Taylorsville Journal | May 2022

May 2022 | Vol. 9 Iss. 05

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TAYLORSVILLE MAYOR OVERSON NAMED CHAMBERWEST HALL OF FAMER

By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com

A

lways adept at deflecting praise, it must have been a challenging night for Taylorsville Mayor Kristie Overson when she had to sit front and center to accept all the accolades herself, as she was inducted into the prestigious ChamberWest Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame.

With a “Wizard of Oz” theme, the 2022 ChamberWest Gala titled “There’s No Place Like ChamberWest” drew a gathering of more than 400 to the Maverik Center a few weeks ago, including several in Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and Wicked Witch costumes.

In addition to Mayor Overson’s honor, others singled out during the evening included: • Volunteer of the Year – Trish Hull, Kearns Library Manager • Best New Business of the Year – Nothing Bundt Cakes • Small Business of the Year – iMpact Utah.org • Best Place to Work – Summit Vista • Business of the Year – Markosian Auto “It was an amazing night, exceeding all my expectations,” ChamberWest President and CEO Barbara Riddle said.

“It was so nice to see our gala filled with people again. And we were thrilled to honor Mayor Overson. She was elected to the Hall of Fame unanimously, by our Board of Governors.

She has always been such a champion of business and our organization.”

Riddle launched the ChamberWest Hall of Fame the year after she assumed her post in 2016. Previous ChamberWest Taylorsville Mayor Kristie Overson was joined by city council members and other officials when ChamberWest inducted her into the business Hall of Fame inductees include: organization’s Hall of Fame. (Facebook/Taylorsville City) • 2017 – Sen. Karen Mayne Continued page 7

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May 2022 | Page 3

A decade of perfect grades has Tville graduate Aija Moore dreaming of serving on the U.S. Supreme Court

By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com

I

f you are 5-foot-1, chances are you will never sign a contract to play for the Utah Jazz.

Making your high school basketball team will probably even be a challenge.

But 5’1” seems to be a perfect height to be a female associate justice on the United States Supreme Court. Ruth Bader Ginsburg stood that tall, serving on the high court from 1993 until her 2020 death. Just confirmed Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson stands the same.

Both those facts suit Taylorsville High School graduate – and soon to be University of Utah graduate – Aija Moore just fine. The diminutive young lady, who has never earned a grade other than a straight A since 6th grade, also stands 5’1”.

Do the math on that for a moment – or simply count on your fingers. Three years at Eisenhower Junior High… three more at Taylorsville High… and now four years at the U of U. That’s an entire scholastic decade – nothing but straight A’s. And Aija did not take an easy path.

“I took 10 Advanced Placement classes in high school and passed all the tests, with six 5 scores and four 4 scores (3 is passing, 5 is perfect),” Moore said. “Most the AP classes were in history and English, although I also took AP Spanish and Psychology.”

With her perfect 4.0 GPA in tact at Taylorsville High four years ago, Aija was her 2018 class salutatorian. She also earned the prestigious University of Utah Eccles Scholarship, covering all four years of tuition, fees, housing, meals and a generous stipend for books.

Now, four years later – with that string of perfect A’s still going strong – Moore will graduate in just a few days, with three different degrees – in criminology, history and political science.

“Oddly enough, my most difficult class at the U was a geology course my freshman

Journals T H E

year,” Aija added. “It was an entry-level class.

I thought it would be easier. But the tests were insanely hard. I was new into college and it was terrifying.”

Final grade? A. Moore’s interest in pursuing a law degree was first kindled when she attended a one-semester justice system course during her senior year at Taylorsville High. A couple of years later, Aija’s interest grew even more as she watched her parents navigate the Utah court system while adopting two of her youngest siblings.

“I interned in the Guardian ad Litem Office at the Matheson Courthouse from December 2019 to March 2020 (when the pandemic ended that opportunity),” Moore explained. “I worked a bit on my (adoptive) sister’s case. I got to know attorneys and bailiffs. I want to work as a Guardian ad Litem before becoming a judge.”

Now with two adopted siblings – and another four who arrived “the old-fashioned way” – Aija is the oldest of Matt and Melinda’s seven children. Obviously – even at only 5’1” – she’s placed a high bar for the other six to follow.

“Aija has really worked hard in school, pushing herself to do her best,” mom Melinda Moore said. “She has natural abilities and has worked to make the most of them. I am so proud of this Taylorsville High School graduate.”

Dad Matt adds “I’d love to take credit (for Aija’s scholastic perfection), but she has been diligent from day one. She wants to have an impact on people's lives.”

When not cracking the books, Moore enjoys playing tennis and violin. She and a partner qualified for the Utah Girls State Tennis Tournament her senior year at THS as a doubles team. Also that spring of 2018, Aija and her school orchestra mates travelled to Southern California to perform at Disneyland.

With two parents and six siblings, securing time in the bathroom was likely more challenging for Aija Moore (right) than earning perfect grades. (Courtesy Aija Moore)

Moore now plans to take a so-called “gap year” to work full time to put away money for law school. She’s not yet decided where she wants to go, but hopes to see a different part of the country.

“I haven’t really started to research law schools yet; but I would love to attend a school on the east coast,” Aija said.

No matter where she goes, Moore says she’ll carry fond memories on her petite frame.

“I love Taylorsville,” she concluded. “It was such a great environment for growing up.

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Everyone was not the same religion or ethnicity. I never felt stuck in a little bubble like some of my college classmates. At Taylorsville High, my teachers really cared about me. I always had great community support.”

Aija never dunked a basketball. But if the past “straight A” decade is any indicator, who knows, her trek to join Associate Justice Jackson on the Supreme Court could be a slam dunk. l

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Taylorsville City Journal

‘CODA’ is more than an Oscar winning movie at Sanderson Community Center, it’s part of life

By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com

A

s Chris Rock was presumably icing his left cheek – and Will Smith was cradling his Best Actor Oscar, while peeking over his shoulder for LA’s finest – the briefly violent 94th annual Academy Awards ended on a heartwarming note, when an ailing Liza Minnelli announced “CODA” as the motion picture of the year.

“Jazz hands” filled the Dolby Theater as the film’s makers made their way up on stage.

During two earlier CODA Oscar wins that night – for best supporting actor Troy Katsur and director Siân Heder’s adapted screenplay – we learned jazz hands are the sign for applause in the deaf community.

Here in Utah, Paul DeGraw and Stephen Persinger already knew that. The two work at Taylorsville’s Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (5709 South 1500 West). A case manager at the center, Persinger is deaf himself. DeGraw is an interpreter/trainer at the center, with perfect hearing. Like the 17-year-old character in the film, Ruby Rossi (played by Emilia Jones), DeGraw is a CODA – Child of Deaf Adults.

“I thought they did a pretty good job of showing what it’s like to be a CODA,” DeGraw said. “My mom was born deaf and my dad lost his hearing at a very young age. American Sign Language was my first language.”

A 1993 Hillcrest High School graduate, Paul has four children, ages 11 to 2, with wife Julie. He is a strong advocate of parents teaching their kids at least a few basic ASL words and phrases when they are less than a year old – long before they can speak. DeGraw says it makes parenting much less stressful.

“My oldest could sign 40 different words at 10 months of age,” he said. “Instead of just crying, he could tell us if he was hungry or needed a diaper change. The longest sentence he knew was ‘I want to go to Grandma’s.’ I think ASL is a great tool at that young age. The kids have fewer temper tantrums.”

“CODA” began its journey to the best picture Academy Award here in Utah, a little over a year ago, when it premiered on opening night of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. That premiere was virtual, as the festival was held online-only due to the coronavirus pandemic. The movie earned a record four awards in the festival and was purchased by Apple TV+ for $25 million, another Sundance record.

But Apple didn’t make any of that $25 million back from Persinger.

“I signed up for a one-week free trial with Apple in order to see “CODA”,” Persinger said. “Then I cancelled it. But word

TaylorsvilleJ ournal.com

Stephen Persinger is deaf and has been a case manager at the Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing since 2014. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)

was spreading all over the center and this deaf community at large that you had to see it. It was good.”

Persinger was born in Iowa, earned his high school degree in Kansas City (2006) and graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology (2010) in upstate New York. He’d never been to Utah until taking his position at the Sanderson Center in 2014. He and wife Mercy – an ASL teacher at Salt Lake’s Jean Massieu School of the Deaf – have a 2-year-old son and were expecting their first daughter at the end of April.

Stephen does not consider his deafness to be a “handicap” or even a “challenge.”

“I love being deaf,” he said, with DeGraw interpreting for him. “I don’t look at it as a bad thing. I would not wish for hearing. ASL is a completely different language than English. We are more direct, more blunt. We have our own poetry, our own jokes. And when you see someone else signing, you feel connected to them.”

DeGraw’s parents felt the same way.

“I once asked each of my parents whether they would take a pill to gain their hearing and they both said ‘no,’” DeGraw said. “They love their (deaf) culture and language. It’s like a brotherhood when a deaf person sees another deaf person signing.”

The National Institutes of Health (nih. gov) reports “fewer than 1 in 20 Americans are currently deaf or hard of hearing. In round numbers, nearly 10 million people are hard of hearing and close to one mil-

Paul DeGraw is a sign language interpreter and mentor at the Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)

The Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is now celebrating its 30th year of operation on its Taylorsville campus. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)

lion are functionally deaf. More than half of all persons with hearing loss or deafness are age 65 or older, while fewer than 4% are under 18 years of age.”

At the moment, state officials are several months into a search for a new Sanderson Center Director.

"Hiring a director for Utah’s Division of Service of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is a crucial decision,” Workforce Services spokesman Jared Mendenhall said. “The new director will guide the division and the Sanderson Center for years to come.

Due to the highly specialized nature of this position, finding a new director will re-

quire a thorough nationwide search. We are committed to hiring an effective, dynamic leader to strengthen and serve Utah’s deaf and hard of hearing community."

The Sanderson Community Center features 71,000 square feet of meeting and conference room space, lecture halls, a large basketball court and multipurpose area and several other amenities. Its Taylorsville campus is a spacious six acres.

For more information about the staterun center, visit www.jobs.utah.gov/usor/ dhh. l

May 2022 | Page 5

City Councilman Cochran and wife tour Atlanta, attend day one of the Masters Tournament in Augusta

By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com

N

ext time you need to kill a few hours – and get a little exercise – wander down to the goal line on the Taylorsville High School football field. Walk those one hundred yards from one goal line to the other…then back again… and again… and again… Walk those 100 yards 74 times – but on your 75th lap, you can stop at the 25-yard line – the far one.

When you’re done – as you tend to any blisters – realize you’ve just walked the same distance (7,475 yards, or 4.25 miles) as those who golf 18 holes at Augusta National Golf Course. Or you could just be an ambitious spectator there – like Taylorsville City Councilman Curt Cochran and his wife Wendy were last month, on day one of the 86th edition of the Masters Golf Tournament.

“The course is absolutely beautiful,” Cochran said. “We arrived there very early on the first day of the Masters (April 7), walked the first three holes, waited in line to have our picture taken (spectators were not allowed to carry cameras or cell phones) and then walked holes 4 through 18. After walking that whole thing, we decided to pick one spot to remain for the rest of the day.”

No word on whether blisters needed tending.

The Cochran’s week in Georgia ended at Augusta National. It actually began several days earlier, 143 miles west of Augusta, in the huge, if not always “thriving,” metropolis of Atlanta. Although the councilman admits this sojourn was mostly vacation, he was also on a bit of a fact-finding mission.

“Atlanta is the headquarters of many large corporations, including Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, Kroger, Marriott and Turner Broadcasting,” Cochran said. “But a lot of the business owners and employees I spoke with are not happy. Their consensus was the city is not spending enough money to keep their downtown area vibrant. People told me businesses are pulling out and undesirable elements are taking over.”

