West Valley City Journal | April 2023

U OF U ORGANIZATION SEEKS TO EXPAND JOB AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR WEST SIDE RESIDENTS

By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

WithUniversity of Utah Health planning to build a new hospital in West Valley City, a university outreach program is stepping up efforts to provide more services and opportunities for people on the west side of the city.

University Neighborhood Partners feels now is a good time to better engage West Valley City residents not only in shaping the new medical campus, but also the educational, training and job opportunities that will be created by the medical campus.

UNP facilitates connections between the University of Utah and residents and community leaders of western West Valley City and Salt Lake City to determine what west side residents want in the way of education, job training, and employment opportunities and the means to provide those options.

UNP got its start in 2001

when Irene Fisher, the founding director who died in February, was tasked by the president of the U with establishing a process to work with west side residents to increase access to higher education.

Some residents and representatives of the area have long felt that the socio-economic factors sometimes associated with the west side result in a lack of attention to their needs.

“We were created partly from a recognition by the university that the west side was very disconnected and had little access to the resources of the university as well as demands from the community that the university be more engaged with them,” said Paul Kuttner, associate director of UNP.

The planned hospital is an additional catalyst for the current

Continued page 9

With University of Utah Health planning a new hospital in West Valley City, the program aims to provide more services to the west side. (Wikimedia Commons)

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As the snow piled up this winter, West Valley City’s Public Works Department saw its street snow removal budget melt away.

Frequent snow storms, including one that saw a record snowfall the last week of February, kept city plows and the crews who operate them busier than ever pushing snow off city streets at a pace not seen in at least a decade.

“This has been tough,” said Public Works Director Dan Johnson. “We’ve had so many storms.”

“It’s been hard on our crews,” he added. “I think we’ve done a good job responding this year.”

Johnson said employees who do snow removal split two 12-hour shifts a day, operating 15 trucks. They cover a good portion of West Valley City’s nearly 900 lane miles of streets, or the total miles of all lanes on all thoroughfares in the city.

Johnson said crews plowed an average of about 25,000 miles of pavement a year from 2015 and 2022. So far this year, plows have moved snow off 42,000 lane miles as of mid-March. And that doesn’t include 3500 South, 5600 West, Redwood Road, Bangerter Highway, Mountain View Corridor and other state routes maintained by the Utah Department of Transportation.

Public Works has also blown through the season’s original stockpile of salt to help melt the snow and ice. Trucks will normally spread 3,100 tons of salt during the winter. “This year so far we’ve gone through 4,400 tons of salt,” Johnson said.

The city buys most of its salt from vendors who gather it from the Great Salt Lake.

“We use it, then it washes down and goes back into the Great Salt Lake” to be used again, Johnson said.

Some mineral salt is also purchased from a mine in Sanpete County. “It’s really good for lower temperatures,” Johnson said.

Funds for snow removal are budgeted from West Valley City’s allotment of state gas tax revenues. A winter like this will evaporate that money quickly. “We keep a reserve for events like this,” Johnson said. “We’ll have to use a little bit of that this year to cover the salt and the overtime.”

For the crews who drive the plows during the busy snowstorms, it’s a mixed bag. “Sometimes they’re grateful for the overtime and extra money, but a lot of times it just wears them out,” Johnson said of the 12-hour shifts three to four days in a

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By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

A snowplow clears a West Valley City street after a big snowstorm in late February. (Photo courtesy West Valley City Public Works Department)

row. “It’s a good group of men and women that we have that get out there and do that work.”

The busiest streets are plowed first followed by roads near schools and other places that can draw a lot of traffic at times. Subdivisions and cul-de-sacs are next on the itinerary.

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Cars parked on the street during plowing operations don’t make the job any easier. A city ordinance prohibits street parking when there is 1 inch or more of accumulated snow.

“It’s very difficult to run a wide plow blade on a narrow road made narrower by cars on both sides,” Johnson said.l

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Councilmember requests city staff propose budget cuts

In an effort to ensure the city budget is “more thoughtful,” Councilmember Scott Harmon requested city administration propose budget reduction options.

The proposals would essentially facilitate a deeper cost-benefit analysis, he said during a February West Valley City Council meeting.

“We have costs that keep going up and up and up,” Harmon said during the meeting. “So do we keep pushing that onto the taxpayer and increasing taxes every couple years, or do we figure out maybe we don’t need some of these services and pare some of those down so we don’t have to increase taxes every couple years.”

City Manager Wayne Pyle said that is already done every year internally. He added prices have gone up, pointing to utilities as an example.

