.

“The worst day (of Obama’s presidency) happened five weeks after he was reelected. That morning, John Brennan, his homeland security adviser, came upstairs saying there were reports of a shooting at a school in Connecticut,” Souza said, looking at a photo he

snapped at the time of the president “reacting as a parent.”

Before Obama spoke to the nation in the press briefing room, he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. It was the first time Souza had ever seen him do that.

“I think he was worried he was going to lose his composure. Later that afternoon when he went up to residence, Malia had just come home from school. He latched on to her and wouldn’t let her go,” he said to a noticeable collective sob in the audience.

As Souza looks back, and shares his firsthand account through books he published, talking and having his photographs been displayed globally, and being featured in the 2020 documentary, “The Way I See It,” he knows his experiences are making an impact on others as it did himself.

“I realize how lucky I’ve been when I look back and see how much I’ve been able to witness, especially considering I did get a D in U.S. history,” Souza said, adding that history lessons when he was in school lacked stories and pictures. “There were some days

where photographing at the White House was like watching paint dry. But when things were happening, there’s no other place I’d rather be than documenting things as history is unfolding. That was a great honor and privilege to be there.”

During his visit, he also met with SLCC students where he gave the advice to “go out and make pictures every day because that’s how you’re going to get better.” Souza said that because he had been a photojournalist prior to the White House, he was able to “anticipate and recognize moments—and that’s experience more than anything.”

SLCC Humanities Associate Professor Claire Adams said students came to know Souza as a storyteller as well as a photographer.

“His conversation was really informal and came from the storytelling angle as well as the more technical questions from our photography students,” she said, adding that each student received an autographed copy of either his No. 1 New York Times bestseller “Obama: An Intimate Portrait” or his recently released book, “The West Wing and Beyond: What I

Saw Inside the Presidency.” “It’s apparent that it’s the dignity of the office that he cares about, not politics. He highlights it through his eyes and through his literal lens.”

Adams said that her Honors 2100 Intellectual Traditions class had watched portions of the documentary preceding his visit and was reviewing his presentation.

“The theme of that class is storytelling specifically. Pete Souza is a really good resource to use in terms of artifacts that we look at in the humanities, such as literature, photographs, art, music. His photographs are definitely something I’ll continue to use in classes,” she said, adding that students and the community took advantage of seeing his “Obama: Intimate Portraits” display at SLCC’s George S. & Dolores Doré Eccles Art Gallery.

SLCC

Provost for Academic Affairs

Clifton Sanders also was drawn into Souza’s photography and storytelling.

“He was captivating,” Sanders said. “The way that he was able to chronicle history through the photographs and give a little bit of information that no one would know other than him being there in those moments. The pictures are very compelling, but the stories really give depth to the pictures. I just got a sense that he was the person for that time in history. He’s really down to earth. There are no airs about him. What you see is really what he’s like. I can really appreciate that the way he documented and is sharing the history for us all to gain insight and witness it through him.”

The annual Tanner Forum on Social Ethics, funded in part by the O.C. Tanner Co., has hosted about 20 speakers from journalists to scientists “to encourage the community to learn more about the world and encourage us to think more critically about issues,” Sanders said. l

While being chief photographer at the White House, Pete Souza captured personal moments of the presidents, including Barack Obama being a dad, shooting basketball with his daughters. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

The photograph of Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson being sworn into the presidency intrigued former White House photographer Pete Souza as a boy. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

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

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

While every year brings new and unique challenges, I believe 2023 is one South Salt Lake can truly look forward to. Much of this optimism comes from the support this year’s budget received from the City Council and the community. With newly approved funding, South Salt Lake is now better equipped to provide the services and amenities our community needs and deserves. This includes addressing our aging infrastructure, installing new systems for revenue-generating development, and offering competitive pay to help recruit and retain qualified City personnel. As you can see, there is much in store for South Salt Lake and as 2023 gets underway, I want to take this opportunity to share my top priorities for the year.

Prioritizing Public Safety

In 2021, over 600 residents responded to a Community Values Survey. The majority of survey respondents expressed a strong desire to prioritize and maintain public safety in South Salt Lake. Having a strong, supported public safety team brings significant value to our city and is a main contributor to the high quality of life we enjoy. This is why I was pleased to see additional funds to improve public safety. Our police and fire departments have been short-staffed for years, and these funds will help with recruiting and retention.

Our Most Important Natural Resource: Water

The Community Values Survey also showed that residents want the City to be mindful of environmental issues. Providing our city with water that is clean, safe to drink, and responsibly used is crucial for 2023. As our city grows, the need to address our aging water infrastructure becomes even more important. Funding will not only aid the city in making necessary repairs and upgrades to our water infrastructure, it will enable the city to acquire the land needed to install a new well and meet the increased demands for water. Continued public outreach and incentive programs will help to educate and encourage residents on conservation. The city will also be evaluating landscaping requirements, continue our focus on citywide conservation at facilities and parks, and will further promote ways to protect our waterways through responsible use of our stormwater and runoff systems.

