West Valley City Journal | March 2023

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Whenteachers at Whittier STEAM Elementary (3585

S. 6000 West) set an academic goal for each student to read 1,000 pages during the second term, the community jumped in to help make that happen.

More than 100 volunteers, including parents, relatives, students from Hunter Junior High and Hunter High School, Granite School District personnel and school board members took time to listen to kids read and encourage them to keep going.

“I didn’t know we needed all of (the volunteers) until the very end,” said Whittier Principal Jennifer Bodell. “It’s what made it even more magical. The kids saw that not only did their teachers care, but these strangers cared. It was like there was more than just a teacher who believed in me, there are a lot of adults who believe in me and I can do this. It was amazing.”

With a student body of more than 430, Whittier STEAM educators like to issue a challenge each term that aligns with the school’s goals. At least 95% of the students reached the reading goal, including kindergarteners who were challenged to learn all their letters and sounds, and read 500 pages. Special education students and medically-fragile children also received extra support so they could take part in the challenge.

Older students read along with younger children, teachers encouraged non-readers to keep them motivated and the Whittier staff got creative with ways to keep students engaged and on track.

Continued page 5

TAP INTO A NEW POSSIBILITY for depression

Depression Isolates.

NeuroStar® Connects.

• NOT medicine

• NOT shock therapy

• NOT invasive

• IS safe and effective

• IS COVERED by most insurance

“I had taken 11 different medications without any relief… NeuroStar treatment has helped me bring my life back…with a happiness that I’ve never experienced before” ~TODD

NeuroStar is like physical therapy for the brain. It uses magnetic pulses, similar in strength to MRI, to reignite dormant connections in the brain and give you control of your depression. With NeuroStar, you can live on your terms.

More apartments under construction near Maverik Center

By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

The residential development train rolls on in West Valley City.

Another project currently under construction is a 219-unit apartment complex just north of the Maverik Center at 3100 S. Decker Lake Blvd. (2200 West).

Decker Station Apartments will span five stories covering 200,000 square feet on what was an empty field. Amenities will include private balconies, rooftop patios, a swimming pool, hot tub, barbeques, a fire pit, community areas, fitness, and game rooms, and business center with WiFi and computers for residents. There will even be a dog wash.

“It’s a great location. Quick on and off the freeway (I-215),” said West Valley City Economic Optimization and Redevelopment Authority Director Mark Nord. For residents who want to use public transportation, UTA’s Decker Lake TRAX station is across the street from the development.

Decker Station Apartments are on the north end of what West Valley City considers its entertainment district consisting of the Maverik Center, the West Valley Performing Arts Center, and several restaurants. City officials hope more people living in the area will bring added vibrancy to the area. “We want to make it more focused on density of housing like apartment complexes and have a lot more entertainment focus. We’re trying to bring in more restaurants,” Nord said.

The project proposal came to the city about a year ago and received the necessary approvals. The development is privately funded by Rockworth Companies, a residential and commercial real estate developer and property management firm based in Holladay. Construction is well underway and moving toward completion

Jou r nals

WEST VALLEY TEAM

The West Valley City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout West Valley.

For information about distribution please email brad.c@thecityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website.

The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner.

© 2019 Loyal Perch Media, Inc.

late this year or in early 2024.

Decker Station Apartments will have 332 parking stalls with at least 240 of them in a ground-level covered parking garage.

“Long gone are the traditional old development patterns (with) a sea of parking surrounding the building. Land has just become too valuable so you have to go vertical and tuck the parking underneath,”

Nord added.

The complex is being built at the same time as a 262-unit apartment complex next to Costco and Valley Fair Mall, as reported in the February edition of the West Valley City Journal. Both projects add to West Valley City’s rapid residential construction in recent years that has seen single-family and multi-family housing rising on the

dwindling amount of available lots and land zoned for such development in the city.

In other housing notes, Nord said townhomes are being considered for a vacant plot of land on the west side of 5600 West near 2800 South. The site will also include a Marriott-brand hotel. There is no timetable yet for the development. l

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Bryan Scott | bryan.s@thecityjournals.com

EDITOR

Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

Ryan Casper | ryan.c@thecityjournals.com 801-254-5974

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Mieka Sawatzki | mieka.s@thecityjournals.com

Jason Corbridge | jason.c@thecityjournals.com

A rendering shows the look of a 219-unit apartment structure currently being built north of the Maverik Center in West Valley City. (Courtesy West Valley City via Rockworth Companies)

Continued from front page

One day, teachers turned off all the lights in the classroom, gave each student a flashlight and set up a pretend campfire so students could read by camp light. On another day, students could dress like their favorite book character.

During the last couple weeks of the challenge, community volunteers stepped up to cheer on the students who still had pages to read. At the end of the term, in January, hundreds of students had earned a field trip to West Valley City Cinemark Theater to watch “Despicable Me” with their classmates and enjoy popcorn, a drink and a snack, free of charge.

“I partnered with some neighbors and they were willing to foot the bill for the movie,” Bodell said. “I have some great neighbors. We rented three theaters and provided snacks for each child. The donors came, too, and their reward was seeing the faces of the kids. It was so amazing. To me it’s a big deal. Kids have to learn anyway, so let’s have fun.”

Whittier STEAM educators have committed to use teamwork to achieve success throughout the school. By holding each student accountable for their actions, with encouragement and support from the community, Bodell hopes the students realize they can accomplish anything and continue to set and achieve goals.