In wanting to clarify the request from Harmon, Pyle used the general fund as an example that of the over $100 million budget, $87 million is personnel, at least $10 million is debt service and fixed payments and other fixed operational costs such as insurance, gas and power.

By the time you reach operational costs that can vary, “it’s not very much,” he said.

Any “significant” proposals, Pyle said when pressed by Harmon, would mean cutting the city employees.

Mayor Karen Lang was in favor combing the budget. “There’s different things that when you dig down in the weeds, there can be savings that aren’t as obvious at first glance.”

Councilman Lars Nordfelt was quick to point out that property taxes, a third of the city’s revenue, is a stable rev-

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

enue source while sales tax, another third, can fluctuate. He added it would be a mistake to not keep up with services and the budget by increasing that revenue stream when needed.

“I’m not saying we shouldn’t look for ways to reduce but saying we don’t need to increase taxes every couple years is not a good strategy unless we want to cut services that are needed and desired,” he said.

Harmon, who voted against the tax increase last year, said he wants to put the reduction possibilities on the table so “that we have an idea of what we could do.”

“I’m just saying we need to be more thoughtful on our services and our discussion with the budget so that we can feel good about raising taxes when we do,” he said.

Typically, the council will hear reports from each department of the city throughout December and January before holding an all-day strategic priorities meeting in February. Based on those discussions, city administration then puts together a budget for the council to look through in anticipation of its passage in June or, in the case of a tax increase, in August.

The council opted against the strategic priorities meeting this year in favor of covering all its desired topics during study meetings, held every Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in City Hall.

Last year, the council voted 5-2 to increase property taxes, which came about due to the city’s police retention efforts. After Salt Lake City announced a 20% salary increase for police officers, Taylorsville creating its own department offering higher pay for its officers and the national narrative around law enforcement in recent years, city staff

South Fork Hardware closes West Valley City store

estimated it could lose about 25 officers. The council agreed to a pay raise to match SLC costing about $3.3 million.

Pyle said at the time they left “no stone unturned” and even found other funding to cover separate increases, due to increasing costs in materials, fuel etc., to limit the tax increase.

Harmon was one of the dissenting votes noting he wanted further discussion on cuts and program modifications.

In February he said, “I’d rather us look at options and opportunities to reduce the budget so that we can” avoid raising taxes every year. l

raising taxes to fund a police pay raise a year ago, one councilmember wants to ensure they comb every possibility. (Stock photo)

A fixture at 3500 South and 6400 West since the early 2000s, South Fork Hardware in West Valley City permanently closed in March. Store director Mark Johnson said the property was sold to Kum & Go, a Des Moines, Iowa-based convenience store chain with 400 stores mostly in the Midwest. Kum & Go has recently expanded to Utah with stores in Draper and Herriman. South Fork’s West Valley store occupied a building that has been at the site for more than 40 years. The company still has 11 stores in northern Utah and two in Idaho.

Photo by Darrell Kirby

City tells International Olympic Committee, ‘we are ready to have them’

AsSalt Lake City gears up its bid to host the 2030 or 2034 Winter Olympic Games, West Valley City officials are doing their part.

The council approved a guarantee letter in early March that was sent to the International Olympic Committee.

The letter, penned from Mayor Karen Lang, tells the committee the city is ready to do its hosting duties via security, health and any other kind of administrative help they might need.

City Attorney Eric Bunderson said the letter is essentially a proclamation telling the committee “we are ready to have them.”

“We’re just committing as a city to help the Olympic Committee in any way that the need us to in order to have the Olympics held here safely and securely,” Bunderson explained to the council in February.

The letter states its support for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to come to Utah.

“The games in 2002 propelled the construction of E Center (now Maverik Center) which hosted ice hockey during the Olympic Games and ice sledge hockey during the Paralympic Games and drove redevelopment

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

of the surrounding area,” the letter states.

Lang notes in the letter there is “consistent, overwhelming public support in our community for the Games, as well as the potential for their return.”

The Maverik Center serves as the city’s entertainment center, according to the letter, and is part of the Salt Lake City-Utah future Games master plan.

“Many in our city were blessed with incredible opportunities to develop skills, experience, and relationships—as volunteers, staff, contractors, and partners—that have enabled West Valley City and the State of Utah to host more than 900 national and international sport competitions in the past 20 years,” states the letter.

West Valley City “guarantees” in the letter different forms of assistance such as nondiscrimination, accessibility standards, telecommunications infrastructure, security, health and safety, public services and protection of Olympic properties.