In particular, Cochran cited a once bustling shopping and entertainment district in the downtown area called “Underground Atlanta.”

“That area is now completely closed; and, again, the locals say an undesirable element is moving in,” he added. “I also observed sidewalks, streets and curbs filled with litter. I asked one (apparently homeless) man why he sleeps during the day, and he told me ‘because it’s too dangerous to sleep at night.’ My takeaway was, city governments have to be willing to invest in keeping their communities clean in order to protect their business areas.”

Cochran understands there’s a huge difference between Atlanta, with its nearly half-million residents, when compared to Taylorsville’s 60,000. But he believes some principles do cross over.

Page 6 | May 2022

“For example, I have noticed we don’t have trash cans at all of our Taylorsville UTA bus stops,” he added. “I’d like to work with UTA and UDOT to get more trash cans. I also think more of our bus stops should be covered and have benches. Like everything else though, it’s a matter of determining top priorities for spending (tax) money. But I’ve always believed keeping our city clean should be one of our top high priorities – and Atlanta reinforced that.”

Cochran and his wife visited the Coca-Cola headquarters while in the Georgia capital.

They also saw the home where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in 1929 as well as Ebenezer Baptist Church where Dr. King was co-pastor from 1960 until his assassination in 1968.

The Utah couple also had a brief brush with Hollywood when they stumbled upon actor Zachary Levi filming a new children’s movie in Atlanta, “Harold and the Purple Crayon.”

As their day to attend the Masters drew closer, the Cochrans shifted from their Atlanta hotel to one in Augusta for their final two nights. Besides watching Tiger Woods and the other golfers, Cochran wanted to use his visit to the esteemed course to observe how cities handle large events.

“They say daily attendance at the Masters is about 40-50 thousand spectators; but it did not feel that crowded most of the time,” Cochran said. “The city of Augusta was very proactive about closing streets to keep traffic moving. When we arrived at the course that morning, traffic was flowing well and we were able to park close. It seemed very well organized.”

Cochran learned a few things he would be happy to share with the annual Taylorsville Dayzz Committee.

“Our committee does a great job and last year they drew a record crowd (to Taylorsville Dayzz), maybe 10-15 thousand,” he added. “I just observed some things at the Masters that (if we tried something similar here) might loosen up the crowded walking and eating areas near the Taylorsville Dayzz food booths.”

Cochran was also impressed with the police presence around Augusta National during his day at the tournament.

“We definitely felt secure while we were there,” he added. “And they also had plenty of staff, maybe some of them volunteers, to answer questions and help show us where to go.”

As for the golf itself, after their 4+ mile course walk the Cochrans settled into bleachers overlooking the 17th green, which also offered good views of the hole 15 fairway and hole 18 tee box.

“We got there in time to watch groups 7 through 31 putt,” Cochran added.

And did that include Woods’ group?

“As Tiger approached the 17th green, it

Taylorsville City Councilman Curt Cochran and his wife Wendy were among those in Augusta, Georgia last month for the 86th edition of the Masters Tournament. (Courtesy Curt Cochran)

was like the President was coming to town,” Cochran added. “He had such a huge group of fans walking with him, you could hear his crowd when they were four holes away. But I noticed when he is competing, he is the most focused man I have ever seen. You could also tell, because of his (leg) injuries (from a February 23, 2021 car crash) he was also very focused on his walking.”

Woods’ best day of the four was that Thursday when the Cochrans were watching him up close and personal. Tiger shot a 1-under-par 71, followed by a 74 on Friday and a pair of 78 scores over the weekend, to finish well out of contention.

As for this year’s Masters winner, Scottie Scheffler, 25, Cochran admits “I don’t even remember watching him putt; but I know he played through our hole while we were there.

His name just wasn’t one I was paying close attention to.”

As an aside, Cochran mentioned he and his son Nick had actually been much closer to Tiger Woods at the only other golf major he’s ever attended – the 2010 U.S. Open.

“That trip was my high school graduation gift to Nick and we were at Pebble Beach (Golf Links, in California),” Cochran said. “Nick ended up helping out at a cooler, handing water bottles to the golfers. He handed one to Tiger.”

Nick played three years on the Taylorsville High School golf team. And Cochran says his son shot him an ‘are-you-kidding-me?’ look when he told him Mom was using the second tournament pass at Augusta and not him.

The day after their 7,475-yard walk around the Augusta National Golf Course, Curt and Wendy Cochran were back aboard a Utahbound airplane, promising one another they will do more of their own golfing this summer.

It would seem they must have comfortable shoes. l

Taylorsville City Journal

Continued from front page and former Sen. Ed Mayne • 2018 – Bob Harmon and Harmons Grocery stores • 2019 – Kyle Treadway and Kenworth Sales Co. • 2020 – Former West Valley City Mayor Ron Bigelow • 2021 – Dan England and C.R. England Inc. “I am really humbled and appreciative they would select me,” Overson said. “It was so nice to have city council members and

other city officials there. It was a great night.

ChamberWest does everything top notch. I was deeply honored.”

Chairman of the ChamberWest Board of Directors Rick Clasby shared Mayor Overson’s induction introduction with the gala audience.

“The Hall of Fame award is presented to a profound leader or organization which has provided extraordinary service to the community,” he began. “Mayor Overson has 20plus years in public service with Taylorsville City. She served for 11 years on the planning

Taylorsville Mayor Kristie Overson received top honors at the annual ChamberWest gala when she was inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame. (Facebook/Taylorsville City)

TaylorsvilleJ ournal.com

commission, six years as a city council member and is now serving in her second term as mayor.”

In the audience was Taylorsville’s newest city council member Bob Knudsen.

“Mayor Overson is doing such a fantastic job,” Knudsen said. “She makes it a priority to be available—to talk to people. She does a great job making Taylorsville a city where people want to be.”

Among the people at the gala dressed in “Wizard of Oz” costumes was one person who surprised everyone—Taylorsville City Councilman Curt Cochran’s wife, Wendy.

“It’s her all-time favorite movie—our guest bedroom is completely filled with ‘Wizard of Oz’ stuff,” Cochran said. “So, she just decided to show up at the gala in the Dorothy costume she recently got. She surprised the mayor, who got a big laugh out of it.”

Like the other city council members in attendance, Cochran felt ChamberWest made the right selection for its top honor.

“Mayor Overson absolutely deserves to be in their Hall of Fame,” he said. “The mayor is a class act. She always treats staff and employees with so much respect. Mayor Overson tied ‘Wizard of Oz’ themes into her acceptance speech, saying things like ‘there’s no place like home’ in Taylorsville. That really resonated with Wendy and me.”

This was the sixth annual ChamberWest Gala, as the organization succeeded in not cancelling any of the events, despite the

two-year COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the business organization held it in late February, just two weeks before coronavirus shut everything down. Then last year the gala was in June, during that brief lull when people thought the pandemic was finally behind them.

“Last year’s gala was different, with guest seating more spread out,” Riddle said.

“It was nice to get back to a more normal cadence this year.”

Up next for ChamberWest is the second of five planned “Professional Development Series” luncheons. The featured speaker at the May 17 event will be the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics Director Jason Perry. The luncheon will be held at the Embassy Suites in West Valley City.

The following week, May 24, ChamberWest will host its annual Women’s Golf Clinic at The Ridge Golf Course.

And June 15 will find more than 250 participants at the annual ChamberWest Golf Tournament, at West Valley City’s Stonebridge Golf Club.

For more information or to sign up for any of these activities visit chamberwest. com.

“ChamberWest is such a valuable organization for our west side of the valley: Taylorsville, West Jordan, West Valley and Kearns,” Overson concluded. “They do a tremendous job promoting our businesses.” l

May 2022 | Page 7

Dominic Burchett sworn in as Unified Fire Authority’s 14th fire chief

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

W

hen Dominic Burchett was sworn in as Unified Fire Authority’s 14th fire chief in the agency’s 100-year history, he took over the reins for Utah's largest fire agency, serving 15 communities from Emigration Canyon to Eagle Mountain.

His appointment follows the retirement of Dan Petersen, who served as fire chief since 2017, a man Burchett has worked with and respects.

“Chief Petersen taught me the value of collaboration,” Burchett said. “He helped me understand the value of working with partners and stakeholders, searching to find the best answers for the community.”

Burchett, a Utah native, has extensive fire experience that stems from more than 20 years serving Salt Lake County, most recently as assistant chief of support services.

He was responsible for the daily operations of fire prevention, IT, logistics, and special enforcement. He also led the seismic retrofitting of all UFA stations and helped with several station rebuilding projects.

His fire career began in 1997 when his brother, Matthew Burchett, took a seasonal wildland job with Salt Lake County.

“He came home dirty and stinky, and I was in,” Burchett said. “I was able to be outside and work with people I really respected.

I was with my brother and other people who were working hard. I followed wherever he would take me.”

When Matthew died in August 2018, working on a fire line of the Mendocino Complex Fire in California, Burchett lost his brother and best friend.

“We grew up incredibly close,” Burchett said. “The healing process for me was a lot of therapy and people helping me through it. I think because of him I was able to step outside my comfort zone. He’s there kind of guiding me down certain roads and I feel his presence in different situations.”

Over the years, Burchett has taken opportunities for growth that helped him step up the chain of leadership. He moved through the ranks as a firefighter, wildland specialist, paramedic, captain, and division chief.

As the new fire chief, Burchett has three main areas of focus; the health and well-being of fire personnel, understanding the communities served by UFA, and continuous improvement for himself and the agency.

He said, historically, fire departments have acted in a reactionary way to issues such as suicide, PTSD, and burnout, dealing with problems as they come up. He created a video that detailed his own struggles in the

In April, Dominic Burchett was sworn in as Unified Fire Authority’s 14th fire chief. (Photo courtesy Unified Fire)

hope it will create an open dialogue about mental wellness.

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“I want to look at these things more holistically and focus on prevention,” he said. “There’s a lot of responsibility on my shoulders and I want to do what’s best for my people. My focus is really providing the best service for the community and being the best fire chief.”

Over the last five years, Burchett said UFA has come a long way under the previous fire chief. Building on Petersen’s foundation, he doesn’t need to do a big overhaul of the department, just implement small changes to keep moving the organization forward.

“We have to be in tune with what our communities’ needs are. Our crews have to know what their communities want and how to provide that,” Burchett said.

With nearly 700 employees, UFA serves more than 420,000 residents in Salt Lake and Utah counties. In 2020, UFA responded to 31,226 emergency incidents with 59,056 unit responses from 24 fire stations.

“He has some big shoes to fill,” UFA Board Chair and Holladay Mayor Robert Dahle said. “That said, we are certain, given the full support of our board and the backing of both civilian and sworn members of this incredible organization, he cannot help but be successful.”

Burchett lives with his wife, Jillian, and their five children. He enjoys being outside, traveling, and participating in IRONMAN competitions, which he’s completed five times. He owns a small business and earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Utah. l

Taylorsville City Journal

Kearns High PACE program starts ninth graders on the path to success

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

T

his year, more than 30 ninth-graders at Kearns High School were given the gift of education. Due to a donation from Mark and Kathie Miller, KHS joined the Salt Lake Community College PACE scholarship program that helps increase graduation rates and college enrollment.

Partnership for Accessing College Education is a relationship between high schools, local businesses and SLCC that started 10 years ago. Eligible students begin the program in their freshman year and continue through high school graduation.

Upon completion of the PACE Scholarship Program, students receive up to a twoyear scholarship to SLCC, covering tuition and fees. Monica Gomez is the PACE adviser at KHS. She’s excited to work with the inaugural group of PACE students at the high school.