“The movie was the reward but what was more exciting is we were all working toward the same goal. Even the adults did it. We all read 1,000 pages,” Bodell said. “It was fun for non-readers and kids who loved reading accomplished the goal easily. The community really came together to help the students who needed a little more support.” l

Lymphedema

Have you ever had the feeling that your legs were so tight they simply might burst? You rush to see your primary care doctor and the provider tells you to just keep taking your water pills. The thought of taking one more water pill is beyond your control since you have decided that you do not want to spend your whole life in the bathroom. If that is not bad enough, they want you to put on compression hose which are way too tight and absolutely impossible to get on without killing your back or falling.

Have you ever felt like you have no other options?

Innovation Medical Group

LYMPHEDEMA CLINIC in the heart of HOLLADAY, UTAH is the place to find answers beyond water pills and ill-fitting compression hose. Let’s get to the root of this problem and help YOU find long term solutions to help address your lower extremity edema. Lymphedema Therapists with over 20 years of experience will be there to guide you through

the process and get you back to LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE. Each patient requires a specialized treatment plan so appointments are limited but can be scheduled at 801-758-2091. We are located at 4624 Holladay Blvd on the second floor in Suite 213 right above Olympus Family Medicine. We accept all major insurances and look forward to being able to enhance your quality of life.

As part of the reading challenge, students at Whittier STEAM Elementary got to dress as their favorite book character. Members of the community helped students accomplish their goal of reading 1,000 pages. (Photo courtesy of Whitter STEAM)

Abandoned pets are rapidly becoming a large crisis in post-pandemic world

By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com

As we continue to see fewer and fewer facemasks – and the coronavirus pandemic becomes more of a fleeting memory – big changes are occurring at the West Valley-Taylorsville Animal Services Shelter (4522 W. 3500 South). In a nutshell, shelter Director Melanie Bennett says, there’s no room at the inn.

“During the pandemic, we couldn’t keep dogs and cats in the shelter,” Bennett said. “We were looking all over the place to find animals to adopt out. People were stuck at home and they all seemed to want a pet. But that’s all changed – at our shelter and across the country. We are full of dogs and cats.”

Bennett reports her shelter has room for about 200 cats and 100 dogs. It has been running so full, they can no longer allow people to simply drop off unwanted pets anymore.

“We are only handling stray pickups now,” she explained. “Part of the problem is, many people can’t afford to keep their animals anymore. During the pandemic, some people tried to start breeding pets for an additional income. Now many of them are just letting those animals go. It’s a growing problem.”

West Valley City’s population is about 140,000, while Taylorsville is a little less

K. FROME, DO Pediatrics

than half that, at 60,000. That creates a large population and geographical area for Bennett and her staff of 20 to handle. Besides rounding up strays, they spend a lot of time coordinating pet adoption events. You can learn more about these at the shelter’s official government webpage wvc-ut.gov/17/ Animal-Services or on their social media page facebook.com/WVCAnimalServices. Another big change that’s come about since the pandemic arrived is the removal of the shelter’s controversial euthanasia gas chamber. As one of only a very few animal gas chambers remaining in Utah, the device drew frequent community protests. On one occasion, animal advocates filled the Taylorsville City Council chambers to address the issue.

Ironically, after all that debate, a natural disaster settled the West Valley-Taylorsville Animal Services Shelter gas chamber issue once and for all. Bennett reports it was not the COVID-19 pandemic – but something else that struck a week after the coronavirus shutdown.

On March 18, 2020 a 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck in Magna and rattled all of northern Utah. Bennett says that was the “last straw” for her facility’s controversial device.

•

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.

•

•

•

Officer Cesar Anaya works to control one of the more exotic species the West Valley-Taylorsville Animal Services Shelter has handled recently. (Courtesy Melanie Bennett)

“The earthquake shook the gas chamber quite a bit and we were afraid it had been damaged,” she explained. “We also could not find anyone in the state who could repair or recertify it. We quietly turned it in for recycling last year. We really hadn’t used it for a long time – except for raccoons, on rare occasion. Now the room the gas chamber was in has been converted to a much larger surgery room for our spays and neuters.”

Since the fall of 2021, the animal shelter has contracted with veterinarian Dr. Amy Anderson to conduct spays and neuters three days each week. She conducts 45 to 50 procedures weekly. Bennett reports some of those are being done through their Community Cat Program.

“We have volunteers who humanely trap feral cats in different areas,” Bennett explained. “They bring the cats to us… our veterinarian neuters them… and they are returned to where they were found. This allows us to deal with stray cats humanely, while also maintaining our no-kill policy.”

According to their website, the Trap/ Neuter/Return Program is designed to keep stray cats at the shelter no longer than 48 hours. During that brief visit, they are vaccinated, given health assessments and “fixed.”

ager oversees the work of our shelter technicians,” she said. “Those are the people who take care of our animals while they are here. We also have a new hope coordinator, who’s in charge of adoption events and various volunteer programs.”

Bennett’s director post is one of 22 animal shelter employee positions. At press time, three of those jobs were unfilled. Other shelter jobs include a field supervisor, officers and dispatchers.

Now that the West Valley-Taylorsville Animal Services Shelter is constantly filled with dogs and cats, Bennett says donations are more welcome than ever. She reports area residents have always been very good to the shelter.

Do you have any of the following conditions?

“Our citizens are amazing with their donations,” she concluded. “They bring us pet food, blankets, towels and animal treats. Last summer when it was so hot our air conditioning went out. We posted something about it online, and within two days we had 40 fans, donated by residents. We’re still trying to figure out where to store all the fans for our next heat emergency. Our donors have been wonderful.”

This program is managed by the shelter’s community capture coordinator. And that’s not the only unusual job title you will find on Bennett’s staff.

• Type II Diabetes

Each quarter, Bennett prepares a report about the animal shelter to present before the Taylorsville City Council.