Prioritizing Housing in SSL

Possibly the most significant issue we have as a community, state, and nation is the lack of affordable housing and otherwise. The housing stock does not match the increased demand, making it more and more difficult to afford to live in South Salt Lake. This shortage and its economic impact have hit some harder than others, but as a community, it affects us all.

As a city, we have some ways to address this issue such as zoning, but, unfortunately, we don’t have control over everything that impacts housing. The whims of the market that drive developers, the reactions of legislators to try to steer development, and property ownership and rights sometimes wield more influence. Working within these constraints, we need to be visionary, creative, and nimble. The high priority this year is to become skilled and proactive in bringing new housing investment to South Salt Lake. This includes preserving existing affordable housing and building new housing for the residents that need it most. Here are some key steps we have taken to accomplish these goals:

• I have hired a new Director of Community & Economic Development who has extensive knowledge of affordable housing that will benefit the entire city team.

• We are drafting the city’s first comprehensive Housing Strategy in a decade to build upon the ideas generated as part of our 2040 General Plan.

• We are exploring grants, partnerships and funding to help the city generate affordable housing.

With these steps, we hope to get into the game of affordable housing. Our previous approach to create naturally occurring affordable housing is no longer viable due to drastic shifts in the market and we need to adopt a different approach. So we are lacing up our cleats, heading into training, and aiming for our first win.

I committed long ago to put people’s needs first. I always start by listening. I want to ensure that your priorities are my priorities, so please continue to share your ideas by calling or sending messages to me or your City Council representatives. Here’s to 2023, may we work together to make our community even greater, Cheers!

Mayor Cherie Wood

All City Offices and Community Centers will be closed:

Monday, Jan 2 in observance of New Year

Monday, Jan 16 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Public Meetings

For more info: www.sslc.gov

City Council

Wed, Jan 11, 7 p.m.

Wed, Jan 25, 7 p.m.

Planning Commission

Thu, Jan 19, 7 p.m.

Civilian Review Board

Mon, Jan 9, 6:30 p.m.

The Rules of Snow Removal

While our Public Works Department is hard at work keeping the streets clear of snow and ice, here are a few things residents can do to help out.

MAYOR’S MESSAGE CONTINUED

A Tribute to Roy Turner

As a long-time South Salt Lake resident, we wish to pay tribute to LeRoy “Roy” Turner, his life was one of service and dedication to God, his family, and our community. The City of South Salt Lake now proclaims December 5th as a day of respect and honor in his memory, and we send our sincere condolences to his wife of 53 years, Paula, and the Turner family.

Christmas Tree Recycling Program

• The owners of businesses and residences are responsible for removing snow and ice from the sidewalks in front of their buildings and parking lots.

• Snow should be removed the same day it falls, or by 10 a.m. the next day if snow falls into the late evening.

• Keep snow out of the roads

• When shoveling your drive or walk, shovel the snow away from the road and onto your property.

• Clear the area by the road on the left side of your driveway, as this creates a good spot for plows to unload their snow.

• Parked vehicles impact snowplow operators. Avoid parking on any city street between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.

• Remember that it is illegal to park on a street or in an alley for more than 72 hours consecutively, and to leave unlicensed/ unregistered vehicles, or detached trailers on the street.

South Salt Lake City Council Action Report Summary

Public Safety

SSLPD Adopts an Innovative De-escalation Program

As a police department, we strive for excellence in everything we do to serve the community. We are continually looking for ways to improve our processes and give our officers the tools and training they need to go above and beyond in performing their duties.

Recent high-profile use-of-force cases have encouraged law enforcement nationwide, including the South Salt Lake Police Department, to review their practices and policies around police response to reduce incidents of force and mitigate violent confrontations. Ideally, we want every law enforcement interaction with the community to have voluntary compliance. When that does not happen, we want to de-escalate the situation as quickly as possible while using the least amount of force needed to ensure everyone’s safety. De-escalation is often mischaracterized as being weak on crime, backing down, giving up, or being detrimental to officer safety. But when done effectively, de-escalation helps those in crisis regain control so that officers can more easily manage a situation. It’s an essential tool for minimizing harm while keeping our community safe.

Training and communication are vital to helping our officers respond successfully to these situations. This is why, in January 2023, all our officers will be trained in Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE). ABLE is an evidence-based program built upon decades of research and on-theground experience and has been successfully implemented in law enforcement agencies across the country, This innovative policing program prepares officers to intervene successfully to prevent harm and help law enforcement agencies enhance their relationship with the communities they serve. The training will provide our officers with practical strategies and tactics to prevent misconduct, reduce officer mistakes, and promote health and wellness. I look forward to this opportunity for our department and am confident that this program will provide significant benefit to our officers and enable them to better serve our community.

Beware of These Cold Weather Hazards

January and February are two of the leading months for home fires. Cooking, heating, and holiday decorations such as lights, trees, and candles are the cause of many of these fires.

• When you are using any portable heating equipment, keep anything flammable at least 3 feet from any heat source such as fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, or space heaters.

• Install and test carbon monoxide detectors in your homes and test them monthly, and only plug one heating appliance (such as a space heater) into an electrical outlet.