“As advisers, we set up shop in a high school and become part of the high school staff. We work with students to get them college-ready,” Gomez said. “We help students navigate relationships with the teachers and teach them to advocate for themselves.”

Students are also mentored by past PACE participants. Ingrid Medina, a Taylorsville resident who participated in the Cottonwood High School PACE Scholars, is in her second semester at SLCC, studying biology. West Jor-

dan resident and PACE mentor Alexa Rosales also graduated from CHS. “We meet [students] and tell them they can come to us for help,” Medina said. “[PACE] helped me get out of my comfort zone and reach out to opportunities that are offered. It helped me financially so I don’t have to worry about money and I can focus on school.”

Rosales said the program helped give her direction for post-high school. “I was very indecisive on what I wanted to do and it helped me get a head start on college,” she said.

PACE students create academic plans geared toward graduation and success.

Through activities and workshops they can explore different career options. Field trips like visiting Loveland Living Planet Aquarium give them information about becoming marine biologists or an aquarist, caring for fish and underwater animals.

Currently, 300 students are participating in the SLCC Pace program. To be eligible to apply, students must be in ninth grade at Cottonwood, East, Highland, West or Kearns High Schools. They must also be a first-generation college student or demonstrate financial need.

The opening of the Kearns program is unique because of the gift from the Millers.

The donation provides resources and seeds scholarship funds for PACE graduates at KHS.

Kearns High School joins the SLCC PACE Scholarship program funded by a donation by Mark and Kathie Miller. (Wikimedia)

Their donation was the largest, single private investment in the history of the SLCC PACE program.

In an interview for SLCC Magazine, Mark Miller said “I am good at giving people the ball and letting them run with it. PACE, in effect, does the same thing; providing an opportunity for students who want to succeed to get on a fast track to do better.”

PACE has demonstrated success over the

past 10 years. Gomez said 80% of students stay for all four years of the program, 99% graduate from high school and 65-70% move on to SLCC. “Some of what we do is to get them caught up to grade level in math and reading,” Gomez said. “We use the iReady program to help them get caught up with independent work. The whole goal is to be college-ready and to go on to secondary education.”l

Eisenhower’s Ruben Gutiérrez receives an Excel Award from Granite School District

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

I

n the highly diverse population at Eisenhower Junior High in Taylorsville, Ruben Núñez Gutiérrez’s work as a Spanish Dual Language Immersion teacher really stands out. His engaging content and contagious enthusiasm create an inclusive classroom where students learn to connect with both each other and the world around them.

Gutiérrez was selected as a recipient of the 2021-2022 Excel Award, recognizing him as one of the best teachers in Granite School District. As one of 10 recipients of this year’s award, he will vie for Granite’s Teacher of the Year.

Overjoyed and surprised by the recognition, Gutiérrez learned several students and parents had nominated him for the Excel Award.

“I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness. This is so amazing!’” Gutiérrez said. “I feel that I connect with my students. I feel that we have a classroom environment where they can talk to me. We’ve built confidence and trust.”

Gutiérrez earned a Master’s degree in history from the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela in Spain, teaching in his country for several years before coming to the States.

He taught DLI at the elementary school level before taking the position at Eisenhower four years ago.

TaylorsvilleJ ournal.com

His curriculum consists of teaching seventh- and eighth-grade students how to speak, read and write in Spanish. English is not allowed in class. Topics he teaches include culture, history and media of the Latino world, covering art, literature and politics.

“They come to me and I make sure they’re ready to take the AP Spanish test in ninth grade and pass it,” he said. “They need to use Spanish with me and among themselves all the time.”

At Eisenhower, 32% of students come from bilingual families and 47% are Hispanic. Gutiérrez has gone out of his way to connect with the Spanish-speaking community in Taylorsville, working with parents who don’t speak English to help them understand their child’s school work and progress.

“When I came here from Spain, people were helping me so much and I want to give back what they gave to me,” he said. “It’s about building relationships and confidence and trust.”

Gutiérrez loves integrating technology into teaching. When teachers struggled to find a way to teach off-site, he created Utah Notebooks for his students. Using Google slides, he created audio and video files, creating engaging content to shape a better learning environment.

Eisenhower Junior High teacher, Ruben Gutiérrez, is one of only 10 educators in Granite School District given the Excel Award this year. (Photo courtesy Granite School District)

After COVID hit in 2020, he spent that summer creating lesson plans for Canvas, the district’s eLearning platform, for other Spanish teachers to use for the upcoming school year. He’s presented his work at conferences, instructing other educators about the value of online class content and how to make it fun.

“His students enjoy being in his class and they all like Mr. Gutiérrez,” said Eisen-

hower Junior High School Principal Mark Ellermeier. “He is a team player and always has a smile on his face. He cares about his students and goes the extra mile when working with them. All parents, students and coworkers think the world of Mr. Gutiérrez.

Eisenhower Junior High is fortunate to have him as a teacher.” l

May 2022 | Page 9

Boys volleyball approved for sanctioning in 2023-24

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

R JUNE 2021 EVENTS

2022

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

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Page 10 | May 2022

epresentatives of the Utah Boys Volleyball Association had sat in meetings with the Utah High School Activities Association before—over the past four years in a formal fashion. So, when the UHSAA board again put the sanctioning of boys volleyball to a vote, the UBVA members braced themselves. They had been here before, and had walked out disappointed every time. Yet, on this day, March 24, 2022, it would finally be the outcome they had wanted when their organization was formed in 2015.

After decades of boys playing the sport in Utah, boys volleyball is official, and with a 10-4 vote, will now be a UHSAA-sanctioned sport beginning in the 2023-24 school year, joining the ranks with 25 other states nationwide.

“We had a lot more hope and momentum this time, but it was so surreal to sit there and hear it announced. We were just in shock,” said UBVA co-founder Jill Davis.

This latest attempt at sanctioning laid 10,000 signatures in front of the UHSAA board along with written support from local politicians, including Norm Thurston of the Utah House of Representatives, who was in attendance at the meeting, to BYU athletic director, Tom Holmoe, BYU men’s volleyball coach Shawn Olmstead and USA national men’s volleyball coach John Speraw.

UHSAA assistant director Jan Whittaker said, “The UHSAA is excited to be sanctioning boys’ volleyball for the 2023-24 schools year.

This will allow many boys who have not been competing in a sport for their school the opportunity to be part of the high school sports experience. They will be able to benefit from the positive impact that high school athletics has on students.”

Davis said, “It’s a wonderful sense of accomplishment and it was an honor to be in the seat. A lot of people told us it wouldn’t happen, but our grassroots efforts and the community support made this happen.

This is a victory for everybody, especially the boys and their families.”

Davis has helped spearhead the UBVA’s effort the past few years to get the sport sanctioned. Her sons, Parker and Price, were part of a Bingham High boys volleyball program who three-peated in state titles from 2017 to 2019. She, UBVA co-founder Warren Van Schalkwyk and Duke Mossman, who coaches at Wasatch High, formed a collaborative effort of continually gathering statistics and surveying coaches statewide to keep up with the growing interest and participation in the sport.

What they found was: • Boys volleyball is one of the fastest growing sport in high schools across the nation.

• Boys volleyball is one of the largest club sports in Utah. In 2015, the state had 24 club teams; last fall, that number was up to 56.

• In 2019, 81 high school teams represented 56 schools in Utah.

This year, 122 high school teams are playing from 64 schools with more than 1,500 boys competing.

• More than half of those 64 high school teams had such a demand in numbers that coaches had to cut players at tryouts due to popularity of the sport and lack of facilities.

• Most of the 5A and 6A schools have full teams with the 3A and 4A classifications having a more mixed representation and the more rural schools in 1A and 2A coming in with the lowest participation rates.

• 53% of the boys volleyball programs pay for gym rentals from their schools in order to play and practice.

• 90% of participants statewide just play boys volleyball and are not multi-sport athletes.

“The push that Jill stayed on to make was really key,” Corner Canyon High boys volleyball director Dan Penrod said. “Over this long process, there have always been a few parents that wanted to get the sanctioning ball rolling, but when their boys were finished playing, the momentum died down. Jill staying on after her boys graduated was everything in making sure this happened.”

Whittaker noted how the Emerging Sports Program that the UHSAA formed three years ago played a key role in the sanctioning of boys volleyball. “That program was created to grow meaningful participation opportunities for student-athletes, particularly for female student-ath-

Skyline’s Kai Sorenson and Nick Allen reach to block a Bingham attack with Jordyn Vagana also ready on defense during a game at Riverton High School.

(Photo credit Josh Henderson)

letes, in sports and activities,” she said. “A sport can be considered for sanctioning after it meets a certain threshold of participating of our students in member schools. Boys participating in volleyball has steadily grown over the past few years.”

Whittaker said once boys volleyball had met initial criteria for sanctioning consideration the UHSAA Board of Trustees looked at several factors in the ultimate decision-making process including: • The impact on Title IX compliance • The percentage of member schools that facilitate interscholastic competition in the emerging sport • Participation in community-sponsored leagues for the sport • Whether other state high school athletic associations sponsor or sanction competition in the sport • University, college and junior college opportunities for participation after high school • Whether the sport is a lifetime sport or activity, easily accessed in later life, that contributes to public health or fitness • Whether the NFHS or other recognized governing body publishes rules for interscholastic competition in the sport • Assistance available for growing the sport from national governing bodies, in-state coaches association and/or in-state officials associations • Significant obstacles to growing the sport, such as lack of facilities, expensive equipment, risk of injury, lack of experienced coaches and officials • The opportunity for student-athletes to participate equally from all socio-economic backgrounds

Taylorsville City Journal

• Whether sanctioning the sport will divert participants from and weaken an existing sanctioned or emerging sport • Whether there is significant competition for student-athletes to participate in this sport outside of school • The length of time the sport has been an emerging sport • The burden on member schools, districts and on the UHSAA of sanctioning the emerging sport • Utah Division of Risk Management concerns and input “This is not a check off list, but are items that were discussed prior to making the decision to sanction boys volleyball,” Whittaker said, adding that each school and district will “make the determination whether they will sponsor a sport that UHSAA sanctions.”

Davis said that the sanctioning of boys volleyball is a “win-win.” “This legitimizes it for the boys and creates stability and consistency across the board under a fabulous umbrella.

Scholarships are secondary,” she said. “Plus, county rec leagues can still function for those who were cut from their high school teams as well as those who just want to play.”

Davis, the former director of Bingham boys volleyball teams, has been gearing up to step away from UBVA since 2020 when her son graduated but “needed to stay in the game” to see the sanctioning process through. “Personally, to be able to serve these boys has been a thrill, and it’s an even bigger thrill to betting

Utah on the map with boys volleyball,” she said. “I’ll forever be a part of the sport, but this ‘cherry on the top’ is so exciting for these kids and a great way to go out for me.”

“Jill is an absolute angel for doing all of that. She did an amazing job, and it means so much to the boys,” said Olympus High boys volleyball club director Brett Peterson.

Peterson, who has been directing the Olympus boys volleyball program for several years—with Ben Chamberlain coaching the varsity squad—said he’s thrilled to have the boys experience sanctioned volleyball. Peterson’s own experience was competing for two years in sanctioned play in California, and then helping build a club team at Olympus High, where he was a player/coach over his final two seasons, while his mom, Chris, ran the program.

The UBVA will continue to host the state boys volleyball tournament for the next two seasons as budgets, schedules and regional alignments are put in place for the 2024 spring season when UHSAA will take the reins.

For more information on the UBVA, visit www.ubva.info or email ubva.info@gmail. com.

The addition of boys volleyball will come just after Salt Lake City hosts the high school boys volleyball national championships in summer 2023.l

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TaylorsvilleJ ournal.com

The featured speaker is Congressman Chris Stewart.