Bunderson said city attorneys have vetted the requirements and believe the city can meet them.l In 2002,

Granite District bus drivers recognized for School Bus Driver Appreciation Day

By Peri Kinder | Peri.k@thecityjournals.com

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

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

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

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

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

“We love our drivers,” Gatti said. “They’re

great human beings who come in and work hard for us all the time. Even when the rest of the world sometimes gets the day off, a lot of times they have to be in. Even if it’s a snow day.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the E Center (now Maverik Center) hosted ice hockey in both the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. (Wikimedia)

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

Unified basketball thriving at Hunter High

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Hunter High senior William Ricks grabbed a bite to eat between games at the regional unified basketball tournament.

“Unified basketball is tons of fun,” he said. “I like playing with my friends; they show me what to do and help me get better.”

Ricks, who also played on Hunter’s unified soccer team, said he appreciates the exercise he’s getting.

“I like to get faster and stronger and become better,” he said. “Playing is good, really good. I’m ready to go play again.”

His basketball and soccer teammate, sophomore Whitney Rasmussen, competes in unified track too.

“I like my friends; it’s fun,” said the three-sport unified student-athlete.

Rasmussen, who also is a cheerleader at the school, likes to be cheered on by her peers—and on Feb. 27 at Murray High, the fans packed the house to support the unified players. Hunter finished third in its division.

In unified basketball, each team has five players on the court—three athletes and two unified partners. Teams play against other squads of the same ability in two eight-minute halves. Supported by Special

Olympics and the Utah High School Activities Association, unified sports has both a competitive and a player development level, the latter which provides more of a cooperative environment with partners being teammates and mentors.

UHSAA referee Paul Madsen said he appreciates unified basketball.

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

That’s something Hunter High coach John Young appreciates.

“It’s so cool because it’s just natural,” he said. “Our peer tutors and kids have a real friendship. They have a PE class together and after PE, they eat lunch together. We even did a unified play this year with all the main roles filled by our special ed kids and were supported by our peer tutors. Unified sports is another aspect of inclusion and friendship. Everyone is there for one another and wants everyone to score. Basketball is my favorite because it’s loud and a lot of fun.”

In Utah, involvement in unified high school basketball has skyrocketed. This year, there were the most teams in its history competing to play at state—73 teams

competed for 32 state seeds, said Courtnie Worthen, Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools manager.

At the March 8 state unified basketball tournament, there was plenty of smiles and cheers as Hunter took fourth place in its division.

Administrators from several school districts and educational foundations joined Gov. Spencer Cox and First Lady Abby Cox to support the competiton, which was held at Weber State University.

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

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

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

“Unified sports provides social in-

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

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

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

Hunter High brings up the ball against Murray High in the regional unified basketball tournament. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Hunter High shoots for two against Hillcrest High at the state unified basketball tournament. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)

NASCAR driver comes to Salt Lake with fundraiser ride

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

Former NASCAR driver and racing analyst

Kyle Petty will travel through the Beehive State as part of one of the most popular charity motorcycle rides in the United States. The 27th anniversary of the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America will kick off in Salt Lake City on April 29 and return on May 5.

Petty will lead over 125 riders on a seven-day trek covering 1,500 miles. The ride is an effort to raise money and awareness for Victory Junction, a camp dedicated to providing life-changing camping experiences for young children with chronic medical conditions.

“Nevada and Utah are two of my favorite states to ride motorcycles in,” Petty said. “The desert, red rocks and mountain terrain paint vivid and breathtaking scenes. Our riders are in for a picturesque treat.”

The motorcycle ride will begin in Salt Lake on Saturday, April 29, and head to Ely, Nevada. From Ely, they will travel to Tonopah and then to Las Vegas, Cedar City, Moab and back to Salt Lake.

The trip’s highlights include visiting Bonneville Salt Flats, lapping the track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, scenic highways through Capitol Reef National Park and Legends Motorcycle Museum.

“I consider myself extremely blessed to be able to ride this incredible route while also

raising money to send kids to Victory Junction. The ride allows me to combine my passions for helping others and motorcycles,” Petty said.

Victory Junction is located in the hills near Greensboro, North Carolina. The facility is operated year round and at no cost to the families. They offer summer camps, day camps and family camps.

Celebrities scheduled to participate in this year’s ride include NASCAR hall of famer Richard Petty, racing legends Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace, former Formula 1 driver Max Papis and NFL great Herschel Walker.