• Never use an extension cord with a heatproducing appliance; they are only intended for temporary use. If extension cords are needed, have an electrician install additional outlets where you need them.

• Have your heating system professionally serviced to make sure it is clean and working properly to prevent carbon monoxide emergencies.

Above all, be ready to check on family and neighbors who could be at risk for cold-weather hazards; and have a wonderful, safe January and a Happy New Year!

Community Meetings

Join us for a community conversation.

At the request of Mayor Cherie Wood, the SSL Cabinet served up lunch at the Pamela Atkinson Resource Center. The purpose was to learn how the facility operates and to better get to know those who reside there. Mayor Wood shares, “As a vulnerable population, many barriers can prevent one from finding housing. One thing I discovered while at the Resource Center was that many have jobs and are active in the process of acquiring a permanent residence.”

Coffee with a Cop

Jan 4, 9-10 a.m.

In-Person Délice Bakery & Café 2747 S State Street

Business Watch

Businesses are encouraged to participate.

Jan 5, 5 p.m.

SL County Granite Branch Library

Neighborhood Watch

Residents are encouraged to participate.

Jan 5, 7 p.m. Find the virtual meeting link at www.sslc.gov

Resource Center

Community Meeting

Jan 18, 4-5 p.m.

Kevin Curtis (LCSW) with Huntsman Mental Health Institute will present about the new Crisis Care Center including renderings of the building and campus.

Text a Tip to SSLPD

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

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.

Message from SSLPD Chief Jack Carruth

Pamela Atkinson

Message from SSLFD Chief Terry Addison

Public Safety

SSLPD Adopts an Innovative De-escalation Program

As a police department, we strive for excellence in everything we do to serve the community. We are continually looking for ways to improve our processes and give our officers the tools and training they need to go above and beyond in performing their duties.

Recent high-profile use-of-force cases have encouraged law enforcement nationwide, including the South Salt Lake Police Department, to review their practices and policies around police response to reduce incidents of force and mitigate violent confrontations. Ideally, we want every law enforcement interaction with the community to have voluntary compliance. When that does not happen, we want to de-escalate the situation as quickly as possible while using the least amount of force needed to ensure everyone’s safety. De-escalation is often mischaracterized as being weak on crime, backing down, giving up, or being detrimental to officer safety. But when done effectively, de-escalation helps those in crisis regain control so that officers can more easily manage a situation. It’s an essential tool for minimizing harm while keeping our community safe.

Training and communication are vital to helping our officers respond successfully to these situations. This is why, in January 2023, all our officers will be trained in Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE). ABLE is an evidence-based program built upon decades of research and on-theground experience and has been successfully implemented in law enforcement agencies across the country, This innovative policing program prepares officers to intervene successfully to prevent harm and help law enforcement agencies enhance their relationship with the communities they serve. The training will provide our officers with practical strategies and tactics to prevent misconduct, reduce officer mistakes, and promote health and wellness. I look forward to this opportunity for our department and am confident that this program will provide significant benefit to our officers and enable them to better serve our community.

Beware of These Cold Weather Hazards

January and February are two of the leading months for home fires. Cooking, heating, and holiday decorations such as lights, trees, and candles are the cause of many of these fires.

• When you are using any portable heating equipment, keep anything flammable at least 3 feet from any heat source such as fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, or space heaters.

• Install and test carbon monoxide detectors in your homes and test them monthly, and only plug one heating appliance (such as a space heater) into an electrical outlet.

• Never use an extension cord with a heatproducing appliance; they are only intended for temporary use. If extension cords are needed, have an electrician install additional outlets where you need them.

• Have your heating system professionally serviced to make sure it is clean and working properly to prevent carbon monoxide emergencies.

Above all, be ready to check on family and neighbors who could be at risk for cold-weather hazards; and have a wonderful, safe January and a Happy New Year!

Community Meetings

Join us for a community conversation.

At the request of Mayor Cherie Wood, the SSL Cabinet served up lunch at the Pamela Atkinson Resource Center. The purpose was to learn how the facility operates and to better get to know those who reside there. Mayor Wood shares, “As a vulnerable population, many barriers can prevent one from finding housing. One thing I discovered while at the Resource Center was that many have jobs and are active in the process of acquiring a permanent residence.”

Coffee with a Cop

Jan 4, 9-10 a.m.

In-Person Délice Bakery & Café 2747 S State Street

Business Watch

Businesses are encouraged to participate.

Jan 5, 5 p.m.

SL County Granite Branch Library

Neighborhood Watch

Residents are encouraged to participate.

Jan 5, 7 p.m.

Find the virtual meeting link at www.sslc.gov

Community Meeting

Jan 18, 4-5 p.m.

Kevin Curtis (LCSW) with Huntsman Mental Health Institute will present about the new Crisis Care Center including renderings of the building and campus.

Text a Tip to SSLPD

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

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.