Program will include: Hill Air Force Base Honor Guard, Utah Firefighters Emerald Society bagpipes, Patriotic Music by Brian Stucki and the Minuteman Brass Quintet and Refreshments Courtesy of Cedarwood at Sandy.

OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. May 2022 | Page 11

WHERE THERE IS GRIEF, THERE IS GREAT LOVE Grief is an individual journey with a path as unique as each one of us. To offer support and hope, we provide various Grief Support Services for those who are mourning a recent or past loss.

Attendees at the 2019 SHINE Gala helped raise money for The Children’s Center of Utah. The annual fundraiser helps pay for comprehensive mental health treatment for children up to 6 years old. (Photos courtesy of Sparkle Photography)

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Page 12 | May 2022

The Children’s Center of Utah recognizes Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

E

ach year on May 7, Children's Mental Health Awareness Day brings recognition to the value of a child’s mental health.

But The Children's Center of Utah will highlight the importance of children’s mental health all month long.

“Our organization is inviting the whole community to become involved,” said Rebecca Dutson, The Children's Center of Utah president and CEO. “On our website, people can find a whole lot of ideas they can be engaged in or their business can be engaged with. The more we talk about it, the less there will be a stigma.”

The Center is asking businesses to give a portion of proceeds to The Children's Center of Utah during May and invites everyone to promote its mission on social media platforms.

Yard signs are available to put outside a home or business, promoting awareness for children’s mental health. Anyone interested can contact Joni Clark at jclark@tccutah.org to reserve a sign. Or visit childrenscenterutah.org/awareness for more ideas on how to become an ambassador for mental health and raise money for the cause.

“The best thing we can all do is start talking more openly about not just our own mental health but mental health in the family,” Dutson said. “There is so much support.

One of the promises we make to our community is that we do not turn anyone away for inability to pay.”

Supporters are also invited to attend The Children's Center of Utah’s SHINE Gala on Friday, June 3, at the Gallivan Center Plaza.

The gala will be in-person, the first time in two years, and there is lots of interest from long-term supporters.

The SHINE Gala, which started more than 20 years ago, features a social hour, silent and live auctions, entertainment and a buffet dinner. In the past, the event has raised more than $500,000 to help pay for children’s mental health services. Registration is available on The Children's Center of Utah website.

“We’re shining a light on the importance of early childhood mental health and comprehensive mental health care for children,” Dutson said. “Every child and every child’s needs are unique. We encourage families who have concerns about their child to reach out and start a conversation.”

COVID shone a light on mental health issues. Children were heavily impacted by their parents’ stress, the change of schedules and isolation from friends and family during the pandemic. “[The pandemic] allowed for more conversations about mental health. We just want to continue to build on that,” Dutson said.

“The relationships that children have with their caregivers and parents are so important. It’s usually those adults that realize there might be a concern. When we talk about mental health it can change the trajectory of a child’s life.”

The Children's Center of Utah works with children from infants through 6 years of age. Its mission is to bring a heightened awareness to the issue of children’s mental health. For more than 50 years, the organization has used evidence-based treatments, helping more than 1,800 children each year to increase resilience and develop healthy emotional well-being.l

Taylorsville City Journal

Investments of $30 million-plus tackle affordable housing, jobs and water conservation

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

I

n a response to the state’s housing crisis, the Salt Lake County Council recently approved $20 million in funds to build and preserve nearly 1,200 affordable housing units. The housing will be near childcare resources and jobs, with access to broadband, transportation and schools.

“More affordable housing is desperately needed,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said. “There are way too many hard-working households that are left behind because of skyrocketing home prices, rising rents, and fewer options to choose from. Salt Lake County is listening to residents and responding with significant funding to build and preserve housing.”

Funding for the project comes from the American Rescue Plan Act with an additional $12.1 million earmarked for water conservation and workforce development.

With the steady increase of rental and home ownership costs, and stagnant wages, the council approved the ARPA funds in the form of grants to community housing organizations, nonprofit housing providers, municipalities, and private developers.

In 2021, rental costs increased by 12% and homeownership costs increased by

28% or more in the county. In March 2022, the median price for a Salt Lake County single-family home sold for $580,000.

“Housing is one of the things that keep us up at night,” said Dina Blaes, director of Salt Lake County’s Office of Regional Development. “But, fortunately, the county has a lot of expertise in affordable housing. So, we’re going to leverage our expertise with this new funding to enable thousands of families to remain living and working in Salt Lake County.”

Workforce development will receive a $10 million boost for the new Workforce Inclusion and Successful Employment program. Through grants, WISE will help nearly 2,000 students complete trainings that lead to higher-paying jobs. Students will also be connected with childcare, mental health and mentorship services.

“I think this is an awesome opportunity for Salt Lake County residents who might be working two or three jobs. We’re making it easier for them to succeed with career goals that really help themselves and their families,” said Jevon Gibb, Salt Lake County economic development director.

Water conservation receives the final allocation of ARPA funds, with $2.1 mil-

In a response to the state’s housing crisis, the Salt Lake County Council recently approved $20 million in funds to build and preserve nearly 1,200 affordable housing units. (City Journals)

lion going to a regional water conservation program. By collaborating with cities and unincorporated areas in the county, the development of water conservation and landuse action plans will address the state’s

current drought, the worst in 50 years.

As growth in Salt Lake County is projected to add 600,000 residents by 2065, water for current and future populations is a top concern for the region. l

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TaylorsvilleJ ournal.com

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May 2022 | Page 13

Taylorsville resident Preston Marshall wins high honors at the state science fair

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@mycityjournals.com

C

ompeting against hundreds of young scientists, Preston Marshall took home a third-place finish at the state-level science fair held at the University of Utah in April. The 11-year-old Taylorsville resident attends sixth grade at Viewmont Elementary. His project, Grow a Better Garden with Less Water in a Drought, is intended to draw attention to water use.

“I did it because there’s a drought in Utah and I wanted to see what variable would come out on top in the experiment,” Preston said.

“Scientists want to solve problems. I was interested in reducing water consumption.”

His experiment involved growing radish plants under different conditions: using organic fertilizer, watering with banana peel water, growing in a mini greenhouse, and using no outside influence.

Preston hypothesized the fertilizer would produce the biggest plants but was surprised when the greenhouse plants outgrew all other experiments.

“Anything that traps moisture gives the best results, according to my data,” Preston said.

His journey to the state science fair started with books he studied to learn “science-y words and processes.” He won the Viewmont Elementary Science Fair before moving

through the district level and on to state where he competed against 200 fifth and sixth graders in the Elementary division.

“My whole family came. When they announced it, we were all excited,” he said. “I like learning. You can never learn everything.

There’s always more to learn. That’s what science is, you’re always discovering new things.”

As a fan of science, Preston enjoys reading “Astrophysics for Kids” and listening to astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson. While he hasn’t narrowed down a future career path, he’s interested in becoming a scientist, or maybe an attorney or judge.

“I’m good at arguing and good at winning arguments,” he said. “I want to join the debate club if they have it in seventh grade.”

Preston’s mom, Jenalee Marshall, was influenced by her son’s project. His findings made her rethink how to take care of a vegetable garden by lowering water consumption, utilizing empty milk jugs as a greenhouse around plants, and using potassium to enrich the soil.

Preston shared his recipe for banana peel water, which leaches potassium from the peels. He said potassium is an easy and inexpensive fertilizer that uses food waste.

“I put a banana peel in water overnight in

Preston Marshall placed third at the state-level science fair at the University of Utah. His plant sciences project depicted how to grow a better garden. (Photo courtesy of Cindy Nordstrom)

a sealed glass jar to give the plant potassium and make the plant healthy. I then threw away the peel to use just the banana water.”

“From a functional standpoint, these are things we can use to practice sustainable

gardening and extend the growing season,” Marshall said. “We talk in our household. We are very open about scientific questions. I’m helping my children have an open mind about truth and finding truth for themselves.” l

Go for the vibes!

Join us this summer in downtown Salt Lake City! Experience great live music, watch a poetry slam, catch a variety of films, discover new visual artists, witness the creation of a graffiti mural, visit our Kids’ Art Yard and enjoy local food, adventurous treats, and craft beverages.

Get tix now at uaf.org

Page 14 | May 2022

Taylorsville City Journal

City of Taylorsville Newsletter 2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400

MAYOR'S MESSAGE Dear Friends and Neighbors, We are so pleased with the response to recent efforts aimed at encouraging water conservation. With spring now here and summer quickly approaching, we know it’s important to be mindful of saving water — particularly as drought conditions affect us Mayor Kristie S. Overson again statewide.

So toward that end, we as a city tried to think of some ways we could help. First, we decided to partner with the Utah Rivers Council.

Through its RainHarvest Utah project, the Rivers Council offers discounted rain barrels in an effort to incentivize water conservation and recycling. The 50-gallon barrels collect runoff from roofs and gutters, which can then be used for watering lawns and gardens.

We thought we could subsidize 40 barrels for our residents, to start.

But before we could even advertise the program, 100 residents signed up. Ultimately, the city ended up subsidizing 175 rain barrels, and we’re hoping to do more next year.

Next, the Green Committee organized a class this past month held at City Hall, where sustainable landscapes expert Cynthia Bee of the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District taught the Localscapes method. Again, the response was incredible. Registration for 75 people was filled before we could even promote that it was happening, and more than 100 people were watching the online livestream of the class. As a result, the Green Committee added another class on May 2. You can find out more about the Localscapes method at localscapes.com I was among those attending the class last month and found Cynthia’s message inspiring. There are so many ways we can landscape the space around our homes to make them beautiful, all while saving water and creating less maintenance. It made me want to explore practicing some of the Localscapes methods around my own home.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress!

Lastly, I want to thank the Taylorsville Parks and Recreation Committee. They have been working so hard on our Loving Labrum Park project to improve the 7-acre community park at 6041 S. Jordan Canal Rd. On a recent Saturday morning a couple of weeks ago, volunteers and committee members planted 350 waterwise and native plants. That level of service is simply remarkable and makes me want to do more.

I am so proud of our Taylorsville community and the conscientious efforts everyone is making. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you are doing to conserve water and keep our community beautiful.

–Mayor Kristie S. Overson

WHAT ’S INSIDE – MAY 2022 Frequently Called Numbers, Page 2 Council Corner, Page 3 Getting to Know TVPD, Page 6 Heritage Remembrances, Page 7 Environment, Page 8

www.taylorsvilleut.gov

May 2022

Ride, Run, Float ‘Triathlon’ Serves up Summer of Fun

The Taylorsville Parks and Recreation Committee has organized a new event this summer.

It’s a ‘triathlon’ of sorts and you don’t have to be an athlete to participate.

Called Ride. Run. Float., the triathlon is noncompetitive and family friendly. “We’re hoping everyone will have a go of it and enjoy this chance to get out and have some fun,” said Mayor Kristie Overson.

The bike ride/roll portion kicks off the event on Saturday, May 14, at 10 a.m., starting at Millrace Park. This event will not be timed and participants are encouraged to wear costumes and to decorate their bikes, scooters, rollerblades, skateboards or anything else to roll down the Jordan River Parkway Trail. Water and snacks will be provided at the finish line.

Next up is the “run” leg. The Taylorsville Dayzz 5K on June 25 at 7 a.m. is timed but you can also participate in it or the Kids Run just for fun. See more Taylorsville Dayzz events on Pages 4 and

5 of this section and go to www.taylorsvilleut. gov to register for the 5K, Kids Run and Triathlon.

Lastly, the “Float the River” event is scheduled for Saturday, July 16, at 10 a.m. This water portion of the triathlon will start at Millrace Park and travel down the river to Little Confluence Park.

