West Valley City | September 2023

NEW COUNTY PARK OPENS ALONG JORDAN RIVER IN WEST VALLEY CITY

By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

West Valley City is home to Salt Lake County’s newest regional park. County and city officials cut the ribbon in July to mark the opening of Pioneer Crossing Regional Park.

The 25-acre county-operated site is located along the west bank of what was a nondescript section of the Jordan River just southeast of West Valley City’s Utah Cultural Celebration Center at 1276 W. Cultural Center Drive. The park currently takes up a part of that acreage with plans to expand it in the future.

The park features the natural surroundings of the Jordan River, a playground, gathering spots, multiuse trails, and the river’s first boat launch and fishing pier.

“We are so excited and grateful for the ability to build a new park and to begin to bring more life to the Jordan River,” Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation Director Martin Jensen told the assembled crowd at the official opening of the site. “It not only provides access to the Jordan River itself but more importantly to our wonderful Jordan River Trail.” The popular trail runs along the river from its headwaters at Utah Lake and through central Salt Lake County to where it empties into the Great Salt Lake.

Jensen recalled walking along the river in the area of the new park several years ago with then-Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams and needing a police escort to do so. Homelessness and criminal activity have been a problem along parts of the river over the years. To help keep the

Continued page 12

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Pioneer Crossing Park in West Valley City features the Jordan River’s first boat launch and fishing pier. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)

Hunter football page 11

Assistant City Manager steps down page 9 Cops and Cleats

USA Rugby to host International Friendly in Utah

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

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

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

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

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

Jou r nals

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By Daniel Olsen | d.olsen@mycityjournals.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This event should be an educational opportunity for those involved.

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

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

While this event will take place during

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

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

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

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

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Hunter football plays in new region with familiar foes

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

Hunter High School kicked off its football season, splitting their first two games. They lost to Green Canyon and beat Clearfield in their home opener. This season begins with some new things that seem familiar.

The Wolverines have started the season slowly. Head coach Harold Moleni said they are on track.

“We are not where we need to be, however we are progressing,” Moleni said. “I am just asking for us to get better daily.”

Their second game of the season demonstrated the improvement Moleni wants. The Wolverines started the game by having two lackluster drives. After Clearfield hit a 29-yard field goal the game changed for them. With the help of several penalties they moved the ball down the field and senior running back Kennyon Paea scampered for a 13-yard touchdown and a 6-3 lead.

The team’s running backs kept the ground game moving. They never relinquished that lead. Paea added another 5-yard touchdown and junior Lote Sotele secured his own touchdown. They won the game 36-6.

“We are Hunter High School, tailback high and when we need to turn to our tailbacks they answer the call. We try to play to our strengths. We get the ball into our playmakers’ hands and ask them to do a job,” Moleni said.

Last season, Paea and Sotele combined for 1,001 yards and three touchdowns. Paea credits his team for their success.

“I am just motivated to play for my brothers and the community that comes out to watch us play,” Paea said. “Our line helps us get it done, I credit them.”

The offensive line this season includes juniors Daniel Misinale, Tuiafo Tufuga and Jonathan Faatuau Lole and seniors Lui Schwenke and MJ Taulafo. They average 285 pounds. Hunter relies on their strength to keep its running game on track.

At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, junior Uluaki Taukiuvea has taken a majority of the snaps at quarterback. He completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to senior Lucas Heflin. Taukiuvea also pushed the line for a 1-yard touchdown from a quarterback sneak. He knows they have places they can get better.

“We need to build team chemistry,” Taukiuvea said. “We can work on fundamentals.”

As Hunter improves its game to start the season they will venture into new but familiar territory.

The UHSAA reorganized its region and class configuration. Hunter will now be part of Region 4 in the 5A classification. They were in the 6A classification. Its new region has familiar opponents.

The other schools competing in Region 4 include Cyprus, Granger, West Jordan, Kearns and Taylorsville.