Message from SSLPD Chief Jack Carruth

Pamela Atkinson Resource Center

Message from SSLFD Chief Terry Addison

CELEBRATE SSL: Meadowbrook Place, Roper Yard & Services

We highlighted a neighborhood a month in 2022, deemed the ‘Year of the Neighborhood’, but left out a few important ones at the center of it all. While not as many residents live there, they are still critically important pieces of South Salt Lake’s history as a “City of Industry” for much of the last century. Through the decades, like 1-15, I-80 railroads were built here, forming a crucial link around the region for commerce and commuters. The highway and rail divided neighborhoods but TRAX trains eventually brought them back together. I-15 became perhaps the biggest barrier of them all and for many years, the lone neighborhood, Meadowbrook Place enjoyed.

Here’s a roundup of history, landmarks, and things that make these neighborhoods great!

“Our city is building great neighborhoods. We believed this when we took the reins a decade ago to help housing get built on formerly industrial property. We believed this when we worked closely with Salt Lake County to locate the new Tracy Aviary Nature Center built down the street from here. We believed it by supporting the crossing of Roper Railyard by Parley’s trail. And we believe now, that by making this Parley’s Trail connection, we will keep getting more and more people to the river and enjoying the parkway.”

—Mayor Cherie Wood, May 2022

Community Happenings

These neighborhoods connect to Mill Creek and the Jordan River. The open spaces and trails around these natural amenities are continuously being improved to incentivize growth here.

Why is the Services Neighborhood considered a catalyst area? The 2020 General Plan describes the Services Neighborhood just north of Meadowbrook Place, as a future “flex commercial area.” This means that is it deemed appropriate for the retention and expansion of large retail areas and businesses. The city plans include more pedestrian and bike connections as well as

• Trail access to the Mill Creek

• Access to the Jordan River Parkway

• Addition of new restaurants and services

• Additional open green spaces

South Salt Lake Animal Services

2274 South 600 West Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

FB & Instagram: @SouthSaltLakeAnimalServices

A full-service shelter and adoption center, SSL Animal Services provides both services and animal law enforcement for the City of South Salt Lake. To keep up with the latest news and pets for adoption, visit the Animal Services page on sslc.gov.

MEADOWBROOK PLACE

Fine Drive to 3900 South; 700 West to I-15

City Council District 5, Shane Siwik

Residential Units: Mountain Shadows, Camelot Park Businesses: Crown Trophy, Presto Print, Imaging Concepts, G54 Great Mountain West, Mountain State Fence, Maverik Adventure’s First Stop.

SERVICES NEIGHBORHOOD

Refer to map: Approx. 2900 South to Fine Drive; 900 West to Rail Yard/I-15

City Council Districts 2 Corey Thomas, 5 Shane Siwik

SSL Fire Department Station 42

Other facilities/businesses: SL County Metro Jail, SL Valley Detention Center, SL County Sheriff’s Office, Golf the Round, Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility, SL Valley Buick GMC, Daily’s Premium Meats, Deseret Medical, Highland Golf Carts, Maverik Adventure’s First Stop.

ROPER YARD NEIGHBORHOOD

Refer to map: 2100 South to approx. 3500 S/Rail Yard/I-15; Rail Yard to I-15

City Council Districts 2 Corey Thomas, 5 Shane Siwik

Businesses: Roofers Supply, Wilderness Log Home and Cabin, Fence & Deck Supply, Swanson Building Materials, Culligan Water Conditioning of SL, National Wood Products, Cytozyme Laboratories, Marine United, Trendy Treats, European Marble & Granite, Hitmen Sales Cabinet & Countertops.

Community Happenings

ART CLASSES FOR FEBRUARY

• ART55+ - weekly art classes for adults age 55 (or better) led by local artist Laura Sharp Wilson. Wednesday mornings from 10:00-11:30 AM.

• Bad Dog Arts - art classes for adults ages 18+ are held every Wednesday evening from 6:30-8:30 PM.

• Kintsugi Healing Group - join Michelle Markay Nelson as she leads a small group using the Japanese tradition of Kintsugi to piece back together what was previously broken. Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:30 PM.

Classes will be held inside the Art Room of the Co-Op (2530 South 500 East). Materials will be provided. Sign up for the newsletter on sslarts.org for class schedule updates.

NEW FEATURE: Inside The Co-Op

You’re missing out if you haven’t heard of the newest city facility inside the former Columbus Center Library. The Community Opportunity Center (The Co-Op) opened late in 2022 and serves a myriad of purposes to benefit the lives of those in South Salt Lake and our surrounding communities. From creating a workspace to hosting weekly art classes, each month we’ll be shining the spotlight on something wonderful that’s going on inside this incredible public space.

www.sslcoop.org 2530 S 500 East Mon-Fri, 8 am to 9 pm

Circles Salt Lake www.circlessaltlake.org 2530 S 500 East (Inside the Co-Op)

What is the Cliff Effect?

The Cliff Effect occurs when a household loses eligibility for government assistance when their family’s income surpasses the threshold set by Federal Poverty Guidelines. Even a small raise in income can “push people off the cliff” and suddenly, the family is worse off than before receiving it. Circles works closely with participants to give them additional support and tools to navigate the challenges which can occur from the Cliff Effect.