• Pre-Diabetes

“Our animal care and enrichment man-

• High Triglycerlides

“The animal shelter is running very well,” Mayor Kristie Overson said. “Melanie is very competent and does a good job running the center. She has great relation-

• High Cholesterol

ships with her staff and the public. They are meeting the needs of our residents.”

• High Blood Pressure

The West Valley-Taylorsville Animal Services Shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 6

• Overweight

p.m., Monday through Friday. Their main phone number is 801-965-5800, while the after hours and weekend emergency number is 801-840-4000. l

BE A MEDICAL HERO! JOIN A STUDY TODAY.

NASH - NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER:

This study is for men and women who are 18 to 80 years old, you must be able to sign and understand informed consent. You must have Cirrhosis due to NASH. This is defined as having either a historical liver biopsy within 180 days, or if it’s been longer we will do a fibro scan to determine if you have Cirrhosis.

CRISTCOT - ULCERATIVE COLITIS:

This study is for males or non-pregnant, non-lactating females 18 years and older who have a confirmed diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis. Participants must be having an active flare-up of Ulcerative Colitis of the rectum in order to

IONIS - HYPERTRIGLYCERIDEMIA:

This study is for adults 18 years and older who have hypertriglyceridemia and who are on lipid-lowering therapy, such as a statin that has been stabilized for at least 4 weeks. You must be willing to comply with diet and lifestyle recommendations as much as possible. If you are taking an over-the-counter omega-3 fatty acid, you should make every effort to stay on the same brand through the end of the study.

*We are also conducting free Fibro Scans to help people check for fatty liver, if you think you have one and haven’t been checked yet, call us today to schedule a 15-minute liver scan.

Participate in a clinical trial that includes a physical exam, diagnostic tests, and may include compensation for your time and travel.

You may have Fatty Liver or NASH.

This colorful wall is in the West Valley-Taylorsville Animal Services Shelter’s back “meet-and-greet yard,” where perspective pet adopters are introduced to the animals. Here, Shelter Technician Helena Perez is trying to help this lab find a home. (Courtesy Melanie Bennett)

Forthcoming West View Park to include challenge course

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

Afterthe expansion of West View Park last year that saw the 5-acre park add another 1.3 acres across the street, West Valley City’s parks and recreation department are now designing how the park will incorporate with a challenge course.

The West Valley City Council unanimously approved the purchase of challenge course materials in February for just over $200K. Adding that to the grant the department received of about $190K last year, which will cover the purchase of the challenge course, sports turf impact material, curbing and timers.

With the acquisition of further property around West View Park, located at 4050 S. 6000 West, which includes the Utah and Salt Lake Canal Trail and the Mountain View Corridor Field and Trail; the design process can incorporate the course, trail and field.

The challenge course is essentially an obstacle course and in this case, a scaled down version of something you’d see on “American Ninja Warrior.”

“It’s kind of a neat amenity to add to our city,” Assistant Department Director Jamie Young told the council last summer.

It will be the first of its kind in the valley and second in the state, the other being in Washington City in southern Utah.

The amenity will feature two lanes where 40-yard dash times can be recorded. Runners will start after three beeps and the finish line will be marked by a laser for accurate timing. The clock will run on its own.

The course is being purchased from Great Western Recreation, a park and playground equipment supplier based out of Logan. l

Stephen J. Buhler

A rendering from Great Western Recreation of what the challenge course will look like at West View Park. (West Valley City documents)

More growth still in the forecast for West Valley City

By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

Despite rapid growth the past 25 years and dwindling available land, West Valley City isn’t done expanding.

City Manager Wayne Pyle said on KSL Radio during a live interview at Granger High School in February that West Valley City still has projects in the works to add to its growth and ongoing makeover that has seen the city grow economically and forge its own identity from what was once a somewhat nondescript suburb.

Pyle told KSL hosts Dave Noriega and Debbie Dujanovic that work is underway to further cement the city as a desirable place to live and do business.

When asked about West Valley City’s historically less-than-stellar image among some people, Pyle said that is changing. “I think over the last 25-plus years, they’ve really made a lot of strides toward pride, accomplishment and culture,” said Pyle, who has served as city manager since 2002. “I think the image has improved from the outside,” he added, but more importantly among those who live and work in the city. “The people are very proud of the city and happy to be here.”

He said improvements in the central

part of West Valley City, including Valley Fair Mall, are the most noticeable changes to people who last visited the area years ago, but nearly all parts of the city have seen commercial, industrial and residential upgrades of one kind or another.

Pyle told KSL that the city’s annual population growth of 3% to 4% in the late 1990s and early 2000s led to the addition of about 700 new single-family homes a year. The population in 2002 was 110,400. Today it is about 143,000, an increase of nearly 30% during that time. The growth has slowed to about 1% annually as the amount of available land shrinks. “There is still ground to develop (but) there’s not a ton of it,” he said. Much of the current housing construction has shifted to multi-family dwellings like apartments and many of those are concentrated in the center of the city near public transit hubs such as UTA’s West Valley Central and Decker Lake TRAX and bus stations.

Pyle said that the Valley Fair Mall property which underwent a major renovation more than a decade ago will see some further improvements in the future on its north side. l

City manager Wayne Pyle speaks on KSL Radio about the growth of West Valley City. (Courtesy West Valley City)

Laboratorio de Funciones Ejecutivas en la Universidad de Utah Necesita TU ayuda!

Tienes al menos 60 años?

Hablas y entiendes ingles?

Investigamos cómo las habilidades de pensamiento y del diario vivir cambian con la edad.

City

officials outline, weigh pros and cons of its form of government

By Travis Barton | travis.@thecityjournals.com

CouldWest Valley City’s form of government change? Until recently, the subject was never really broached.