This event will not be timed, and participants can complete this section in their own tube, kayak, inflatable boat, raft, paddleboard or canoe.

“It will definitely be a summer of fun,” said Mayor Overson. “Ride. Run. Float. Participate in one or all three.”

FREQUENTLY CALLED NUMBERS

PAGE 2

| www.taylorsvilleut.gov

Emergency ...................................................................................................911 Police Department ............................................................... 801-840-4000 Poison Control Center .................................................... 1-800-222-1222 Animal Control Shelter ....................................................... 801-965-5800 Animal Control After House Dispatch ........................... 801-840-4000 Building Inspection ............................................................. 801-955-2030 Chamber West (Chamber of Commerce) ...................... 801-977-8755 Fire Department ................................................................... 801-743-7200 Gang Tip Line ......................................................................... 385-468-9768 Garbage/Recycle/GreenWaste Pick-up ........................ 385-468-6325 (Wasatch Front Waste & Recycling) Granite School District........................................................ 385-646-5000 Health Department ............................................................. 385-468-4100 Highway Conditions (from cell phone) .............................................511 Park Reservations ................................................................. 385-468-7275 Public Works (Salt Lake County) ....................................... 385-468-6101 Dominion Energy ................................................................. 800-323-5517 Rocky Mountain Power ...................................................... 888-221-7070 Salt Lake County Recycling/Landfill .............................. 801-974-6920 Taylorsville Bennion Improvement District................. 801-968-9081 Taylorsville Food Pantry ..................................................... 801-815-0003 Taylorsville Senior Center .................................................. 385-468-3370 Taylorsville Code Enforcement ........................................ 801-955-2013 Taylorsville Justice Court ................................................... 801-963-0268 Taylorsville Library ............................................................... 801-943-4636 Taylorsville Recreation Center ......................................... 385-468-1732 Swimming Pool (Memorial Day to Labor Day) ........... 801-967-5006 Taylorsville-Bennion Heritage Center ........................... 801-281-0631 UDOT Region 2 ...................................................................... 801-975-4900 Utah Transit Authority (UTA)............................................. 801-743-3882

City of Taylorsville Newsletter Keep in Mind These Parameters for Summer Garage Sales Summertime is a great time for cleanup but keep in mind that with garage sale season upon us, there are some rules to follow: • Frequency: There shall be no more than two garage sales at a residence per calendar year (Jan. 1 through Dec. 31). Garage sales must be separated by at least 14 days.

• A garage sale is only permitted for 48 consecutive hours.

• The garage sale(s) shall be located at the actual residence of the owner of the goods to be sold.

• No flash sales allowed, including at retail parking lots, park strips, along roadways, parks and other private property.

• The permitted items sold must originate from the seller’s residence and not be obtained at remote location with the intent of being resold.

• Signage: Any handbill or sign found posted upon any public property contrary to the provisions of this section may be removed without notice by any designated city employee, and the city can collect costs for removal.

Find the city code and more information at www.taylorsvilleut.gov.

EVENTS MAY 2022 May 2 – 7 to 8 p.m.

Localscapes: Creating Your Ideal Taylorsville Yard @ City Hall Council Chambers. See additional information at localscapes.com

May 4 & 18 – 6:30 p.m.

City Council Meeting @ City Hall and online. Watch a live-stream of the meeting on the city’s website, www.taylorsvilleut.gov

May 5 – 6 to 8 p.m.

TVPD Meet and Greet @ City Hall. Meet the Taylorsville City Police Department’s officers and personnel. (See Page 6).

May 10 – 7 p.m. & May 24 – 6 p.m.

Planning Commission Meeting @ City Hall.

May 14 – 10 a.m.

Bike portion of Ride, Run, Float triathlon. @ Millrace Park, 1150 W. 5400 South. Ride to Little Confluence, then back to Millrace Park.

May 14 – 5 p.m.

Starry Nights @the Plaza. Official opening of the stage at Centennial Plaza, 2600 W. Taylorsville Blvd. Featuring De Novo. (See Page 3).

Saturday, June 11th - 7 p.m.

Centennial Plaza Stage, 2600 W. Taylorsville Blvd.

Deadline to Enter: May 27th

$10 entrant fee per act

See www.taylorsvilleut.gov

The Taylorsville Arts Council presents , Tickets $10 how s t a ed purchas

May 31 – All day

Memorial Day. City Offices are closed.

June 8-10 – 5 p.m.

Willy Wonka Jr. @ the stage at Centennial Plaza. A Taylorsville Arts Council production. (See accompanying ad).

Find our calendar of events every month on the city’s website, where you can also submit your own events for possible publication.

Go to www.taylorsvilleut.gov

June 8th, 9th & 10th at 8 p.m.

Centennial Plaza Stage @ City Hall 2600 W. Taylorsville Blvd.

May 2022

2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400 |

COUNCIL CORNER

PAGE 3

Summer is Filled with Fun This Year in Taylorsville

By Council Member Anna Barbieri With inflation on the rise and gas prices soaring, get your calendars out and save the dates for lots of activities right in your own backyard at little to no expense.

Kick off the summer with the first ever Taylorville Ride, Run, Float Triathlon.

The “ride” event is set for May 14 with a family friendly bike ride beginning at Millrace Park and traveling the Jordan River Parkway trail to Little Confluence Park and then heading back to Millrace Park. Pick a way to roll (mine is a kick scooter with a basket of candy) and decorate your ride or dress in your favorite costume. Then on June 25, join the 5K run at Valley Regional Park and finish with the “Float the River” event scheduled for July 16. Bring a tube, kayak, canoe or inflatable boat. None of these get-out-and-move events is timed but treats are always a great reward at the finish line.

Our Starry Nights at the new Centennial Plaza in front of City Hall kicks off May 14 with food trucks starting at 5 p.m. and a concert headlining the local rock band De Novo until 9:30. I’ll see you there on Saturday evenings through August as the food trucks will be out in force.

Bring chairs, your family and neighbors and plan to stay for movies or performances on the outdoor stage.

If theater is your passion, do not miss Willy Wonka Jr. at the Centennial Plaza June 8 to 10. It promises great

family fun while taking advantage of the natural amphitheater designed just for these events.

Start saving your items for the Great Taylorsville Clean-Up Event on June 18 at the Taylorsville High School parking lot. Traditionally, the annual collection day is held in April, but with the pandemic interfering with the event last year, it was scheduled for June. It turned out to be perfect timing for hauling recyclable items, green-yard waste, document shredding and myriad other items that appear as we start cleaning out from the winter months. Save gently used items as a thrift store will be collecting those, too. Our own Taylorsville Police will be on hand to collect unused medications to safely destroy. Wondering how to dispose of that old can of paint in your garage? Bring it over. We’ll have a dumpster just for that. Check the Taylorsville City website for a list of items accepted. Note, our capacity to collect items is limited to residents and not commercial entities.

If you didn’t know, Taylorsville is known for the spectacular Taylorsville Dayzz extravaganza with the most popular fireworks show in the valley. Celebrate with us June 23, 24 and 25. Events include a petting zoo, rides, food booths, a 5K run and evening concerts.

Have a useful product to sell? Consider reserving a booth and introduce your treasures to a new group of folks. Find applications for booths and vendors at taylorsvilledayzz.com

LEFT TO RIGHT: Bob Knudsen (District 5), Curt Cochran (District 2), Anna Barbieri, Chair (District 3), Meredith Harker, Vice Chair (District 4) and Ernest Burgess (District 1)

In July, Taylorsville Arts Council is presenting another impressive performance, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, from July 11 to 16. If you have not yet been to the new Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center at Taylorsville’s Centennial Plaza, this is a great time to check it out. The Arts Center is a treasure with the finest acoustics, seating and amenities not found in many local performing art centers. With sizzling summer temperatures in July, get your tickets for a cool evening indoors and enjoy a fun play with some of the best Broadway music.

Did I fill up your calendar yet? If not, check out the Taylorsville City events page and plan for a great summer just outside your front door.

ANNUAL CLEANUP DAY

TAYLORSVILLE'S 1ST

CENTENNIAL PLAZA 2600 W. TAYLORSVILLE BLVD.

Plaza @the

SATURDAY, MAY 14

Saturday, June 18th 8AM TO NOON @TAYLORSVILLE HIGH

NORTHWEST PARKING LOT For Taylorsville residents only PLEASE DO NOT BRING:

OPENING OF THE CENTENNIAL PLAZA STAGE FEATURING : Welcome by Mayor Overson, Food Trucks Arrive, Entertainment by De Novo

5 PM

Opening Ceremony Special Musical Performance (TBA) Mayor's Remarks De Novo Closes it Out

7 PM

7:30-9:30 PM

TIRES AND MATTRESSES COMMERCIAL DISPOSAL FREON IN APPLIANCES AMMUNITION MEDICAL WASTE LARGE APPLIANCES

You can take motor oil to some auto parts stores or Oil Change Stations. Just verify that they are a recycling center for oil.

**WE WILL BE ACCEPTING: HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE GLASS AND PAINT ELECTRONIC WASTE DOCUMENT SHREDDING

PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE BULK WASTE GREEN-YARD WASTE RECYCLING DONATIONS OF GOOD QUALITY

Please contact Green Committee Advisor Ernest Burgess at 801-654-4482 or by email eburgess@taylorsvilleut.gov for more information or to volunteer.

PAGE 4

| www.taylorsvilleut.gov

City of Taylorsville Newsletter

May 2022

2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400 |

PAGE 5

City of Taylorsville Newsletter

| www.taylorsvilleut.gov

PAGE 6

Experience Defines TVPD’s Violent Crimes Investigation Unit Get to know the new TVPD. Check this space each month for articles highlighting the units and employees that make up the Taylorsville City Police Department.

TVPD’s Violent Crimes Investigation Unit is supervised by Sgt. Cheshire and falls under our Special Operations Division, supervised by Deputy Chief Miller. As mentioned in our Journal article last month, this unit includes a special victims’ unit, domestic violence unit, mental health unit and a victim’s advocate unit.

Our violent crimes unit, consisting of two full-time detectives and a sergeant, has more than 61 years in combined law enforcement experience. At its helm, Sgt. Cheshire joined us from West Valley Police Department with an impressive résumé. He has served as a patrol officer, K-9 handler, special investigations detective, narcotics detective, hostage negotiator, special vic tims’ detec tive, patrol sergeant and violent crimes sergeant. Joining Sg. Cheshire are Dets. Barrett and Tan. Det. Barrett has a bachelor’s degree in history, served in the United States Army for five years and has 31 years of law enforcement experience. He has worked for Adult Probation and Parole, Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office/Unified Police Department, Veteran Affairs Police, West Valley Police Department and the Taylorsville Police Department.

Det. Barrett has experience in patrol, corrections, property crimes, school resource programs, gang investigations, K-9 and violent crimes.

Det. Tan has more than nine years of law enforcement experience. He majored in

education and was working a successful career in the private sector but decided he wanted to serve his community. So he changed his career path and began working with the West Valley Police Department. There, he gained extensive experience in investigations before hiring on with TVPD. Det. Tan has worked in patrol, street crimes, violent crimes and homicide investigations. He was also a member of the U.S. Marshals Service’s specialized task force unit, assisting in the apprehension of violent fugitives.

The Violent Crimes Investigation Unit oversees investigations related to person’s crimes, including homicide investigations, robberies, kidnappings, aggravated assaults, assaults, missing children and unattended deaths. Our unit is also a part of the Salt Lake County officer-involved critical incident protocol team.