Last season, the Wolverines finished the year with a 2-8 record in fifth place in Region 2. They lost in the first round of the playoffs to West 42-9. Something they hope to improve on this season.

“We need to work on execution. We

don’t install a bunch of stuff. We just try to get good at the few things that we do. We want to do them really well,” Moleni said.

The Wolverines are scheduled to play at Copper Hills Sept. 1. They will host Cyprus Sept. 15 and West Jordan Sept. 21.

This is Moleni’s second season as head coach for the Wolverines.

“The kids are better in the classroom than they have been in the past,” he said. “They are buying into what we are trying to teach them. We want them to win everything. You have to win in the classroom, at home, at church, wherever you are. That translates into a good football player. I love these kids, they are my boys.” l

The Wolverines lined up against Clearfield and pulled out a victory 36-6. (Greg James/City Journals)

Hunter junior Ami Koa lands the two-point conversion against Clearfield. (Greg James/City Journals)

Football season is upon us and Hunter is hoping to improve each day this season. (Greg James/City Journals)

Solution to misbehavior is sensory stimulation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“We’re not labeling behaviors as proof of negative

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Community and ‘The Sandlot’ movie dignitaries unveil new multi-million-dollar softball complex

Way back in 1976, when Gerald Ford still occupied the White House, the United States celebrated its bicentennial. That same year our country marked its 200th year of independence – and still 20 years before Taylorsville would become an incorporated city – a then state-of-the-art, 4-diamond softball complex opened at Valley Regional Park (5100 S. 2700 West).

It’s probably safe to assume more than 100,000 softball games were played at the popular site, by the youngest of girls to the oldest of men and women alike. But just as Ford gave way to Carter… then to Reagan, Bush and the rest… so too did the always bustling (in the summer, anyway) softball complex give way to, well, old age.

“The city council noticed a few years ago our softball complex was starting to crumble; we knew something needed to be done,” Taylorsville Mayor Kristie Overson said. “Softball and baseball are huge in our community. Thankfully, Salt Lake County and the Miller Family Foundation also recognized the problem – and provided the funds to fix it.”

About 18 months ago, heavy equipment was dispatched to the “old” softball complex to remove it completely. And last month, several million dollars later, elected officials and other dignitaries gathered at the site to officially open the “new” softball grandstands – which everyone involved hopes and expects to last for the next 50 years.

The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation jumpstarted Salt Lake County’s effort to replace the softball complex with a $5 million donation. That money – combined with County funding – actually replaced two different aging softball complexes. A nearly identical facility opened in Millcreek’s Cottonwood Regional Park a year ago.

“Both softball complexes host numerous tournaments and community league play,” County Parks & Recreation Director Martin Jensen said. “The renovations allow current and future generations the chance to enjoy the sport Larry H. Miller loved. We are grateful for the community partnership that made these renovations possible. We are prepared to continue supporting the growth and popularity of softball in Utah.”

More than 300 people attended the softball complex ribbon-cutting ceremony. Among those addressing the audience was Salt Lake County Councilwoman and Taylorsville resident Aimee Winder Newton.

“We need to make time to put away (electronic) devices and get together, outside,” she said. “I’m thrilled Salt Lake County continues to support play, through the building and maintenance of incredible spaces such as these. Thank you to the Miller Family Foundation for your support of pro-

By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com

grams that enrich lives. If it weren’t for the Millers, we would not have been able to prioritize the construction of these two softball complexes.”

Representing his parents’ Miller Family Foundation, Steve Miller was the final speaker of the day.

“My dad loved softball and really worked on his game,” he said. “He also mentored many young players. We’re proud this will be a first-class venue where friends can gather to enjoy outdoor recreation.”

Larry H. Miller loved softball from a very early age and played competitive fastpitch softball well into his adult life. In 1985,

he was inducted into the Utah Softball Hall of Fame. Seven years later, he was inducted into both the Utah Athletes’ Association Hall of Fame and the International Softball Hall of Fame.