On Feb. 7, at the request of Councilmember Scott Harmon, city administrators gave a form of government presentation to the West Valley City Council explaining how a change could occur and the pros and cons of each form of government.

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.

Harmon said the city’s form of governance is in the “top 10” comments he gets from residents.

“It’s probably top two as far as passion and importance of it,” he added.

West Valley City currently operates under a council-manager format where the council acts as the legislative body, setting policy and the city manager implements that policy running day-to-day operations as the city’s CEO.

While there are several forms of government with each having minor differences, the two primary forms are West Valley’s council-manager and a council-mayor form of government.

The council-mayor, or more commonly known as the “strong mayor” format is what cities such as Sandy and West Jordan currently operate. In this form the council sets policy legislatively through budget and ordinance while the mayor sets administrative policy and oversees day-to-day operations.

Sandy and West Jordan, for example, have a mayor and seven-person council. West Valley City has always operated under the council-manager format with six councilmembers

and the mayor essentially serving as the chair of the council and voting member.

City Manager Wayne Pyle presented some of the advantages and disadvantages to each, acknowledging that having served as both city manager and assistant city manager in the city since 1997, he is prone from experience to recognize the benefits of council-manager.

He identified, and pointed out these are widely accepted, advantages with a city manager includes having someone with a higher education level who is usually professionally trained and experienced.

Staffs under a city manager are typically longer tenured, also professionally trained and experienced. “Therefore the policies are better executed in that environment,” Pyle explained. Having that stability allows the council and mayor to better “formulate long standing policies,” he said, using Fairbourne Station as an example.

In a council-mayor form, that stability might not happen due to staff turnover as mayors bring in their own people who may or may not be professionally trained.

The last advantage mentioned was cost, as cities with a council-mayor format tend to duplicate staff with each having its own administrative, advisory or legal staff.

The primary disadvantage presented was confusion from residents or outside officials from other entities not knowing who to work with for specific needs. Meaning city officials must continually educate people on the city’s process and organization.

West Valley City’s form of government currently has seven voting members of the council, including the mayor, seen here in 2016. (File photo City Journals)

Another potential con was the perception that the city manager has too much power. “I believe this to be an unfounded fear based on the structure,” Pyle said, noting the form gives checks and balances to elected officials and city managers. The council sets the policy and the city manager’s job is to “make sure those policies are carried out,” Pyle added.

Having a “strong” mayor is what residents are more familiar with giving them a “direct relationship to their elected mayor,” Pyle said.

Residents get to elect who the face of their city is in the mayor, whereas they don’t vote for the city manager, who is appointed by the mayor and council. Having the mayor as the focal point can reduce confusion.

Relationships can be facilitated more easily by the mayor representing the city in external organizations.

One concern could be accountability as the council can terminate the city manager but the mayor only leaves by changes in election years.

“Either form can work or not work depending on what’s going on from an environment standpoint,” Pyle said.

He highlighted how there can be good and bad managers or an expert mayor.

“There’s no exclusion, it’s really more of what’s more likely from the pros and cons,” he said summing up the presentation.

“I can see the benefits of both,” Harmon said after the presentation, noting he’s now worked with both forms.

“Part of me feels like we ought to let the citizens have the option every once in a while and see what they want,” he said.

Councilmember Tom Huynh liked the idea of letting people “test the water” and choose themselves.

Huynh, who appreciated Pyle being “very honest and frank” in his presentation, pointed to his own upbringing in Vietnam where government officers abused their power and found the checks and balances in government refreshing after arriving here.

“The most important thing here is the checks and balances,” he said.

But Huynh felt that could be achieved just as well in the council-mayor form. That if a mayor makes an appointment, the council can reject or approve that.

He also noted Mayor Karen Lang is “everywhere” and that it’s already a fulltime job.

Amid his laundry list of concerns, he felt the city manager position is not as accountable to the public and that cost wouldn’t be an issue as long as there was openness between the council and mayor. Huynh also included that a city manager could decide to move elsewhere with a higher pay.

“The training is good, I agree, but at the same time they can look for a higher paying job somewhere,” he said.

He was also worried about the role of a city attorney and whether they represent the council or the city.

Councilmember Will Whetstone said it “does seem like the council-manager form of government is more of an efficient type of government with the trained professionals and also the tenure and history of the city.”

He hesitates though because the council-mayor form means when they elect the mayor, they’re doing so knowing who their leader will be.

“If I’m paying taxes I get to elect who my leader is in my community,” he said, adding it “doesn’t have that feel” in the current form.

Councilmember Lars Nordfelt highlighted that nationally more than half of cities have council-manager with that number growing.

If action were to be taken to change the city’s form of government, the council would need to pass a resolution at least 75 days before the November election date and then hold two public hearings within 45 days of that resolution.

The council would have 60 days to withdraw the resolution, but after that the vote would go to the people in the November election.

If voted down, the city would have to wait four more years to hold the vote again. If voted for, then the new form of government would start in 2026 with elections taking place in 2025.

The end of the meeting indicated no further steps were planned toward such a decision. l

City officials discussed the pros and cons of forms of government. (File photo City Journals)

New Cyprus High School construction continues

By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

Construction work is picking up on the new Cyprus High School in Magna. It will replace the current high school at 8623 W. 3000 South, which opened in 1918. The new campus west of 8400 West at 4000 South is funded by a $238-million bond approved in 2017 by voters in the Granite School District that will pay for the rebuild and renovation of 31 schools over a 10-year period. The new Cyprus High is scheduled to be ready for the 2025-26 school year. The current school’s boundaries cover Magna and northwestern West Valley City. (Photos courtesy Granite School District)

MARK NEVERS, OD Optometry

Dr. Nevers is originally from Oak Park, CA. After working the last 8 years in Spokane, WA, he now returns to Utah where he previously lived. Dr. Nevers is excited to be back in Utah and to help patients with their vision needs.