“Any chance I get to spend a week out West, I’m taking it,” Kyle’s father Richard Petty said in a press release. “Add riding motorcycles to that and helping the kids at Victory Junction is like putting a cherry on top. That is why I always look forward to Kyle’s ride every year.”

Since the ride began in 1995 more than 8,000 riders have participated and have raised more than $20 million for the charity.

Every year the fundraiser is held in a different location. The ride began when Petty and three friends rode their bikes from North Carolina to a NASCAR race in Phoenix. Friends joined them as they traveled across the country and when they arrived more than 30 riders had participated. He decided this could turn into something more.

The charity Petty founded was made to honor his late son Adam. He was killed in a car racing accident in preparation for an event in New Hampshire. He was 19 years old. He was the fourth generation Petty family member to

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Kyle Petty has turned his love for motorcycles into an opportunity to raise money for children to attend summer camps. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Kane Photography)

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Mastering your money after tax season

Want to feel more confident and in control of your finances?

Tax time can definitely leave you second guessing where your money went during this past year and inspire you to master your money in the year to come.

According to financial guru Sarah Fernandez one way to accomplish this goal is to develop a financial plan. “Money is the answer to whether or not we get to be a stay-at-home parent, or get to do that kitchen remodel we’ve wanted, or take that family vacation.”

Fernandez continues encouraging us that “once you know what you can and cannot afford—you are free! Then you can make decisions to either work more, save more, or spend more because it’s not only about saving—it’s also enjoying what we have and our life.”

So, how can we find this freedom in knowing what we have using a financial plan or budget?

1. Take full responsibility. This can help free you of the shame and guilt around your finances, free you to start living the life you want to live, and help you make better choices in your spending going forward.

2. Watch for signs that your money is controlling you. This starts with taking the first step in sitting down and evaluating where your money is going. Financial advice will vary by the source such as don’t borrow to provide for your living expenses, only use 50% of your income on essential expenses, and even using a snowball effect to get out of debt.

3. Don’t compare your finances with others. Just as comparison is the

By Holly Curby | hello@hollycurby.com

thief of joy, comparing finances can leave you living a broke mindset (always thinking negatively) versus an abundant mindset (living your best life with what you have).

Tony Wolff, managing partner with Wolff & Company, confirms that one of the most concerning financial issues that he sees is people just having too much debt. He specified, “They live beyond their means…and spend more than they make.”

For most that begs the question: How can we avoid getting into debt? Although long gone are the days of rain checks, rebates and clipping coupons, we can implement the following techniques when it comes to spending money:

• Check your subscriptions. Often we are still signed up for those free trials that are no longer free, or even subscriptions to things we are no longer using.

• Look for discounts. Check in with your insurance company and see what new discounts are available for which you might qualify. Don’t settle with where you’ve always been, feel free to shop around and get quotes from other companies.

• Evaluate habits. Are you buying that daily coffee just because everyone else is, or it’s something you’ve always done? Is it meeting a need or bringing you joy?

• Resist impulse purchases. Whether it be sleeping on it before you buy it, ensuring you love it or you leave it, to even avoiding late night television or social media scrolling so you aren’t tempted to make those ran-

dom purchases.

• Set boundaries. Perhaps you and your spouse have a predetermined amount where you communicate first before making purchases over a certain dollar figure.

Making such financial decisions as a couple can definitely add to the dynamic of our financial planning. Fernandez suggests having a “whine and cheese meeting” where couples are able to create alignment through this time of fully disclosing their frustrations (as she refers to as the “whining” part), and their concerns and visions around their financial decisions. Once we understand how each other feels about money, the upbringings that influence each other’s spending habits, and why we are willing to pay money for what we want, we can then compromise and avoid creating issues in the relationship down the road.

In the end, whether single or married, the goal is to be the master of your money so that the money doesn’t master you.

Want to hear more about setting up a financial budget, or even how to best prepare for tax season? Check out Holly’s Highlights podcast for a full interview with Wolff in Season 1, Episode 12, and the full interview with Fernandez on Season 3, Episode 13. Holly’s Highlights podcast is available at www.hollycurby.com and wherever you listen to podcasts including Apply podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, and even “Alexa, play Holly’s Highlights podcast.” l

Utah is Boosting America’s Return to the Moon

Patient Advocates who support the right

Off-duty officers to offer extra security at West Valley Library

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

The West Valley Library will see an extra level of protection again.