As a local nonprofit organization, the two main objectives of Circles Salt Lake are to (1) Help families get out of poverty and (2) Remove the barriers that keep people in poverty, like the Cliff Effect.

In December, Mayor Cherie Wood attended a graduation of an exceptional kind. A single parent struggling with life’s circumstances received her diploma from the Circles 4-year program, elevating her ability to nd housing and better provide for her family.

Community Happenings

SL County Senior Center EVENTS FOR JANUARY 2023

Art Class with Laura Wilson in The Co-Op Art Room

Every Weds at 10 a.m.

LIVE Entertainment

Fridays at 10:30 a.m.

Dieter Watchel, January 13

Richard Dixon, January 20

BD Howes, January 27

PRESENTATIONS

Living Well with Chronic Pain

Every Thurs from 9:00 – 11:30 am

Blood Pressure Checks with Fire Department

Weds, January 11 at 9:15 am

QPR Suicide Prevention Training

Wednesday, January 25 at 10:30 am

Columbus Center — 2531 S 400 East

Thank You, AT&T

We’d like to thank AT&T for their generous funding to support digital equity efforts and help the further development of the SSL Tech Connect program at the Community Opportunity Center. The Tech Connect program is designed to have volunteer digital navigators meet one-on-one with community members to help them navigate the digital world. Inside The Co-Op, volunteers can help individuals sign up for free or low-cost internet or get free or low-cost devices and answer simple questions on using a computer or the internet. Internet access has become universally recognized as an essential utility and part of basic infrastructure. It is essential to enable students to learn and thrive, businesses to remain nimble and competitive, seniors to take advantage of telehealth options, and everyone to connect with others and participate in a digital society.

The Community Opportunity Center (The Co-Op) www.sslcoop.org 2530 S 500 East Mon-Fri, 8 am to 9 pm

An ode to former Cottonwood head football coach Casey Miller who put kids first

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

Down, but never out.

Down 21-0 and facing a third down from their own 30 early in the second quarter Oct. 12 against a Logan team that had twice the number of players, Cottonwood’s punter caught the ball from his long snapper—and threw it to an open player on the fake punt try for 28 yards and a Colts first down.

Two plays later, Cottonwood head football coach Casey Miller again had no choice but use his wits against Bart Bowen, his former boss at Cottonwood who was now head coach at Logan. Miller sent out two pairs of three receivers out wide on each side, completing a 2-yard pass. On third down and eight Miller again had his Colts trot out onto the field in another unorthodox formation. Wide receiver Roman Caywood took the handoff on an end-around and threw a dart to running back Jaxon Martinez in stride for a 32-yard touchdown pass, cutting the Logan lead to 21-6.

After the missed PAT and trailing 28-6 on the very next series, senior Brock Simpson rolled right and hurtled a missile that the junior Caywood high-pointed while falling awkwardly on his hip at the Logan 1. Caywood collected himself, and hopped right back up for the next play, severely hobbled yet determined to continue when every 5A or 6A head coach would’ve sat him for the rest of the game.

Two plays later, junior Kaelen Gray fell in the end zone, again high-pointing the football but catching it—out of bounds. He got up too, because football, in the words of one former player I talked to, “is fun with Coach.” Then senior Lincoln Martinez plunged into pay dirt while Logan defenders grabbed furiously at the Colts’ workhorse’s No. 24 jersey, narrowing the lead to 28-13 with a minute left before the half. Cottonwood only had 34 “healthy” players at that point in the game against their former head coach Bowen. Miller didn’t care that they were outmanned and neither did his players—most of whom were playing through some sort of an injury. They played as hard as they could through every whistle. Though it almost seems unfair to have to summarize Miller’s last two scoring drives as Cottonwood’s head coach, readers deserve to know about this guy.

The fair catch free kick at Jordan High School that won Cottonwood the game in stunning fashion on Sept. 30 and went viral was all because of Miller’s willingness to dare to try something that had never before been done in high school football. The onside kick that led to the Colts’ second and only other win of the season against Murray on Homecoming Sept. 16 and gave the Colts the momentum they needed from the opening kickoff to stun their crosstown rival was all his doing, too.

It was the sort of trickery that Miller had to use while faced with incomparable odds in every game the undermanned Colts played this season. “We ran double pass, skip-pass, reverses, ‘Daffy Duck’ formation, lineman throwback screens,” said Miller after the season ended, unaware this reporter was writing an article about him. “We punted on third down once, the fair-catch-kick, and practiced a lot more [that went unused].”

Miller coached as hard when they were losing as he did when they were winning. Miller did everything he could short of put up players at his house. Miller fed the kids by having his wife make team meals and put them in the school’s freezer weeks in advance; he taught the kids who didn’t have father figures in their lives how to tie their neckties around their dress shirts that were all donated through charity; he watched their grades like a hawk and yet, for some reason the football gods didn’t smile upon coach Miller eight times this year—though you wished they had.

One parent of a Colts player said on Facebook, “This was the most exciting year I’ve ever had watching this team and even though they didn’t always win, they played their hardest every time they walked out there!”

Instead of having to play on just one side of the ball, almost all of these Colts played both sides, every play, for the entire football season.