Dr. Nevers enjoys helping people with their vision needs so they can actively pursue what they love to do. He loves his patients and the time he can spend with them. He is kind and respectful and values the trust patients have in him to be their eye care provider.

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.

Jordanwestvalley.org | 801-964-3100 | 3460 S. 4155

West Valley City, UT 84120

April Fools’ Classic scheduled at RC raceway

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

Atthe end of March one of the oldest and best remote control races in the country will be held at Eatons Intermountain RC Raceway.

“This a local event that started in Magna at an old grocery store,” raceway owner Joel Eaton said. “The annual race started being run on April 1. That is where the name came from.”

The event expects to attract more than 100 competitors competing in 14 different classifications of remote control cars. It is scheduled for March 31 through April 2. The main event racing will be held all day Sunday. Spectator admission is free. Friday and Saturday are all qualifying events. The event will be live-streamed.

Classes include beginner to advanced skill levels and truck or buggy-type cars. Since the pandemic, remote control racing has grown in popularity across the country.

“We could have as many as 400 cars. They come from all over the world including Canada and possibly Europe. It is the second longest-running RC car race in the country,” Eaton said.

The track is located at 1000 West Beardsley Place, the old warehouse contains the off-road course, a tabletop mini oval, and, in the summer, an on-road track in the

parking lot. It also has a small hobby store.

The specially blended dirt for the track was moved to its current location nine years ago. Brian Kinwald, a popular pro racer, nicknamed it the “greatest dirt on earth.” Eaton purchased the facility in 2020.

“This will be the first race with no real pandemic restrictions. Some of the world’s best drivers live right here in Utah. Some outside competitors like to come here and race them on their home track,” Eaton said. “We will have world champions and manufacturer representatives on hand. There is no

prize money. It can all be watched online.”

RC car racing has become a popular hobby. A race set-up car can be purchased for as little as $200, but faster and more competitive cars can be as much as $2,000. Some cars can go as fast as 100 mph.

The track is open six days a week. Competitive racing is available on Wednesday and Saturday nights. The dirt oval races are on Thursdays. There is also a little tabletop that runs its own type of car.

A welcoming, helpful atmosphere

Racers from all over the country are scheduled to participate in the 34th annual race at a Utah RC track. (Photo courtesy of Eatons Intermountain)

brings racing enthusiasts back. “There is a lot of online help, but the best part of this community is that it is 95% returning customers. Everyone is friendly and wants to help. There will be someone that knows what you might need. This is a good family activity. This can teach kids and adults how to take things apart, fix them, and make them work better. It is a small car and can be a hands-on hobby.”

The track has kids as young as five participating. The oldest racer is about 87.

“It is fun for all ages,” Eaton said. l

State tournament disruptors a year ago, Cyprus softball returns

Photo by Travis Barton

The Cyprus High softball team returns in March, a year after reaching bracket play at the state tournament.

The Pirates were 21-11 on the year, going 10-2 in region to finish second behind eventual state runner-up West. Earning the No. 9 seed, Cyprus went on to sweep Kearns in the regionals before coming from behind to defeat Westlake two games to one in the super regionals.

Schedule:

Denotes region game *

March 8 @ Kearns*

March 10 vs. Carbon (tournament)

March 10 vs. West Jefferson (Idaho)

March 10 @ Morgan

March 11 vs. Pleasant Grove

March 11 @ Cedar

March 14 vs. Hunter*

March 15 vs. Bingham

March 16 vs. Granger*

March 21 @ Bountiful

March 23 vs. West*

In the double elimination tournament, the Pirates gave No. 2 seed Skyridge all it could handle in a 16-12 loss before falling to region foe West.

Cyprus returns head coach Whitney “Woo” Haimin for her fifth season in charge along with talented players like Sammy Gallegos (signed to play for Weber State) Khloie Kramer and Bree Garcia (pictured).

The season opens March 8 at Kearns. l

April 4 @ Herriman

April 5 vs. Riverton

April 6 @ Taylorsville*

April 11 @ Roy*

April 12 @ Pleasant Grove

April 13 vs. Kearns*

April 17 vs. Morgan

April 18 @ Hunter*

April 20 @ Granger*

April 24 @ Fremont

April 27 @ West*

May 2 vs. Taylorsville*

May 3 vs. Roy*

May 8 vs. Ridgeline

Primary Healthcare is here to show you how health care can be... compassionate, comprehensive and convenient When you choose

138 Years of TRUST

WHY A LOCALLY OWNED, FAMILY OPERATED MORTUARY REALLY MATTERS

Larkin Mortuary is the most respected funeral home in the Salt Lake Valley. Its pioneer founder, George William Larkin, arrived in Utah in 1863, having emigrated from Cambridge, England. He started the Larkin tradition of arranging funerals in 1885 and today, with six generations of history serving Utah families, Larkin Mortuary remains locally owned and family managed.

Our quality reputation is everything to our business and we have established ourselves in the local community as a qualified and trusted resource. We are not a national franchise and are not controlled by any outside influences. Larkin can meet any need by providing traditional funeral and graveside services, cremation facilities, cemeteries, indoor and outdoor mausoleums, cremation niche and scattering gardens, personalized life memorials and legacy keepsakes.

One of the most important aspects of being locally owned and operated is our firsthand knowledge of the communities we serve. With 138 years of excellence and innovation in providing quality memorial products and compassionate service, Larkin Mortuary provides a full spectrum of end of life services.