As TVPD officially began operations on July 1, 2021, Chief Cottam’s goal was to hire an extensive group of well-qualified officers who could hit the ground running. A couple of cases involving work by the violent crimes unit emphasize this accomplishment: • Twenty-three days after TVPD officially began taking calls for service, officers responded to an attempted homicide. Officers and the detectives with this unit began a thorough investigation, and they had a suspect in custody within about 10 hours. The suspect had fled the state of Utah and was arrested outside Wells, Nev. • In early March 2022, TVPD’s Violent Crimes Investigations Unit arrested a suspect accused in multiple robberies. The suspect, Thomas Riessen, was a federal fugitive and was suspected of committing three robberies in Taylorsville and multiple others in Salt Lake and Utah counties, including six banks, a convenient store, grocery store and department store. Riessen was ultimately located and arrested at a residence outside of Taylorsville.

TVPD is honored to have an outstanding team of detectives working as part of this unit.

TVPD Employee of the Month

Meet TVPD

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I t ' s an Open Hou s e wi t h t h e T ay l or s v i l l e Ci t y Pol i ce Depar t men t

THURSDAY, MAY 5TH 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. @ Taylorsville City Hall

2600 W. Taylorsville Blvd.

TVPD Hall

personnel where

responsibilities. units, We

victim’s

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will

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respective K-9

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Please join us in congratulating Evidence Manager Paula Lozano as our latest employee of the month. Prior to joining TVPD upon its formation, she worked for West Valley Police Department. As part of WVPD, she served as a police officer for 16 years, evidence technician for 10 years and was a founding member of their peer support team. Paula brings that same philosophy of peer support with her to TVPD. She was born in Mexico, raised in east Los Angeles and regularly shares her culture experiences with us. She loves cooking and we love partaking of all the delicious food she brings us. The various acts of service she provides to her fellow co-workers is the embodiment of what peer support is all about.

Paula was nominated for employee of the month by Chief Cottam, who said she is “extremely valuable” and a “key member of the Taylorsville Police Department.”

He credits Paula with developing and structuring “a credible and organized evidence program.”

She has “worked diligently from the beginning to ensure that every evidentiary item was property packaged, accounted for and documented,” he said. This is a crucial role, as every item collected by TVPD must have a clear and undisputable tracking system in place. Additionally, proven storage and control methods must be utilized to maintain the evidentiary value of collected items.

Thank you, Paula, for your dedication to TVPD and Team Taylorsville!

May 2022 Taylorsville Bennion Heritage

REMEMBRANCES

2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400 |

PAGE 7

TAYLORSVILLE SENIOR CENTER 4743 S. Plymouth View Drive

Catch the Latest Happenings at the Senior Center Lunch is available at the Taylorsville Senior Center for seniors age 60 and over from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. for a suggested donation of $4.

The center is also bringing Drums Alive back. Starting June 1, it will be hosted every Wednesday at 2 p.m. “This class is a fun way to add physical activity into your day,” said Center Program Coordinator Grace Kelly. “We are excited to bring it back and to see everyone there.”

Contact the center with any questions. You can also visit the Taylorsville Senior Center’s website at www.slco.org/taylorsville-senior-center for menu and activities information. The Taylorsville Senior Center is located at 4743 S. Plymouth View Drive and can be reached by phone at 801-385-3370.

Don’t Miss These Library Events The Taylorsville-Bennion Heritage Center gives school tours to thirdand fourth-graders during the month of May. Some of the most entertaining items that are featured with the children during tours at the museum are the marbles, including even a homemade marble. The students also enjoy seeing the spinning top, as well as the metal jacks and its bouncy ball, and they all love learning about a game called Jacob’s Ladder that is made simply of a ribbon and wood blocks.

These are games that today’s kids usually no longer know how to play. So teaching them about historic games is so much fun for the museum guides. Another item the museum guides talk about is the tea set. The girls especially like this collection. Glass plates and cups, but plastic cutlery, are on display. Tea party anyone?

See these toys and much more in person at the Taylorsville-Bennion Heritage Center. The museum is open Tuesday mornings, 9 to 1 p.m., Wednesday evenings, 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 2 to 5 p.m. You can also take a virtual tour of the museum at www. taylorsvilleut.gov

The Taylorsville Library has planned several programs during the month of May. You’ll want to mark your calendar for these events: VIRTUAL ADULT LECTURE | Introduction to Space Systems Monday, May 2, 7 p.m.

Register at: thecountylibrary.org/LectureSeries Phil Scott, an Optical Engineer from the Space Dynamics Laboratory, will present on space science and engineering. He will highlight some of the exciting, recent and upcoming NASA missions.

Scott earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Brigham Young University-Idaho and a master’s and Ph.D. in optical sciences from the University of Arizona, where he specialized in adaptive optics. He has worked at the Space Dynamics Laboratory for four years creating optical systems for use on satellites, and he enjoys designing and testing systems intended for extreme environments.

MAY THE 4TH | Star Wars Interactive Adventure Wednesday, May 4 to Saturday, May 7 Celebrate May the 4th. Come to the Taylorsville Library for a Star Wars library adventure.

VIRTUAL ADULT LECTURE | Polynesian Tattoos: A Legacy Monday, May 16, 7 p.m.

Register at: thecountylibrary.org/LectureSeries Tattoo artist, Taki Vea of Fala O Niuvakai will discuss the ancient art & craft of Polynesian tattooing.

Vea grew up in Tonga where the ancient art and craft of tattooing (tātatau) was a big part of his culture. His initial exposure to traditional tattooing started in 2006, a decade after he got his first tattoo, when his uncle asked him for a tātatau. Picking up the homemade machine and ink, made from the bark of mangroves and hibiscus trees, set Vea on the path of this ancient art form. He eventually opened his own tattoo shop, Fala O Niuvakai in Utah, where he is able to share what he loves.

HOLIDAY CLOSURE Monday, May 30, all day —The library will be closed all day for Memorial Day.

TaylorsvilleJ ournal.com

May 2022 | Page 21

ANNUAL COLLECTION DAY PAGE 8

| www.taylorsvilleut.gov

City of Taylorsville Newsletter Did You Know?

Water is More Than H2O

MAY UPDATES Taylorsville Recycling and Contamination Wasatch Front Waste & Recycling District recently had a sample sort at the waste management recycling center where Taylorsville’s recycling is delivered. That sort showed a contamination rate of 43.9%, for the specific neighborhood the recycling came from.

Keep in mind that the current 43.9% contamination rate is just a snapshot of about 500-600 pounds of all the material collected in Taylorsville that is pulled out for the sample sort. The recycling facility staff sort materials into separate piles (plastics, paper, garbage, etc.).

When the pile is completely sorted out into specific materials, the contamination or trash is weighed and turned into a percentage. Our community can lower this percentage by working together to reduce recycling contamination.

What is recycling contamination? Every day, WFWRD collects your recyclables and drops them off at a local sorting facility. Unfortunately, some of the materials collected cannot be recycled and are considered trash, like garbage bags, packaging plastics, wire and food.

Recycling contamination affects the recycling process by jamming the sorting machines, causing delays. Recycling contamination also happens when trash such as food or liquid ruins otherwise good recyclables during the sorting process.

One way to improve recycling in Taylorsville is by reducing the amount of flimsy plastic that is placed in curbside recycling bins.

Remember, if it is plastic and you can ball it up in your fist, it is garbage.

Have you ever wondered why, at times, water can have a differing odor, taste or appearance? These aesthetic characteristics usually do not pose a public health threat but may be noticed.

One of the odors that can occur in drinking water is a chlorinous or “swimming pool” odor.

Regulated chlorine in drinking water is not harmful, but some people are more sensitive to the taste and smell of chlorine than others. Chlorine is essential to protect public health and is therefore added to drinking water at the final stage of treatment. This is done in order to kill any harmful germs that may be present.

Taylorsville-Bennion Improvement District strives to keep chlorine levels as low as possible while still keeping our supplies safe. Chlorine concentrations can vary throughout the day and throughout the seasons.

The taste of chlorine can be reduced in water by filling a container, covering it and allowing the water to stand in the fridge until needed. You might also consider using a home treatment device such as a water filter. Generally, these are not necessary, but some customers like to use them.

If you have any questions, please contact Taylorsville-Bennion Improvement District by calling 801-968-9081 or visiting www.tbid.org. Follow TBID on Facebook and Twitter.

2022 Driver of the Year

Congratulations to Chuck Orencole, who was recognized as the National Waste & Recycling Association’s 2022 Driver of the Year for the Public Sector. The award is presented to the driver who exemplifies safe and responsible operations, has outstanding performance records and whose contributions have enhanced the overall safety and image of the solid waste industry.

Orencole has been an operator with Wasatch Front Waste & Recycling District since July 2011. The district has been competing in this national competition since 2011, and since that time, it has had six driver of the year award winners and four runner-up winners, with Orencole being the sixth. The National Waste & Recycling Association will present the award May 10 at the Waste Expo in Las Vegas.

Page 22 | May 2022

Taylorsville City Journal

Don’t get left out, volleyball is now in

B

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

oys high school volleyball teams across the state got a shot in the arm this month. It is now a sanctioned UHSAA sport. West Valley, Kearns and Taylorsville boys, however, would need to organize their teams.

“This is big, big, big,” West Jordan head coach Paulasi Matavao said. “So far this season we have seen a lot of new interest. Kids have been emailing us and coming to our practices. They want to know what it is like.”

Since there are no organized teams in this area, players are forced to join neighboring school teams.

J R Seiuli is a junior at Granger High School. His school does not currently have a boys volleyball team. Under the current county rules if the player's school is not represented he may play for another team with the permission of the team director.

“I have only been playing for three years,” Seiuli said. “This is a competitive sport. I think having high school volleyball will just make it more competitive.”

Seiuli plays with West Jordan. Only 57% of the current UHSAA schools have a boys team. Olympus and Skyline are the only Granite School District schools with current teams.

The sport had been denied sanctioning for the past two years. This time it passed by a 10-4 vote. It was considered under the emerging sports initiative. The other sports under consideration included esports and mountain biking.

“This is a great group of kids,” Matavao said. “They have been working very well together. That seems to be a theme for us this season. I think that has made a big difference. We do have some kids that are still learning how to play.”

The UHSAA will hold its first state championship in the spring season of 2024. The sport of boys volleyball is the fifth sport the association has sanctioned since 2016, preceded by lacrosse, girls wrestling and cheerleading.

Sanctioning will help organize more teams according to local coaches.

“It has been hard to keep the teams together all this time,” Copper Hills boys volleyball coach Earle Fenstermaker said.

“We had to rent space to play and practice.

This season Jordan School District has been very accommodating. We have been able to use the high school and West Jordan Middle School.”

The Utah Boys Volleyball Association currently sponsors a country recreation

West Jordan’ boys volleyball team is ranked in the top five of the state this year. Many of its players come from neighboring schools. (Greg James/City Journals)

high school league. It is not a club or super league season. Salt Lake County Parks and Rec handles the scheduling of the local teams. Salt Lake, Northern, and Utah Valley all play their own independent seasons.

The top teams will come together in the state tournament.

Salt Lake County games began in early March; the teams played twice a week through mid-April. The county tournament was held in April; Bingham placed fifth,

Corner Canyon fourth, West Jordan, Copper Hills, and Olympus were still in contention at the press deadline.

There is no telling how many schools will have teams in 2024. It may take time to achieve the 138 girls high school teams.

The boys state tournament is scheduled for May 6-7 at Wasatch High School.

Bingham is the defending state champion for 2019. The tournament was postponed for two years because of Covid. l

Athletic trainers have an important place at the school

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

H

igh schools have several coaches and administrators that keep programs running smoothly. A position that is often overlooked but very important is the athletic trainer.