If Miller knew he was being profiled for this story in advance, he’d say he’d rather it be a profile piece about one of his play-

ers—about the impact they were making in the community. But since this was his last season at Cottonwood as head coach and he resigned his position on Nov. 9 because “his players were all transferring,” this writer wanted him to know that he’s made his hometown of Magna proud; he made the kids who opted to play football for Cottonwood High School proud; and he also made a lot of people who never cared much about football care in this reporter’s 20-plus years of covering it.

In 2022, Miller was the Jim Fassel of Utah high school football, the mad scientist who’s actually a chemistry teacher by trade, tinkering with different kinds of formulas to make things work when others couldn’t, fitting together trinkets where others wouldn’t and moving around the 30 players who were healthy that week.

When the going got tough, and his starters weren’t ready to go mentally or physically, he’d call up reinforcements from the freshmen/sophomore team that was also depleted and had played a game the day before. The week after that stunning upset and viral free kick win at Jordan he only had about 25 kids for a long, four-hour bus ride to Hurricane yet still put up 37 points—30 in the first 20 minutes on Oct. 7. By halftime as his Colts had run out of gas, the senior QB he’d mentored since ninth grade [Brock Simpson] had already thrown for 355 yards and four TDs.

If it was a good week for Miller, he might be up to 34 players—while he competed on a weekly basis against other teams

that had 90 players just on their varsity.

Miller told the City Journals before the first game of the season that he was “determined to make it work with what we’ve got,” and he thought “this could be the year we break through.” Miller was bound and determined to win as many games in 2022 as were lost—despite an arcane, imbecilic rule that allows Cottonwood High students to actually “choose” what school they can play football for. He once estimated before the pandemic that one-third of Cottonwood’s students eligible to play for other high schools could have filled up his roster to about 60 players. That’s still short of the Class 5A standard by about 20-30 players depending on which school you’re talking about, but still enough for him and his coaching staff to put up a terrible fight against anyone.

The former Cyprus QB who was named All-State back in the day led one of, if not the most, talented Pirates teams ever under the legendary Sonny Sudbury, a team on which a younger brother of an old girlfriend of this reporter played. She said they hoisted trophies from Little League all the way up to high school in their blue and gold. Loyal to the Cyprus High School, Miller was a leader of men now as he was back then, in a town of Magna that only speaks of its heroes in hushed tones.

At Cottonwood, he turned young Colts struggling with bad grades and bad home lives into stallions of men emboldened to fight for the right to earn scholarships like none in their families had before them. He turned over every rock to find players who were willing to turn over their hearts and souls for the cause, to fight like hell on both sides of the football no matter the odds. He scoured the hallways turning overweight astrophysics nerds who had never played a down in their entire lives into rock-hard physical specimens who became leaders of men on the gridiron, and who willed their teammates to near .500-records for three seasons as an independent and still, were named All-Academic All-State.

In his eyes, those would be the awards of which Miller was most proud. So when you say his 2022 record was 2-8, it was in one sense, but oh, did he ever give it his all. No matter what the record says, Miller is an All-State head coach in this reporter’s book. And though nobody ever gives out that sort of award, this reporter doesn’t know many, if any, head coaches who would have dared do what he tried to do, at a school fighting like hell to keep a football program, with how few kids he had to work with.

“I honestly don’t know how he did it,” said one head coach whose team went far in the state playoffs and has 200 kids to choose from, every week. “But if anyone could do it, it would be Casey.” l

Casey Miller is blurred in the foreground of the photo with the kids in focus, just how he’d prefer it. (City Journals)

Throughout the ages, there have been many important advances in mobility. Canes, walkers, rollators, and scooters were created to help people with mobility issues get around and retain their independence. Lately, however, there haven’t been any new improvements to these existing products or developments in this field Until now. Recently, an innovative design engineer who’s developed one of the world’s most popular products created a completely new breakthrough . . . a personal electric vehicle. It’s called the Zinger, and there is nothing out there quite like it.

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–Kent C., California

The first thing you’ll notice about the Zinger is its unique look. It doesn’t look like a scooter. Its sleek, lightweight yet durable frame is made with aircraft grade aluminum so it weighs only 47.2 lbs. It features onetouch folding and unfolding – when folded it can be wheeled around like a suitcase and fits easily into a

backseat or trunk. Then, there are the steering levers. They enable the Zinger to move forward, backward, turn on a dime and even pull right up to a table or desk. With its compact yet powerful motor it can go up to 6 miles an hour and its rechargeable battery can go up to 8 miles on a single charge. With its low center of gravity and inflatable tires it can handle rugged terrain and is virtually tip-proof. Think about it, you can take your Zinger almost anywhere, so you don’t have to let mobility issues rule your life.

Why take our word for it? Call now, and find out how you can get a Zinger of your very own.

Colts prove formidable in early season games

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

Last year, the Cottonwood Colts boys basketball team hosted its first state playoff game in 15 years, finished with a winning record and only lost one of its leading scorers.

Athletic Director Greg Southwick and head coach Marc Miller are feeling confident about their team’s chances this year.