Being a qualified resource to you is our core mission. Larkin’s vertically integrated services provide a premier floral shop, monument, urn and vault manufacturing facilities, and beautiful memorial meeting and luncheon facilities. These full range of services offer individuals and families the flexibility to design a custom memorial tribute for their loved one. Multilingual staff honor and facilitate important traditions of many cultures. Larkin can also assist with legal transactions and documentation for timely and efficient transfers to other countries.

We are community minded and active in our places of worship and donate either monetarily or with our time to many worthwhile causes in the local area. Being community-minded is who we are. It defines our character and provides a solid foundation with the people we serve.

Memorial preplanning services are offered by qualified and compassionate Larkin counselors who will help determine final wishes. Advanced funeral arrangements can provide peace of mind knowing that end of life plans are complete and will be carried out exactly as specified. Preplanning reduces the details and decisions loved ones must confront during a time of grief.

The family and staff at Larkin Mortuary understand that arranging a funeral or memorial service is a deeply personal experience. Realizing the sacred nature of the profession, Larkin is honored to serve the community by providing genuine care at this sensitive time of life.

Our memorial services are available in any of our beautiful buildings amongst our four locations along the Wasatch Front or in a building of your choice. For more information visit www.larkinmortuary.com or call (801) 363-5781 for an appointment with an experienced funeral director.

Cyprus baseball returns

Photos by Travis Barton

Schedule:

March 10 @ Juab (in St. George)

March 10 @ Pine View (St. George)

March 11 @ Green Canyon (St. George)

March 11 @ Carbon (St. George)

March 23 @ Payson

March 24 @ Cottonwood

March 28 vs Kearns

March 29 @ Kearns

March 31 vs. Kearns

April 4 vs. Hunter

April 5 @ Hunter

April 7 vs. Hunter

April 14 vs. Stansbury

April 18 vs. Granger

April 19 @ Granger

April 21 vs .Granger

April 25 @ West

April 26 vs. West

April 28 @ West

May 2 @ Taylorsville

May 3 vs. Taylorsville

May 5 @ Taylorsville

May 8 vs. Roy

May 9 @ Roy

May 11 vs. Roy

Ryder Archibald, a junior last season, went 4-2 from the mound for the 13-15 Cyprus baseball team. The Pirates took third in region going 11-7, earning the No. 18 seed for the playoffs where they would fall in the regionals to Corner Canyon.

Aidan McMullin led the Pirates in hitting a year ago with 21 RBIs. The senior is signed to play for Salt Lake Community College next year.

Audits hold government accountable

One of my core principles as an elected official is to provide transparency to the public so that you can help hold government accountable. I am a big fan of auditing our departments and programs as a vital part of that process. The Salt Lake County Council has been working closely with County Auditor Chris Harding to ensure accountability and appropriate use of your tax dollars.

The Salt Lake County Auditor plays a crucial role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and integrity in the county government. As an independent office, the auditor is responsible for conducting impartial and objective audits that provide the public with a clear understanding of the county's operations.

The auditor's primary objective is to protect taxpayer dollars from fraud, waste, and abuse by reviewing the county's internal controls, records, systems and procedures. The auditor's office evaluates the county's compliance with laws and regulations, assesses the accuracy and completeness of financial information, and identifies areas for improvement in the county's financial management practices. The auditor's office also provides recommendations to the county council and county administration to help improve the county's operations.

One of the ways the auditor's office provides transparency to the public is by publishing regular audit reports that summarize its findings and recommendations. These reports are accessible to the public and provide an in-depth analysis of the county's operations. You can find these reports at www.slco.org/auditor. The auditor's office also works closely with the county council to provide regular briefings on its audit findings and recommendations. You can find recent reports on the justice court, solid waste management, and animal services among many more.

The county council has supported the auditor's office by voting to support HB358, county auditor amendments (strengthening our independence), providing funding for additional auditor positions, and working closely with the auditor's office to ensure that its recommendations are implement-

Accepting new patients!

801.965.3419

2965 W. 3500 S.

WEST VALLEY CITY, UT 84119

1160 E. 3900 S., STE. 1000

SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84124

ed.

Recently, the auditor presented findings that some of our county policies are outdated and should be modified to meet the current practices of county operations. This collaborative approach is beneficial to make sure we have an efficient delivery of services.

I believe one of the most important

KOMAL RASTOGI, MD Clinical Neurophysiology, Neurology

roles for an elected official is acting as a steward of your tax 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. Auditing helps us ensure that the county's operations are managed effectively and efficiently. l

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

Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Councilwoman| District 3

Multi-million-dollar plans to enhance security at Granite District schools were in motion long before shots were fired outside Taylorsville High

By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com

As of a month ago, the number of guns found at Granite District schools since last fall was 16. That’s nearly as many as there were through the entire 2021-22 school year (17), in about half the time. But until Jan. 26, there had not been any shots fired on a Granite District campus.

In fact, until those 9 mm shots were fired in the northeast parking lot at Taylorsville High School, 14-year veteran Granite District Chief of Staff Ben Horsley reports, there had never been an on-campus shooting involving students in his time with the district.

“Years ago, shots were fired outside the stadium at a Granger High football game,” he said. “However, that investigation determined none of those involved were our students. But the number of guns we are finding on campuses has grown significantly since COVID.”

As for the Taylorsville shooting, THS School Resource Officer Matt Landolfi reports only one handgun was involved, there were no injuries, the alleged shooter now faces several felony charges and the on-going investigation could lead to additional

charges for up to five other students.

“All six of those involved are male and were current Taylorsville students in various grades.” Landolfi said. “The shooting occurred in our northeast parking lot near the seminary building. We have grainy footage from a surveillance camera showing the shots being fired. The gun has not been recovered; but we did find bullet casings at the scene. It appears the gunman was firing at someone rather than shooting warning shots into the air.”