A unanimous vote from the West Valley City Council approved an agreement between the city and Salt Lake County that will see WVC off-duty police officers provide security on an as needed basis to the West Valley Library. The contract runs through the end of 2023 with an option to renew on an annual basis.

Police Chief Colleen Jacobs told the council the county library requested the extra security.

“They’ve been having additional challenges with the unsheltered population so they’re requesting our presence to help address those issues,” she said.

This isn’t the first time the city’s entered this contract. A similar agreement was reached in 2018 for a two year length. Jacobs said there was no agreement in place for 2022.

Officers tasked to the library are free to respond to higher priority threats in other locations when necessary, according to the agreement. The overtime will pay a

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supervising officer $61/hour and a regular officer $51/hour.

Hunter Library is not included in the contract. l

A unanimous vote from the West Valley City Council approved an agreement between the city and Salt Lake County that will see WVC off-duty police officers provide security on an as needed basis to the West Valley Library. (File photo City Journals)

Grizzlies head into final month of the season pushing for playoff position

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

TheUtah Grizzlies season has come down to the home stretch. April is the final month of the regular season and playoffs are right around the corner.

Their season record currently has them in ninth place in the Western Conference of the ECHL. They are only four points behind the sixth-place team, the Kansas City Mavericks. They hosted the Mavericks March 1012 in a home series at the Maverik Center. The Grizzlies have dominated the Mavericks this season defeating them five times in six games.

The Grizzlies have scored points in nine of their last 11 games. This run has pushed them toward a possible playoff position. During the run, they scored 47 goals. On March 10, forward Cameron Wright scored the game-winning goal 14 minutes into the final period to secure the 2-1 victory. Utah goalie Lukas Parik saved 22 of the 23 shots he faced.

The Maverik Center hosted the Stanley Cup during the March 11 game. As an affiliate of the 2022 NHL champions, the Grizzlies earned the opportunity for its fans to see the historic trophy.

The Stanley Cup was first awarded in 1892. It is given to the champion of the National Hockey League. Last season, the

Colorado Avalanche beat the Tampa Bay Lightning four games to two to capture the championship. It is the oldest trophy that can be won by North American athletes. The old-

Wedding Venues for Beginners

For lots of people, and especially for the ladies, a perfect wedding is something they’ve dreamt about their entire lives. They imagine what their dress will be like, how many chariots and horses they’ll need, how many doves they want released while they march down the aisle to their wedding song being played by a trio of bagpipers. While a picturesque wedding would be ideal, many couples quickly realize that there are more “behind the scenes” details that need to be gured out than they initially realized. The biggest one, most would agree, is selecting a wedding venue. That’s where the help of family, friends, google searches and wedding professionals can be a great resource to help make the decision less overwhelming. We tapped Kevin Coulter, facilities manager for Mill Pond Farms Events and the Coulter House Event Center, to o er his insight.

CITY JOURNALS: First o , do couples really need a wedding venue?

KEVIN COULTER: While running to Vegas and getting hitched is always an attractive option, most couples prefer to have their family and friends attend their special day as a sign of love and support. That’s where a wedding venue steps in. It allows an intimate space for everybody to be with you on your special day. Most venues are equipped with all the amenities and services needed to help make your guests comfortable. Unless you’re planning to rough it high up in the mountains and haul all your wedding supplies with you (while praying that the weather doesn’t turn sour), then a venue is going to be your best bet.

CITY JOURNALS: What are some important things to consider when selecting a wedding venue?

KEVIN COULTER: Every venue is going to have a di erent personality. So, you may not be able to check o every item on your “dream wedding venue” list, but most couples can get something real close, depending upon the budget that they have. In addition, and while movie-perfect dream weddings are usually a bit over the top, there is something to be said for keeping it simple. Keep in mind how much time you have to get things ready and how far your budget can get you. Plus, there are a lot of good venues that already include

est trophy in the world is the Carlisle Bells dating back to 1559. They are given to the winner of a horse race held in Great Britain.

Rookie Cameron Wright leads the team

tons of options to help make things easier on you. With that in mind, here are some things you may want to ask as you begin your wedding venue search…

• What style of venue do you want? Rustic? Barn or farm setting? Modern? Chic? Boho? Based on what you like, you can search for a good t. That is where you start.

• How many guests can the venue accommodate? Be sure to pick the venue that can accommodate your group. And if you love the venue enough but it just isn’t quite big enough, maybe you can take the family of your aunt’s roommate o the invite list.

• How long is the rental time frame? For some couples, doing things DIY is preferred (which can help save some dough), so make sure your venue has su cient rental hours to allow you to get everything done before your event begins. This includes food, décor, getting ready, etc.