“They are looking good; they’ll be one of the top 5A teams,” Southwick said. “I’ll be awfully surprised if they’ll aren’t in the top 10 for most of the year.”

Junior Chris Cox returns and at 10.4 points per game was the Colts third option last year. Two seniors, Aidan Oliphant [their top rebounder] are back as is three-point specialist senior Max Russo; the question will turn to who fills those other two starting spots.

Southwick said he likes senior Kirath Makhar at the point guard spot—and senior Jackson Price is going to get some minutes as well.

Others in the Cottonwood back court who could play a role and got minutes on last year’s team include junior Ryan Nielson—the kicker on the Colts football team who went viral after his fair catch-free kick at Jordan— and sophomore Mason Tolley.

In the front court, the Colts will have junior Roman Caywood—along with some new kids who the Cottonwood AD said shined at the open tryouts that coach Miller held in Cottonwood’s main gym from Nov. 7-9.

Three weeks later, the most anticipated boys basketball team this school has had in years took the court 30 miles from home.

November To Remember

The Colts showed in their season opener that when they’re up against teams in Class 5A, they’re going to be tough to beat.

Cottonwood [1-1] shot 53% from the field and 45% from behind the painted arc

to win 82-73 at 5A Mountain View Nov. 28. Junior Chris Cox led the Colts with 21 points and senior Makhar, 20, while Price tipped in 17.

On Nov. 30, however, Cottonwood was in foul trouble for most of the fourth quarter losing its home opener to 6A Herriman, 6558.

The Colts cut Herriman’s lead to four with 1:05 left in the game. After the visitors were whistled for a foul, Cox had a tip-in on the inbounds pass to get to within two, 60-58.

After two Colts misses, Herriman drilled free throws on the other end to escape a loud and rowdy Cottonwood High gym with a win. Russo drilled four threes to pace the Colts with 12 points, while Cox scored 12 as well.

Cox is developing a disciplined shooting stroke. His 16 points per game average has come by way of 12-of-15 shooting from the field.

Makhar was another one who Miller added spent long hours over the summer honing his shot, and his 20 points at Mountain View also came with six assists, on 6-for-9 shooting.

On the glass, Oliphant has been a steady presence as evidenced by his 10-point, eight rebound outing at Mountain View as well. Junior Jackson Price’s 17 at Mountain View

also came with seven rebounds and he added 11 points in the loss to Herriman.

December

Now that November is in the rearview mirror of the warm, defrosted windows of that school bus, the Colts played their next two preseason games at home with victories over Skyline 77-73 on Dec. 6 and Brighton 70-54 on Dec. 9.

After that it was back on the bus for more nonregion wins at 6A Taylorsville 9461 and 5A Park City 72-52, before the Colts come home to host crosstown rival Murray on Dec. 19.

Cottonwood were scheduled to then take the winter break off before returning to action for a four-day holiday tournament at which they played four traditional basketball powers: 3A Judge Memorial Dec. 27, 6A Kearns Dec. 28, followed by a game against 6A Riverton Dec. 29 and Dec. 30, against 6A Roy.

After that, it’s time for Region 7 action to begin as the Colts will travel to Cedar Valley on Jan. 4 and will have their region home opener Jan. 6, against Stansbury.

It was a brutal preseason schedule according to the Cottonwood AD, but this team has all the pieces to make a serious run at a region title and at state. Next month will have a full recap of the Colts’ games. l

Senior Jackson Price dropped 19 points, five assists and seven steals in a home victory over geographic rival Skyline Dec. 6. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Senior Kirath Makhar was averaging almost 14 points per game through the Colts first three games of the season. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Winter stargazing on Antelope Island offers a unique view of the night skies

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

As cities get brighter, our view of the stars gets dimmer. With more people living under artificial light, it’s changing the way we see our skies and blocking astral views we used to enjoy. A worldwide effort to reduce light pollution encourages communities to create Dark Sky areas to help people return to a natural nighttime environment.

In 2017, Antelope Island earned the Dark Sky designation administered by the International Dark-Sky Association and it’s become a place to witness exceptional views of the night sky.

Utah has 10 state parks and 24 locations that have earned the Dark Sky designation. In fact, the state has the highest number of certified Dark Sky Parks and Communities in the world. But Antelope Island offers a unique experience.

“Our geography out here really made it possible to earn the designation,” said Trish Ackley, park naturalist for Antelope Island State Park. “We’re surrounded by a lake. We’re undeveloped out here and the lake makes it almost impossible for development to encroach on us, so already the park was pretty dark. We did have to adjust some lighting and eliminate some lighting that wasn’t necessary.”

It can take years for a location to earn

Dark sky photography is popular on Antelope Island State Park. With the park’s Dark Sky designation, photographers like Ryan Andreasen capture phenomenal views of the heavens. (Photo courtesy of Ryan Andreasen)

approval from IDA. The effort to get the designation was spearheaded by Wendy Wilson, now the assistant park manager at Antelope Island State Park. There are several requirements to keep the designation each year, including public outreach and working with community partners to bring awareness to light pollution.