“I overall have liked being a trainer,” former Copper Hills and West Jordan High School trainer Chaz Beckstead said. “Depending on the size of the school it can be overwhelming. Copper Hills is one of the largest schools in the state so that means a lot of athletes.”

Trainers are contracted to high schools to provide health options for the student-athlete. They work for an outside agency and are located at the school to provide the service.

Their duties include pre-practice events like taping ankles or providing physical therapy for injuries with the athletes. During games, they provide coverage in case of injuries.

“It can be fast paced. Sometimes we had four or five events going on at the same time.

It is very time-consuming,” Beckstead said.

Sports trainers need to meet qualifications including board certification exams and state licensing requirements. They provide more than triage or emergency care.

The student-athlete can be diagnosed, treat-

TaylorsvilleJ ournal.com

ed, and receive rehabilitation.

“We can make referrals and many will go to their own doctor for treatment. We can save the athlete from going to additional doctors. It is also convenient because they can get treatment right at the school,” Beckstead said.

The student-athlete usually understands the trainer's role, but many parents do not.

“I have had instances when going to an athlete that was injured and the parents have questioned what I was doing. It is understandable that most people do not know what we do,” Beckstead said.

Hailey Pabst is the current trainer at Copper Hills High School. She is employed with University of Utah Health. They are contracted to the school to provide trainer coverage. She worked at West Jordan High School and started at a school in Las Vegas.

“I love working at the high school,” Pabst said. “The kids are hilarious. They can say the strangest things. I get to hear all about prom and the stuff that is going on. High school kids can say some strange things, but it is more about the relationships we can build. Some of these kids are going through a traumatic injury. In the time we work together we can talk about a lot of things and get to know each other.”

Athletic trainers provide triage care for injured high school athletes. (Stock photo)

Pabst works with all of the coaches and gets to know how the athletic program works.

The trainers see different types of injuries depending on the sports season. Ankle sprains and strains top the list of the most popular injuries. They also treat swollen muscles, knee injuries and lacerations.

During football season they see concussions

and broken bones.

“It is super rewarding. I get to see the kids grow. They grow from a little freshman to big seniors, not only in stature but in maturity. Plus, I can provide help to them at times when they really need it,” Pabst said.

“Most people do not understand what we do,” Beckstead said. “We do provide a necessary service.” l

May 2022 | Page 23

Former NBA coach hosting camp

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

U

tah native Barry Hecker, who coached in the NBA for more than two decades, continues to teach the game of basketball to young players. At the beginning of summer, he will host a camp June 7-10 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Sandy (location still to be determined) for boys and girls in third through ninth grades.

“These camps are all about the basic fundamentals of basketball,” Hecker said.

“We focus on quality fundamental instruction, we work hard with a lot of discipline and structure and we have a lot of fun. When these kids walk out of there, they know they’ve been taught and improved.”

The cost of the camp is $85. Registrations will be open soon online by visiting www.sandy.utah.gov/735/Barry-Heckers-Basketball-Camp The veteran coach, who lives in Murray, said the values he has learned from his basketball coaching journey—beginning at Oxon Hill High School in Maryland and spanning through Salt Lake Community College and stints with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies—are invaluable. Being able to share those principles of hard work, teamwork, unselfishness and persistence, along with the physical skills of the game itself,

with others thrills him.

“I don’t care who I coach or when I coach,” Hecker, who has worked with current Jazz players Mike Conley and Rudy Gay, said. “I simply enjoy teaching the game. It’s great to see a smile on someone’s face as they experience success. If you help somebody, you’ll be somebody.”

Hecker has conducted clinics all over the world for more than 40 years, including many since his retirement from coaching in the NBA. He said he particularly enjoys working with the youth.

“If you teach skills, that leads to confidence and that confidence can allow anyone to do anything they want,” he said. “I have more fun with young kids than with the pros. In the NBA, you have guys who are making millions and they don’t listen. These kids are making nothing and they’ll listen to you.” l

Former NBA coach Barry Hecker has been teaching the game of basketball for more than 40 years.

(Catherine Garrett/City Journals)

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Taylorsville City Journal

After a season on the road, Kearns baseball returns home

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

he Kearns baseball team has had to field some adversity, yet team leaders have kept them focused on having a good season.

“I am very happy with the way we have played this season,” Cougars head baseball coach Dave Ballard said. “We have had tough preseason games, several one-run games. We have come out well so

far.”

The Cougars traveled to St. George to start the season where they won three of five games on the trip including a 7-3 victory over Highland.

“It was a tough preseason. We lost a couple of close ones. The 4-3 loss to Corner Canyon really helped us get focused,” Ballard said.

Senior Issac Luckhart leads the Courgars in hitting with a .429 average. (Greg James/City Journals)

In the first two regular-season series the Cougars went 5-2 with series wins over Cyprus and Granger, before sweeping West. They play in the UHSAA Region 2 against Cyprus, Granger, Hunter, Roy, Taylorsville, and West high schools.

“We don’t play in the strongest region in the state, but as a 6A school the games against our rivals challenge us to play our kind of baseball,” he said.

The Cougars have relied on senior leadership this season.

The team’s leading hitter is Issac Luckhart. He is batting .429 which includes 10 hits and 12 RBIs. “He (Luckhart) is a great leader and a multi-sport athlete. He was a great player on our football team this fall. He leads us in hitting and is one our top pitchers too,” Ballard said. “These kids have built our team culture. The older kids have really stood up and taught the younger kids what we want. That really pays off for a coach.”

The team bounced back after several injuries early on this year. Senior CJ Mulford jammed his thumb and had to have surgery. Aviry Kelly separated his shoulder, but both players only missed short periods of time.

“Kids have had to step up and fill

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roles,” Ballard said. “We have had adversity all season.”

Adversity is not new to this team. In the fall of 2020, the grass on the baseball field was completely taken out. It had developed a fungus that needed to be removed. The new seed did not take hold in time for them to play on it last season. In 2021 the Cougars played all of their games on the road.

The team does not let that change their perspective. They have planned several service projects throughout the year.

Recently they took doughnuts to the special education class and played kickball with them.

“The kids jumped right in, almost like they were at home. The special ed teacher was amazed. She told me that ‘most people are not sure how to act around her class.’

This group is good,” Ballard said. “I am competitive but I don’t care if we win another game.”

The state tournament is scheduled to begin on May 14. Kearns was ranked 14th in the state tournament RPI seeding. Last season the Cougars lost their first-round series to Weber High School 2-1.l

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Have you seen this tree? If so, call the Beaver Hotline

By Deb Hafner | d.hafner@mycityjournals.com

“H

ave you seen this along the Jordan River? ¿Ha visto esto al lado del Río Jordan,” asks a chalk-drawn parody of a wanted poster, with arrows pointing to a whittled, carved-out tree trunk.

These wanted posters aren’t meant to apprehend a fugitive, and the suspect at large is not going to face criminal charges. Instead, biologists with Tracy Aviary’s Birds and Beavers program are asking trail users along the Jordan River to help collect data that will be used to make connections between beaver activity and bird habitats.

If a trail user spots a nibbled, chewed, or chomped tree, known as beaver gnawing traces, they are asked to take a photo, note the location and text it to the aptly-named Beaver Hotline. Trail users can find examples of gnawing traces on the Birds and Beavers website, along with an interactive map pinpointing beaver activity.

Birds and Beavers is a bilingual community science project that launched in April 2021 and is headquartered at Tracy Aviary’s Jordan River Nature Center. “Some families who live close to or along the river speak Spanish, and we want to be an inclusive project that motivates residents to go outside and walk the trails and look for beaver activity,” says Frances Ngo, the lead conservation outreach biologist on the project.

Cities like West Valley City, with an approximate 38% Latino population, inhabit a large stretch along the Jordan River. According to experts, Latino communities in urban areas are often underserved when it comes to environmental education and outreach. Ngo hopes Birds and Beavers will encourage all residents to participate in outdoor activities and wildlife preservation.

The trail user photo project and resulting data is part of the three phases of the program that include identifying beaver activity, monitoring beaver activity, and educating the public and government agencies with the findings.

To date, trail users have submitted photos of beaver gnawing traces from as far south as Spanish Fork to just above West 2300 North Street in North Salt Lake City.

“We are primarily interested in how beaver activity interplays with bird habitat,” Ngo said. “Beavers are a native species prevalent along the Jordan River. They are known as ecosystem engineers because they can alter habitats by creating lush ponds, generating deadfall that attracts bugs, which in turn attracts birds, and facilitating the return of other species to an ecosystem.”

Over 200 species of birds, including migratory birds, call the Jordan River home. Protecting trees or leaving fallen trees in certain areas is important for resident birds as they provide places to hunt and nest and insects to eat. Ngo and her colleagues are using the Beaver Hotline photos to assess which trees need to be protected or monitored.

Beavers eat tree bark and the softer growing tissue under the bark, called cambium, and they prefer soft-wooded trees like native cottonwoods. A beaver can gnaw the entire circumference of a tree, called girdling, leaving an hour-glass shaped trunk with visible teeth marks.

Once a tree has been girdled, it is in danger of dying because it cannot get the nutrients it needs through its narrowed trunk. Some larger cottonwoods need to be protected from too much beaver munching, so Ngo and her colleagues and volunteers have been wrapping endangered trees with chicken wire to encourage the beavers to feast on other species of trees, like the invasive Russian olive tree.

Ngo hopes to install motion-activated cameras in the future to continue monitoring beaver activity and to specifically see how long beavers dine at each tree before moving on to a new one. This data will inform city and county management efforts so they don’t remove dead trees and debris, called snags, too soon. “If we see perching, nesting or decomposers occupying areas, we don’t want to see the removal of snags,” Ngo said, adding, “Flickers, for example, create nests in dead trees, and if we remove those dead trees, we remove potential bird habitats.”

One sunny morning in early April, Ngo, with binoculars hanging

Frances Ngo, a biologist with Tracy Aviary, shows Millcreek District 1 Councilmember Silvia Catten what to look for when searching for beaver-chewed trees along the Jordan River. (Deb Hafner/City Journals)

around her neck, and Millcreek District 1 Councilmember Silvia Catten, set off from the General Holm parking onto the Jordan River Trail to look for new beaver activity.

Almost immediately, Ngo spotted a muskrat lounging on a log in the river. American coots, a duck-like bird that is not a duck, paddled down the river in pursuit of aquatic vegetation. “Did you hear that?” asked Ngo, excitedly. “That is an American kingfisher.” In a few more steps, Catten spotted tear-drop shapes hanging from branches high in a cottonwood tree. “Those are oriole nests,” informed Ngo, “they build new ones every year.” Excitedly, the pair continued south on the trail. “I bet most people don’t know about the myriad species of birds that live on or around the river, or that there is a population of beavers right through the middle of the valley,” said Catten.

Catten, who is also a vice chair on the Jordan River Commission, has taken an interest in the conservation and protection of the Jordan River “as a place for wildlife, open space, recreation and beauty in our urban landscape.” Millcreek, 16 other cities and two counties are members of the Jordan River Commission, which helps fund conservation, planning, education, and recreational efforts around and on the river. A partial grant from the Jordan River Commission is helping to support the Birds and Beavers program.

“Millcreek is planning to complete a trail—a loop—on the east side of the water that connects to the existing Jordan River Trail,” Catten said, adding that “while a lot of the work for Millcreek’s portion was completed last year, we are awaiting funding to finish the loop access to our portion. We’re hopeful it will be complete within the next few years.”

Ngo said that as part of the education phase of the program, they will offer guided and self-guided beaver tours and install interpretative signage along the trails.

Catten and Ngo headed south where the meandering trail led them to a small meadow, in the middle of which stood a large cottonwood tree with recent beaver chew marks. To the left was another dined-upon tree, and to the right an abandoned dinner spot. Across the river were more trees with beaver gnawing traces.