• What are the vendor policies? Some venues only allow you to use the vendor services they provide in-house or charge you a fee if you don’t use their provided vendors. If you want exibility, go with a venue that will allow you to bring in outside vendors such as caterers, decorators, orists, DJs, etc.

• Can I hold my wedding/ring ceremony at the venue? Again, this is something that you’ll need to clarify with the venue, as some venues only allow a certain time slot, or access to a certain area of the venue for the actual ceremony. And many venues even charge extra to be able to hold your ceremony at the venue.

• Are there outdoor options? Most couples opt for having their wedding ceremony outside, whereas the reception is typically held indoors. But there are venues that don’t include an outside area.

• Lastly, and this may seem like an odd suggestion, make sure that you are comfortable with the venue sta and that you feel they will have your best interests in mind. I’ve seen couples completely overlook a particular venue simply because they didn’t feel that they would have a good working relationship with the sta .

in scoring with 19 goals. He leads the league with eight game-winning goals. He also leads the team with 43 points and the league’s rookies with 200 shots. Tarun Fizer has 18 goals.

All Grizzlies games can be streamed on flohockey.tv and the team’s YouTube channel.

The Grizzlies are the ECHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. There are 28 teams in the league and they play 72 game schedules.

Goalie Garrett Metcalf, a Utah hockey celebrity, is part of the current team roster. He has played in 13 games this season and recorded seven wins. He also has a .888 save percentage. He is in his third season with the team.

Over the past 24 years, the Grizzlies have finished the season with a .500 winning percentage or better 19 times. Over 200 former players have played in the NHL.

The Grizzlies’ final homestand of the season is scheduled for April 12-15 against the Tulsa Oilers.

The Idaho Steelheads have the best record in the league. They have won 44 games this season so far. Last season, Florida defeated Toledo to win the ECHL championship.l

CITY JOURNALS: How much money should I budget for a wedding venue?

KEVIN COULTER: Before getting too far on planning your budget, remember that your time is valuable and that you need to personally understand what you are willing to do yourself, or pay someone else to do for you. After all, a long checklist can sometimes equate to more stress. Keep in mind that spending two days decorating a church gym may not end up being as inexpensive as you initially thought. But once you gure out what you are willing to do yourself or to delegate, pick a wedding venue price range that works well with your budget. And once you nd that perfect venue for you, make sure that the services, items, and customer service leave you feeling like you are truly getting the best bang for you buck.

If you have any follow up questions for Kevin, you can reach him at 435-840-5587, coulterhouse.events@gmail.com, or scan the QR code with your phone to go to his website. Happy wedding venue shopping!

The Utah Grizzlies hosted the Stanley Cup as an affiliate of the 2022 NHL champion Colorado Avalanche. Utah fans were able to take photos of the historic trophy. (Photo courtesy of the Utah Grizzlies)

Stephen J. Buhler Attorney at

Emily Lewis joins Granger Medical Clinic after working in the Newborn ICU at the University of Utah. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, she has now settled in Salt Lake City with her husband. Emily went to Brigham Young University and received her Bachelor’s in Nursing in 2014. She began her nursing career at LDS Hospital in Inpatient Psychiatry. She then worked for several years in the Emergency Department and then spent some time working as a school nurse. This is where she learned her love for pediatrics. In order to gain more experience, she worked at the University of Utah Newborn ICU. She decided to further her career and attended graduate school at Westminster College. In May of 2022, she graduated with her Master’s in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner. With her diverse past medical experience, she is thrilled to become a Pediatric Primary Care Provider.

You may choose a burial plot, urn garden, scattering gardens, columbarium niche, or memory wall at our on-site crematory. Whether your family would like a direct cremation without a ceremony or would like to enlist the help of our funeral planners for a memorial ceremony, we are here to help. Choose traditional funeral services or life celebrations to honor the life of your loved one.

As you plan the end-of-life services, there are dozens of decisions to make during an emotional time. LET OUR TEAM HELP YOU choose urns, vaults, and memorials. We can also help with flower arrangements, catering, and grief resources.

Photo: Don Polo Photography

Changes to Unified Police Department and sheriff duties

Changes to the Unified Police Department are coming. Some of the information out there has not been entirely accurate, so I thought it might be helpful to share some insight. This past legislative session, state legislators made the decision to remove language about the Unified Police Department (UPD) from state statute. This meant UPD would need to operate by interlocal only, and without the state giving specific guidelines.