Winter is Ackley’s favorite time to stargaze on Antelope Island because it gets dark much earlier and the pesky mosquitoes and gnats aren’t around to irritate visitors. But she does warn people to bundle up, because it can get really cold.

“It’s a little warmer out here than it is on the Wasatch Front because we’re surrounded by what is usually a warmer body of water, but it’s often windy,” she said. “If you’re taking pictures, be sure to wear gloves. Just bundle up.”

While summertime stargazing at the park is popular, with star parties, astronomy programs and dark sky photography, it’s been harder to get people to enjoy the dark skies during the colder months. But Ackley said the benefits to winter stargazing are numerous.

“Winter constellations are, in my opinion, so much better than summer constellations. There are just more stories to see and more you can play with and use your imagination in the winter.”

Although Antelope Island State Park closes at 10 p.m. during the winter months,

it gets dark enough to see a phenomenal star show starting around 7 or 8 p.m. It’s a good time for families to visit and still get the kids home in time for bed.

As light pollution continues to increase, the International Dark-Sky Association states more than 80% of the country can no longer see the Milky Way. Artificial light has been shown to affect sleep cycles, disrupt migratory patterns in birds and even contribute to climate change.

Ackley said Utah home and business owners can reduce light pollution and help protect views of the night sky. Small changes like using lights only when and where necessary, shielding lights and directing them downward, using warmer light bulbs and closing window blinds at night are all ways to reduce light pollution.

As our view of the stars dims, people are traveling to locations with Dark Sky designations to catch a glimpse of what’s missing from bright cities, towns and neighborhoods.

“Astrotourism is really picking up. People are starting to travel to darker places and seeking that out,” Ackley said. “Most people don’t have access to the Milky Way. It’s up there but we don’t think about it and don’t see it. But now that people are getting a taste of that, it’s really powerful. People want that.”

For information about Antelope Island’s Dark Skies program, visit StateParks.utah. gov/parks/antelope-island/dark-skies/. l

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From the people who brought you Syncrete, nepotistic construction contracts and the ThrU Turn fiasco intersection, comes a mind-boggling project guaranteed to be unnecessary and over budget: the Little Cottonwood Canyon gondola.

The Utah Department of Transportation isn’t known for its rational, effective projects. It spent years studying the LCC traffic situation before making the wrong decision, but at least they didn’t go with the Little Cottonwood zeppelin.

Color me unimpressed with UDOT. Take 5400 South. Please. I travel this road every day and I know UDOT doesn’t understand east-west travel. Going from my home in Kearns to the I-15 interchange in Murray includes nearly 20 stoplights along that 7-mile stretch and I usually hit every. single. one.

There was a legend that if you drove exactly 42.3 mph, under the light of a full moon, you could travel 5400 South without stopping at one red light. Not true.

I blame my road rage on UDOT.

So, let’s talk about the gondola. With UDOT approving the nearly $600 million project, it must have overwhelming support. Nope. Local mayors, residents, environmental groups, Bigfoot and county leaders don’t want this to happen. A majority of the tens

Kinder Life and Laughter

of thousands of public comments are against the gondola.

Just a hair short of sketchy, Snowbird quietly bought land that could (will) be used for the gondola station at the base of Little Cottonwood. When the time comes, Snowbird will sell or donate (ha-ha) that land to the state.

Hikers, fishermen, sightseers and climbers don’t want the gondola. They don’t want to ride the entire length of the gondola system if their destination isn’t a ski resort. I guess UDOT could add a base-jumping experience if you want to parachute out of the gondola halfway up the canyon. But it will probably have an extra fee.

Measuring 8 miles, it will be the longest gondola system in the world and includes nearly two dozen towers, averaging 185 feet high. That’s about 17 stories. UDOT said the towers will be placed up the canyon by helicopters, like they’ll gently rest on the forest

floor where tree roots will wind around the base to hold them down, becoming part of the natural landscape.

No. Each tower will have a huge concrete base, requiring boulders and trees to be demolished. Not only that, but construction could disrupt animal migration patterns, pollute the watershed and highlight UDOT’s decision-making legacy.

UDOT explored options like rideshare programs, electric buses and road tolls that are less invasive, especially when trying to solve a traffic problem that only happens a few days a year. But those alternatives aren’t expensive and ridiculous, so that was a “no” vote from UDOT.

When you factor inflation, the project’s cost will be about $72 gajillion, paid for with “mystery funding” which we all know usually means “taxpayer dollars” in some fash-

ion. Even if you’ve never skied a day in your life, your tax dollars will probably help pay for a system designed by ski resorts, for ski resorts.

We’ve riddled this country with aging infrastructure. Obsolete railways, cables, steel and wiring lie unused and rusting. When the gondola becomes outdated, our grandchildren’s grandchildren will be stuck with the awful towers standing forever in the sacred space of Little Cottonwood.

UDOT’s track record is abysmal. I remember when it spent $700,000 to remove the stupid ThrU Turn on 5400 South. UDOT said the intersection wasn’t a mistake, just unnecessary.

That could be UDOT’s tagline: Building unnecessary mistakes. l

Peri