“Salt Lake County is such a great supporter of many outdoor recreation amenities here in Taylorsville,” Overson concluded, following the ceremonial speeches. “They are always willing to come to the table to discuss potential projects – and are very easy to work with. We are proud to be Utah’s unofficial ‘Baseball and Softball Capital.’ I look forward to watching games at this complex for many years to come.”

Several cast members from the 1993 Utah-filmed motion picture “The Sandlot” also attended the softball complex ribbon-cutting. They were in the area for a series of events marking the 30th anniversary of their popular film. Actor Chauncey Leopardi – who played “Squints” in the movie – threw out the ceremonial first pitch. That was followed by an exhibition softball game – played by young ladies who could very well all be grandmothers by the time these diamonds need replacing again.l

One of the child actors made famous in the 1993 Utah-filmed movie “The Sandlot,” Chauncey Leopardi, threw the ceremonial first pitch at the ribbon-cutting of the new softball complex at Valley Regional Park. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)

Mayor Kristie Overson expressed appreciation to the Miller Family Foundation and Salt Lake County during the grand opening of the city’s new, 4-diamond softball complex. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)

Salt Lake County Councilwoman and Taylorsville resident, Aimee Winder Newton, was among the dignitaries and elected officials on hand for the official opening of the new softball complex at Valley Regional Park. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)

Representing her Miller Family Foundation at the opening of the new softball complex at Valley Regional Park, Gail Miller looked on from the new bleachers. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)

Fall sports will test the UHSAA’s new alignment

TheUtah High School Activities Association approved the final version of realignment last spring. To many local players and coaches, nothing much has changed, but the intent is to improve competition and promote student-athlete success.

Every two years the UHSAA evaluates school enrollment and makes a recommendation of realignment. This is usually a hot topic amongst high school administrators and coaches during this time. Beginning this fall the new alignment takes effect. To an outsider it seems as though nothing has changed—118 team state champions were won last year, and 110 of those teams are participating in the same classifications, but the large West Valley schools have been placed in a new environment.

The UHSAA’s Region 4 will now consist of Hunter, Granger, Cyprus, Kearns, Taylorsville and West Jordan. This seems familiar, but the classification will be different.

“We are in a good place,” Hunter soccer coach Bret Solberg said. “In an ideal region, we would play against similar schools and communities.”

The new Region 4 will compete in the 5A classification this fall. In past seasons those region teams rarely found themselves competitive. In 2022-23, not one state championship was won by these schools. In fact, in football,

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

none of the teams advanced past the first round of the playoffs.

Hunter, Cyprus and Granger high schools will now compete against 25 other teams in the 5A classification. If the change will help them find success remains to be seen, but it does keep them away from the fast-growing teams in areas like Lehi and eastern Utah County.

The other schools in 5A come from Regions 5, 6 and 7. They include schools like Bountiful, Clearfield, Woods Cross, Skyline, Brighton, Alta, Springville and Spanish Fork.

The UHSAA executives think that the new 5A classification will true up the RPI system used to seed teams in the state playoffs.

Last season’s football RPI ranked Hunter 24th, Granger 15th and Cyprus 19th. Cyprus’ boys basketball team stood atop the rankings for a good part of the season. Cyprus lost in the semifinals to American Fork.

“Playing Kearns and Hunter is good for us,” Cyprus head basketball coach Tre Smith said last spring. “They are our rivals, but at the end of the day we want them to be successful. We want our neighbor schools on the westside to be successful and reach their goals.”

Fall sports began in mid-August, and at press deadline, Granger, Hunter and Cyprus football teams are all 1-1. The soccer teams have only played one or two games and vol-

leyball teams are seeing the same results. American Preparatory Academy in West Valley will compete in 2A Region 16. Their competitors include Freedom Prep, Intermountain Christian School, Merrit Prep, Rockwell, Salt Lake Academy, both Utah Military Academies (Camp Williams and Hill Field), Belmont Classical Academy and Wasatch Academy.