Ironically, the Taylorsville High shooting occurred just days after the 2023 Utah State Legislative session opened. Horsley said in that session Granite District is making a $12 million funding request to enhance security at the district’s eight high schools. At press time, the status of that request was still undetermined.

“One of the things the funding would support is the installation of weapons detection equipment at all of our high schools,” Horsley explained. “These are not metal detectors – but towers similar to what we walk through at some grocery stores. They stand about four feet tall and can identify the

Taylorsville Police Officers Andy O’Gwin and Matt Landolfi (L-R) are working in tandem at Taylorsville High School this year to help keep students safe. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)

density, size and shape of objects that could be weapons. This allows students to move through more quickly than with metal detectors. But we recognize this equipment could still create choke points as students are arriving in the morning.”

If state funding is secured, Granite District officials say it would also pay for more school resource officers and mental health support for students in crisis.

Long before the Taylorsville High shooting, plans were already in motion to install the weapons detection equipment at Hunter High School as a pilot program. At press time, Horsley believed equipment testing would be underway this month, and the equipment would be operational by the end of March.

“I think (the weapons detection equipment) would help out here at Taylorsville,” Landolfi added. “But they would also have to enhance security at our other doors. We frequently have students let other students into the building (through a variety of secondary doors). There are not any alarms on them.”

Landolfi became Taylorsville High School’s second SRO at the start of the school year last August. This is the first school year THS has had two officers assigned to the school full time. His counterpart, SRO Andy O’Gwin, began at the school the previous October. As the school’s only SRO for the 2021-22 school year, he describes it as a “baptism by fire.”

“Although I had been a police officer more than 16 years, I had never been in a school setting before,” O’Gwin explained. “It was also the first year the school included ninth graders. Plus, it was the first year back after COVID. We had two new classes entering at once. We have a ton of great kids here. But there are always a few looking to make trouble. As the only resource officer here, I had to call in for back-up about every other week. Just having one class (of freshmen) entering the school this year – and with a second officer here – it has made a big difference.”

O’Gwin and Landolfi have similar backgrounds. Both worked for a time as corrections officers at the Utah State Prison. They also each worked for the Utah Division of Adult Probations & Parole. And they were each among the original Taylorsville Police Department hires as the agency began operations in July 2021.

“The 2021-22 school year was a huge challenge for us at the high school,” Taylorsville Police Chief Brady Cottam said. “With two completely new classes coming in together, I knew we needed a second officer. I didn’t want to burn (SRO O’Gwin) out. I am so grateful the city approved funding for our second school officer. It’s been much better this school year.”

Even more grateful to the city and its police department is fifth-year Taylorsville High School Principal Emme Liddell. She was actually out on leave when the shooting

occurred outside her school. As she raced to the school parking lot after hearing about it, Liddell was never more pleased to have a pair of capable SROs on site.

“I am very happy with both of our officers,” Liddell said. “They work well as individuals and as a unit. Because of their personalities, I believe our students have found two police officers they can trust. The students know they are here to keep them safe. I am so grateful the city approved funding for our additional officer. Mayor Kristie Overson has been so great to work with. And Brady Cottam has also been amazing.”

As for the possibility of adding weapons detection equipment at THS entry doors, Liddell admits it would be a logistical challenge. Right now, students enter the school each morning through at least five unlocked doors. Additionally, with no alarms on the many other doors, students inside the school can open them to allow others in, undetected.

“I am familiar with the screening equipment going in at Hunter High,” she added. “If it’s going in there, it will likely go in here, at some point. We would have to change how students come and go. But the most important thing to me is our students be safe. If that means metal detectors – and a little slower entry into the school – we’ll make it work.”

Granite District Chief of Staff Horsley reports the move to a second high school SRO has also been common in recent years.

“Granger High has had two resource officers the longest,” Horsley said. “Hunter High is now into its second school year with two officers. Cyprus, Kearns and Taylorsville High Schools each added a second SRO this school year.”

Horsley also reports the Granite School District operates its own 24-person police department, complete with a chief, sergeants, investigators, dispatchers and officers. One Granite District SRO is assigned full time at

each district junior high, including Bennion and Eisenhower in Taylorsville.

Mayor Kristie Overson was among the Taylorsville officials who supported Cottam’s request for a second SRO at the high school during the city’s last round of budget talks. She’s glad they were both in place when the Jan. 26 parking lot shooting occurred.

“I was actually in a meeting with Chief

Cottam when he first received the call about the shooting,” Overson said. “I saw him and the other officers in the meeting spring into action. I think it was handled very well. We are also grateful for the other agencies that responded. Having two officers at the school when it first happened made me more confident the response would go well.” l

With about 2,750 across four grades, Taylorsville High has the second-highest student population in the Granite School District (behind Granger) and is in the top six to eight, statewide. (Granite School District)

All-Star readers meet all-star mascots at Salt Lake County library event

The NBA All-Star events in Salt Lake were the perfect backdrop to celebrate All-Star readers in February. A winter reading event sponsored by the Salt Lake County Library kicked off Jan. 3. Readers who stayed engaged during the program were invited to meet the Jazz Bear and other NBA mascots Feb. 15 at the Viridian Center in West Jordan.

“We’re very fortunate to host the NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake County and to be able to offer such a unique prize to our readers,” said County Library Program Manager Nyssa Fleig. “We hope offering a once-in-a-lifetime event like this will help create readers for life.”

The party kicked off just after 6 p.m. when the mascots came in, turned up the music and shot off their confetti cannons. All attendees got to enter through a balloon arch and then made their way to a decorated event room. Two big screen TVs showed NBA All-Star footage. Kids could play cornhole, or life-size chess and connect four while they waited to meet mascots.