While Millcreek touches a small portion of the Jordan River, cities with larger portions of the river have led conservation efforts, and according to Catten, “When we became a city we wanted to follow

Taylorsville City Journal

suit and be good stewards, too. We have a relatively small portion of the river and we are so lucky to have bordering municipalities that manage their portion of the river so well, like Murray.

Our portion has benefited from that for sure. Our goal is to be a vested partner with the agencies, like the Jordan River Commission, who take prudent care to plan for the conservation of the river as a whole. It’s our job to help as we can, even if it’s just for our tiny portion.”

As for the Birds and Beavers program, Catten believes “the knowledge gained from programs like this one does have a wider reach as I see it—the trees, plants, and weed management plans affect the wildlife, so as far as what might guide future plans for conservation, understanding the broader ecosystem is always helpful.”

Ngo and Catten took a photo of the beaver gnawing trace they discovered and sent it to the Beaver Hotline for Ngo to plot on the map.

If you see beaver activity along the Jordan River, take a photo and text it to the Beaver Hotline at 801-381-6349.

You can visit the Jordan River Nature Center at 1125 W. 3300 South at the James Madison Oxbow Park. The Birds and Beavers website can be found at “We Want You” poster asking the community to help find www.tracyaviaryconservation.org/ beaver activity along the Jordan River. (Deb Hafner/City Journals) birdsbeavers.l

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May 2022 | Page 27

I

Salt Lake County uses federal ARPA dollars for affordable housing, water conservation and workforce development

believe one of the most important roles for an elected official is acting as a steward of your taxpayer dollars. Residents entrust us to judiciously use funds to perform essential functions for the community, and as such residents expect that every dollar spent by the government will be carefully scrutinized. I used these principles to cast my vote for the allocation of federal ARPA dollars, which included funding for affordable housing, water conservation, and workforce development. Included are some details about each of these projects.

These funds do not come from property or sales taxes. They are funds given to counties from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocated by the federal government.

These funds are meant to support COVID-19 response efforts, replace lost public sector revenue, support immediate economic stabilization, and address systemic public health and economic challenges. They cannot be used to pay down debt, lower taxes or give refunds back to taxpayers.

We know affordable housing is a huge issue. In 2021 rental costs increased by 12 percent and homeownership costs increased by 28 percent. Low to moderate household incomes have experienced significant supply and cost barriers to access safe and affordable housing.

We know there is a far greater cost to society if

Aimee Winder Newton

Salt Lake County Council | District 3

youth end up homeless because their families can’t afford a place to live. Homelessness disrupts educational opportunities and puts them at higher risk of ending up in jail or utilizing government welfare services. This would end up costing taxpayers more than an upfront investment. Stability is key to helping young people succeed.

The Salt Lake County Council allocated $20 million dollars to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. This trust fund will leverage state and local government funding to preserve, construct, and assist 1,200 units of safe, affordable housing in Salt Lake County.

Utah is experiencing its worst drought in 50 years and water conservation is a top concern. The Salt Lake County Council allocated $2.1 million ARPA dollars to Integrated Water Conservation & Land Use Municipal Partner-

ships. Salt Lake County will partner with cities to implement approved water conservation plans.

The Salt Lake County Council invested $10 million dollars to implement the Workforce Inclusion and Successful Employment (WISE) program. This program is designed to identify effective solutions that empower lower income communities to get education, skills and training needed to engage in the workforce.

It is the goal of the program that by 2026, a net tax impact will be shown by comparing WISE

program expenses with tax savings achieved through (1) increased revenue due to higher salaries and (2) reduced expenses due to less need for government assistance.

Every vote I cast as a county council member comes after thoughtful consideration of how it will impact the county overall, as well the constituents whom I represent in this role. I believe these ARPA funds are a once in a generation opportunity to invest in projects that will provide better opportunities and outcomes for residents now and in the future.

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Taylorsville City Journal

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Intermountain Healthcare donates more than $500,000 to address domestic and sexual violence in the state. (Wikimedia)

$540k donation from Intermountain Healthcare will provide help for domestic and sexual violence survivors

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

O

ne in three women will experience domestic violence in the state of Utah.

Statistics also demonstrate that one in six women and one in 25 men experience rape or attempted rape, and one in three women will experience some form of sexual violence.

With such concerning numbers, Intermountain Healthcare is donating $540,000 and partnering with the nonprofit Utah Domestic Violence Coalition to assist Utahns who need help in recovering from the impacts of abuse.

“Access to resources is an essential part of the healing process,” said Mikelle Moore, senior vice president and chief community health officer at Intermountain. “The members of the UDVC work together to support domestic violence survivors in a way that makes access easier and the use of funds more efficient. Intermountain is proud to support their efforts ensuring services are available where and when survivors need it.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, sexual and domestic violence cases have risen 8.1% in Utah. The UDVC provides advocacy and education to member programs and community partners. Its membership includes nonprofit domestic violence shelters and sexual assault advocacy organizations.

The donation from Intermountain will

TaylorsvilleJ ournal.com

help cover the operations costs of UDVC members. These community organizations provide resources to address healing from trauma such as the reduction of psychological suffering.

UDVC will distribute the donation to more than a dozen local organizations: Canyon Creek Services, CAPSA, Dove Center, Friends Against Family Violence, Gentle Ironhawk, Healing Pathways, New Hope Crisis Center, New Horizons Crisis Center, Peace House, The Refuge, Safe Harbor, Seekhaven, South Valley Services, YCC, YWCA, Rape Recovery Center and Restoring Ancestral Winds. To learn more about the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, visit udvc.org.

"The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition and our member programs are so grateful for the financial support from Intermountain Healthcare in meeting the increased need for services for survivors,” said Jennifer Campbell, executive director of UDVC. “Having operational funding will help our programs continue to provide their life-saving services and ensure that when someone is in need, they can find help." l

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Taylorsville City Journal

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H

e might not have a parrot or an eye patch, but my dad has found more buried treasure than any pirate. Inside his mild-mannered dad costume lurks the heart of Captain Jack Sparrow, ready to tackle any adventure with dashing flair and comic grace.

On a blustery day in April, he took a pickaxe and hammer to help his great-grandkids find fossilized shells and pieces of quartz on the side of a mountain near his home in central Utah. He was excited about every discovery, and everywhere he looked, he saw treasure.

He pointed to the west and said, “That mountain is full of blue agate.” He pointed down and leaned in to whisper, “We’re standing on the biggest gold mine in the state.” He pointed east to where dinosaur bones hide in the hills and pointed south to Native American sites where he’s examined petroglyphs and rock paintings.

I’ve explored with Dad many times, usually only finding spiders, cacti and the occasional rattlesnake. He can stick his hand in a hole in a rock and pull out gemstones, old coins and a jackalope skull.

Dad’s always had a sense of adventure. If he could make a living exploring

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Even with his work, he stood on the leading edge of discovery. In the ’60s, he helped build the first communications system for Air Force One. Later, he created cameras that flew on the space shuttle, were installed in telescopes and helped aerial refueling tankers.

A camera he designed took the first pictures of the Titanic at the bottom of the ocean.

Never one to pass up a good conspiracy theory, Dad talks about his close encounters with UFOs, ghosts, the Illuminati and home teachers. He also plays the accordion, although how can you tell if someone does that well?

He’s a master woodworker, making toys, banjos, ukuleles and violins that he donates to teens. He cuts and polishes the stones he finds to make necklaces, and he’s been known to set a trap or two for Santa Claus. He’d frighten us with scary stories before bedtime, stories he insisted were true, which made it worse.

If Dad had the chance to take a rocketship to the moon, he’d already be packed. He’d love to fly in a fighter jet

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801-865-6382

CALL AND RECEIVE A $200 VISA GIFT CARD WITH YOUR LEAFGUARD PURCHASE!

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

A Local Utah Company

85% of gutters are repairable!

One-Piece System, Professional Installation

Free Estimate - 385-300-0869

Call Jeff at 801-347-1150

Jack’s Pro Gutter and Cleaning

LEAFGUARD RAIN GUTTERS

Guaranteed not to clog for as long as you own your home.

If it clogs, LeafGuard will come out and clean it for you.

(801) 253-2566

(801) 506-6098 CarSoldForCash.com

or visit the space station. He’d gladly sail the Seven Seas under the Jolly Roger and swashbuckle through hidden caves looking for gold doubloons and diamonds the size of cantaloupes.

But through all of his adventures, misadventures, escapades, quests, deeds and feats of reckless abandon, Dad knows the biggest treasure is the one in his own backyard.

LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED

801-272-7000

All types of roofs

$650 OFF any reroof over 2,000 sq. ft.

INTERMOUNTAIN TREE EXPERTS

Removals . Trimming . Pruning Licensed and Insured / 15 Yrs Experience

801-244-3542 FREE ESTIMATES

YARD SERVICES

Affordable Yard Care / Tree Trimming & Removal Flower Beds, Hedges, Railroad Ties, Mulching, Sod, Mowing, Concrete Senior Discounts

Call Dan:

801-518-7365

LANDSCAPE MATERIALS

REPLENISH LANDSCAPE

CONCRETE WORK

Reasonable Prices, Quality Work, Prompt Service Flat work, Driveways, Patios, RV Pads, Sidwalks, Etc.

Call Dan:

801.518.7365

RAIN GUTTERS

Gutter Cleaning, New Gutters, Leaf Guard, Siding Soffit & Fascia, Permanent light.

Call Luke for Free Estimate

801-872-4590 Senior Discount

FLAT ROOF SPECIALISTS

OLYMPUS ROOFING

801.887.7663 SERVING WASATCH FRONT SINCE 1973

PAINTING

FULL SERVICE Barks, Colored Mulch, Compost, Soil PROFESSIONAL PAINTING Blends, Playground Chips, Sand-GravInterior/Exterior Residential/Commercial el, Landscape Fabric & More

801-252-5962

4660 S 200 W Murray

Mention this ad for 10% Off

Over 20 Years Experience LICENSED AND INSURED

For Immediate Service Call

801-865-4049 May 2022 | Page 31

Retirement Planning Seminar © 2022 Wealth Management CPAs

Given the current political & economic environment, many retirees are worried about their future.

Two complimentary consultations & personalized retirement plan with registration ($1,000 Value)

10 Reasons You Should Attend This complimentary Seminar 1.

Learn strategies to protect your estate from long-term care expenses.

6.

Learn how to avoid being taxed on your social security benefits.

2.

Lessen the chance that you outlive your retirement income due to taxes or inflation.

7.

Discover the pitfalls of probate and the steps you can take to avoid it.

3.

Learn ways to avoid being forced to sell your assets or surrender your money to Medicaid.

8.

Learn why a living trust may be more effective than a regular will and why you may need one.

4.

Learn how to receive long-term care benefits while remaining in your own home.

9.

Learn when you should not put your children on your bank accounts and property titles.

5.

Learn how to decrease the tax on your IRA or 401(k) for a more comfortable retirement.

10. Learn about best practices to investing and safer alternatives to the stock market.

Attend Either Evening May

19th

Robert J. Beck CPA

Tamra Williams

Kelly G. Purser CPA

May

or

25th

6:00 - 7:30 PM

6:00 - 7:30 PM

(Thurs.)

(Wed.)

Complimentary to the public | Seating is limited

Register Today! (801) 797-2954 WealthCPAs.com/Seminar

Advisory services are offered through Wealth Management CPAs, LLC, an SEC Investment Advisor. Kelly Purser and Tamra Williams are not securities licensed. Tax services offered through Wealth Management Tax Solutions, LLC, an affiliated company. Insurance products and services offered through Wealth Management Insurance Solutions, LLC, an affiliated company.