This legislation originally removed the county sheriff as the CEO of UPD, as many cities questioned whether it was a conflict of interest with the sheriff wearing two hats. But when the sheriff’s association and Sheriff Rivera met with the legislative sponsor, they supported just removing the UPD language altogether from state code.

Unified Police Department is governmental agency created by interlocal agreement. It serves areas such as Millcreek, Holladay, Midvale, unincorporated Salt Lake County, and the townships. The board can choose their CEO, but for years they have just kept the county sheriff as the CEO. This has created some heartburn for cities not in UPD who wonder if there is appropriate financial separation between UPD and the countywide sheriff services.

Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Councilwoman| District 3

I have also been asked about this and have been participating on a committee to gather more information.

All of our county residents receive great countywide public safety services from the sheriff’s office. Some of these countywide services include the statutory duties of the sheriff, such as operations of the jail, warrants and extraditions, and search and rescue. There are additional countywide services that provide a countywide benefit such as drug court, metro gangs, major investigations and drug enforcement, and canyon patrol.

For those who are UPD officers or live in UPD service areas, rest assured that leaders from Millcreek, Midvale, Holladay and other areas are working hard to ensure UPD remains a stable and top-notch police agency to take care of your needs. There

will just be one difference and that is a cleaner separation between your policing agency and the county sheriff who represents all areas of the valley. I believe this will give UPD a better chance to grow and thrive. It will also help other police agencies rest assured that there are no conflicts of interest, and all agencies will be represented well by the sheriff’s office.

As a Salt Lake County Councilmember, I believe funding transparency is vitally important for all county services. This is especially true as it relates to law

Utah remembers 5.7 earthquake

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

enforcement services that are provided on a countywide basis. The tax dollars used for these services come from residents and all taxpayers throughout the county. When deciding which programs to fund on a countywide basis I provide careful consideration to determine the usefulness of these services to your community, if the current resource allocations and service levels are appropriate, and the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the programs.

It was three years ago on March 18 at 7:09 a.m. when Utah experienced a magnitude 5.7 earthquake with the epicenter located in Magna. The earthquake caused damage to buildings, roads, and infrastructure across the Salt Lake Valley, and was felt across the state and surrounding areas.

On the third anniversary of the earthquake, the Division of Emergency Management reflected on the progress made in the aftermath.

"It is sometimes hard to remember just how scary it was to many Salt Lake area residents to feel the earth move under their feet on March 18 and in many of the 2,000+ aftershocks that followed," said Jessica Chappell, vice chair of Utah Seismic Safety Commission in a press release. "Still this event’s damage and disruption must serve as a warning for the potential destruction that could occur in an event releasing up to 100 times the amount of energy unleashed in the M 5.7 earthquake. On the Utah Seismic Safety Commission, we look forward to building a coalition of actively engaged citizens and community leaders to help us create a more resilient Utah."

Immediately following the earthquake, emergency response and emergency management agencies responded to assess damage and provide assistance. There were no fatalities, but several injuries were reported. The earthquake also caused minor power out-

ages and disrupted communications.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, the state officials, FEMA and local communities worked together to assess the damage and begin repairs. West Lake Junior High sustained enough damage to force students to relocate to Westbrook Elementary in Taylorsville while the new school is built. Its groundbreaking was held two years to the day of the earthquake.

Other plans were developed by DEM to rebuild and strengthen structures to better withstand future earthquakes.

"At the University of Utah Seismograph Stations, the Magna earthquake is still fresh in our minds. The operational response to it dominated our activities for about a year, and we are still working on scientific analyses of the seismic data," said Keith Koper, Director of University of Utah Seismograph Stations in the press release. "Especially with the recent earthquakes in Turkey, it's clear we dodged a bullet with the Magna earthquake only reaching a magnitude of 5.7."

One resource created on the day of the Magna Quake and is still functioning is the earthquakes.utah.gov website. The division reminded residents the website is a “great resource for information about the Magna Quake specifically, earthquakes generally, and earthquake preparedness.”

In West Valley City, officials worked

with FEMA for assistance grants and programs to help both the residents and cityowned facilities.

The city also implemented a three-year training plan where every other month the city does exercises for situations such as a

winter storm or a cyberattack.

DEM reminded Utah residents to prepare for future earthquakes by having a plan and an emergency kit. l

A trailer park on the west side close to Magna received the brunt of the earthquake from three years ago. (File photo Travis Barton/City Journals)

HOOL BOUNDARY STUDY

Open House Meetings

Wednesday, April 5 at 6 p.m. – Matheson Jr. High School

Monday, April 10 at 6 p.m. – Kearns High School

Monday, April 17 at 6 p.m. – Hunter High School

MORE INFORMATION

Accepting new patients!