The event brought out families from all over the valley, like Salt Lake City’s Aimee Broadbent and her 9-year-old son Deklan.

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

“I like to read…just a bit,” Deklan said, with a joking twinkle in his eye.

“He loves it!” Broadbent said.

His favorite books? “I like scary stories.”

The All-Star Winter Reading wasn’t just about reading—it challenged kids to stay engaged during the winter with different activities and report their progress online.

“I did all the activities. I read, I played basketball, and I colored in every activity,” Deklan said.

Broadbent said they’d participated in and attended the event before. But with the All-Star game happening this weekend, there’s some added excitement.

People had their choice of several mascots to meet, greet and get photos with, starting with Owlexander the library’s owl. Unified Police and the Salt Lake County Sheriff brought their mascots—a dog named Sgt. Siren and a horse named Sgt. Lightning.

Three NBA teams sent their mascots: the Miami Heat’s fireball Burnie, Clutch the bear of the Houston Rockets, and Blaze the Trail Cat of the Portland Trail Blazers. And from the NBA G League (minor league basketball), the SLC Stars were rep-

resented by the Jazz Bear’s cousin, Buster Bear.

But for loyal Utahns like the Waltons of Taylorsville who had played Jr. Jazz and seen lots of Jazz games, meeting the Jazz Bear for the first time was the most exciting thing about the night.

“We participate in the library reading events all the time because the girls love to read,” said Melena Walton of her daughters Ella and Lila. “We did the library’s preschool class when they were younger and came to reading time and puppet shows.”

The girls, now 14 and 10, kept busy during the winter with skiing and Jr. Jazz basketball. They stayed engaged with the other winter challenge activities like being creative, getting outdoors and trying new things.

But they definitely made time to read—Ella in the Star Wars novels, and Lila the Half Upon a Time series. Of course they’ve made their way through the Harry Potter and Fablehaven series. And when it comes to how they read, they’re traditionalists.

“I like the feel of a book in my hands, not an e-reader. I like turning pages in a real book, it’s just different,” Lila said, and Ella agreed. l

Aimee Broadbent of Salt Lake brought her son Deklan to meet the mascots Feb. 15 as a reward for completing the winter reading challenge. (Heather Lawrence/ City Journals)

Our

When I was a kid, I worried about four things: my Halloween candy being stolen by siblings, missing a spelling word on a test, accidentally eating mayonnaise and nuclear war. In that order.

While those four things were the main cause of concern, I also worried about rainy days because stupid boys would throw earthworms down my shirt. I worried about wearing dresses to school because stupid boys would look up my skirt.

I worried about running out of books to read because I couldn’t imagine that apocalyptic scenario. I worried about earthquakes because we were constantly told The Big One would happen when we least suspected.

I guess I worried a lot, but I’m pretty sure our state legislators at the time didn’t give a rat’s behind about my mental health. In fact, children in the 1970s weren’t really considered people until they had a job and started paying taxes.

But now, our illustrious leaders say they are really concerned about the mental health of Utah’s youth, but only in select situations. There is talk to ban social media for kids under 16 because of the harmful impact it has on their mental wellness.

However, representatives don’t seem

A Mental Health Day

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

society. Even though teens with access to these treatments have demonstrated better mental health.

This is a “problem” our leaders don’t have to “solve” because, hear me out, it isn’t a “problem.”

On a related note, I found it interesting Utah will still permit cisgender female teens to get breast implants. Because Utah.

Do you know what else affects a child’s mental health? The fear they’ll be shot at school. The fear that climate change will eliminate elephants and polar bears. The fear their overworked teachers will quit because public money has been siphoned off to private and home schools.

I won’t clump all our elected officials into this bunch of wackadoodles because there are many people working to help trans youth, create sensible gun laws and reduce the load of our poor public school teachers who get beat up each year during the legislative session.

milla introduced a bill that would legalize psilocybin in Utah under strict controls. Because this is Utah, this mushroom therapy bill will probably go down in hallucinogenic flames, but hopefully it gets the conversation started.

Another way to help our youth develop better mental health? Stop passing harmful bills. Start passing bills that help our children and grandchildren deal with the everyday pressures of living in this world that feels like it’s gone bananas.

I agree social media causes great harm to our teens through cyberbullying, shaming and creating a comparison mindset. But there are additional issues we could tackle to help our children sleep better at night.

concerned about the mental health of transgender youth since our state leaders banned gender-affirming care for minors. Even though suicide rates skyrocket for trans youth who often feel stigmatized in

I vote that each educator be given a 10-day trip to Hawaii, paid for by the record-breaking state liquor sales. Of which they’ve heartily contributed, I’m sure.

Speaking of addressing mental health, Senate Minority Leader Luz Esca -

I never had to worry about cyberbullying as a kid, although actual physical bullying was definitely a thing. I worried about being pushed off the monkey bars onto the hard concrete. I worried about kids laughing at my homemade polyester pantsuits.

What I worry about now is how to create an inclusive and safe environment for our youth. I also still worry about accidentally eating mayonnaise, and nuclear war. In that order. l

LANDSCAPE MATERIALS REPLENISH LANDSCAPE Barks, Colored Mulch, Compost, Soil Blends, Playground Chips, Sand-Gravel, Landscape Fabric & More 801-252-5962

4660 S 200 W Murray Mention this ad for 10% Off

GUTTER REPAIR

Jack’s Pro Gutter and Cleaning 85% of gutters are repairable! 21 years experience - licensed and insured SENIOR DISCOUNTS De-icing and leaf protectors Call or text Jack 801-865-6382