Granite School District is currently conducting a population analysis study in your area - Cyprus, Kearns, and Hunter Networks.

You are invited to attend one of our open house meetings that will provide detailed information on what is being studied. The end result of this study is anticipated boundary adjustments and potential elementary school closures. Your participation and feedback is a helpful and necessary part of this process.

KOMAL RASTOGI, MD Clinical Neurophysiology, Neurology

Dr. Rastogi joined Granger Medical Clinic from Steward Medical Group. He was born and raised in Oklahoma and moved to the Salt Lake area in 2018. Dr. Rastogi previously worked in San Antonio, Texas, at River City Neurology prior to joining Steward Medical Group. Since moving to Utah, he has served as the stroke medical director of Davis Hospital & Medical Center in Layton, Utah. Under his leadership, Davis Hospital & Medical Center achieved a Primary Stroke Center Plus accreditation from the DNV and became the first certified stroke center in Davis County. He is a member of the Utah State Stroke Task Force which is a coalition of local providers whose goal is to improve stroke care in the state of Utah.

Dr. Rastogi offers both inpatient and outpatient neurological care. His training focused on procedures such as EEG, EMG, evoked potentials, intraoperative monitoring, VNS programming, and skin biopsies. This allows him to specialize in epilepsy and neuromuscular disorders in addition to any general neurological disorders.

Dr. Rastogi believes that the patient-physician relationship is an important factor in providing good care. He completed his fellowship in a variety of neurological procedures to make sure patients can see one neurologist for all aspects of their neurological care, thus providing a lasting and trusting relationship.

SERVICES OFFERED:

• General Neurology services which include stroke, concussion, traumatic brain injury, headaches (including migraines), neuropathy, back pain/radiculopathy, sciatica, seizures/epilepsy, muscle diseases, motor neuron disease (ALS), myasthenia gravis, Parkinson’s Disease, Essential tremor, multiple sclerosis, and dementias (including Alzheimer’s Disease) along with many others.

PROCEDURES:

• Electroencephalogram (EEG)

• Electromyography & Nerve Conduction Study (EMG/ NCS)

• Botox injections

• Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS)

• Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

• Skin Biopsies

• Nerve Blocks for Headaches

BECAUSE NO TWO ARE ALIKE

NO TWO ARE ALIKE... NO TWO PREGNANCIES, NO TWO BIRTHS, NO TWO BABIES. WE PROVIDE EACH PATIENT WITH THE INDIVIDUALIZED CARE AND EXPERIENCE YOU DESERVE.

WHETHER YOU’RE A PRO OR A FIRST-TIME MOM, OUR EXPERIENCED MATERNITY TEAM IS HERE TO CARE FOR YOU AND YOUR BABY.

Jordan Valley Medical Center - West Valley Campus has been delivering babies on the west side since 1963. We offer natural birthing suites and a level II Newborn Intensive Care Unit to care for our smallest patients.

RYAN K. FROME, DO

Dr. Frome joins Granger Medical Clinic from Children’s Urgent Care and Pediatric Clinic in Las Vegas. He is a native of Albany, Oregon. Dr. Frome loves pediatric patients! He believes in treating the whole person and has pride in helping patients get off to a good start in life. He takes his role as a medical provider seriously and enjoys not only providing information on a patient’s current medical ailment but advice on lifestyle and preventative care as well. He listens to his patients well and enjoys getting to know them. He considers himself not only a physician but a friend.

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

He sighs with satisfaction.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Water

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

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

Although that may not be the case.

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

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

Golf the Round on its last leg?

By Zak Sonntag | z.sonntag@mycityjournals.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Superfund site

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

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

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

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

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

Discussions of radioactive material

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

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

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

Councilmember Sheryl Bynum, who

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will Doyle whacks a drive s on Golf the Round’s range (Zak Sonntag/City Journals)

“ The technician was prompt, worked quickly, and was very professional. They provided outstanding same day service.”

—David C

“ Robert and Mark were great! We had pipes burst at night and they were right there to help us get the water shut off and to help us get all the water out and dried. They were both professional, communication was great and they were thorough.I would recommend them to anyone! ”

—Anna D

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

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

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

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

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

Rage Against the Machine

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

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

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

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

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

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

by emotionless robots like Tucker Carlson?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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