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Wasatch and Salt Lake academies will compete as independents in basketball and Belmont Classical Academy does not participate in sports, only activities.

Westside high school sports teams could make an impact in this year’s championships, but it remains to be seen.l

This fall’s girls soccer season will help show if the UHSAA’s realignment is a good thing. (Photo courtesy of Hunter soccer)

West Valley City’s Cops and Cleats program hits the hardwood

By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

There were no cleats because they wouldn’t be too kind to the indoor basketball courts at the West Valley City Family Fitness Center. But there were plenty of sneaker-clad boys and girls at the first basketball version of the West Valley City Police Department’s Cops and Cleats training event on a mid-August Thursday morning.

More than 100 kids through age 17 hit the hardwood to learn a few basketball skills and see West Valley City police officers not as adversaries but as the good guys and gals in the community who are also willing to hoop a little with young people.

“Like in sports, the law enforcement community is only successful if we work as a team (with local citizens), so our idea is to build trusting relationships with the community youth members so that we can work as a team to have a successful community,” said Lt. Levi Lloyd, who spearheaded the formation of Cops and Cleats in West Valley City.

Lloyd said the budding relationship between police and youth extends beyond the field and court the rest of the year. “We

have a lot of kids come up to us and say, ‘Hey, we saw you at the sporting event and good to see you.’”

Similar versions of Cops and Cleats exist around the country, but Lloyd said the West Valley City program is tailored to local youth.

“To get better and have fun—and make friends,” said 10-year-old Myles Sharp of his reason for participating in Cops and Cleats.

“This is awesome. The kids seem to love it,” said parent Steve Ousa of West Valley City as he watched sons Mitchell, 9, and Tevin, 7, put up some shots. “It’s cool they see the officers and recognize their faces in the community. I know my kids are more comfortable to run up to say hi and high-five them.”

Lace ‘Em Up, a Lindon-based basketball training academy, provided instruction to the young ballers.

In a report issued in 2018, “Police-Youth Engagement,” the International Association of Chiefs of Police noted that “…research finds that positive interactions with police are predictive of positive attitudes toward the police, negative interac-

tions are predictive of negative attitudes.”

Lloyd kicked off Cops and Cleats in 2022 with a football training event at

Hunter High School. That occurred again this summer with soccer and basketball sessions being added for the first time. l

Boys and girls participate in West Valley City Police Department’s Cops and Cleats basketball training session in August at the Family Fitness Center. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)

Shayla Zulcic swims in Brazil at the World Games

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

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Valley’s Shayla Zulcic continues to astound and improve in the swimming pool. She represented the United States and Utah at the International Sports Federation’s Gymasiade in Rio de Janeiro Aug 20-27.

West

The World Sports Games were organized in 2021 and held in Serbia. It brought together 1,800 athletes ages 13-15 from 36 countries to compete in 14 sports. This year it was held in Brazil and Zulcic competed in several individual and relay events.

Zulcic swims locally with the West Valley Aquatics swim club. They train at the West Valley Fitness Center. She began swimming around 2017.

“My brother went to state, and I saw how happy he was. I remember a lot of excitement,” Zulcic said shortly after she set two state records as an 11 year old.

Swimming was the second largest sport of the Gymnasiade with 212 athletes.

“These young athletes demonstrated remarkable talent, dedication, and sportsmanship to earn their place to compete against the world's best at this prestigious event,” AAU National Aquatics Chair Lewis Fellinger said in a press release.

The event was held Aug. 20-27 (after the press deadline).

Zulcic won the 200m freestyle long course state championship in July by more than 3 seconds. Her relay team placed third in the 200 medley. She was also state champion in the 500 and 1650 free at the senior state age group meet in March.

“I still get nervous every time she races,” Shayla’s father Edin Zulcic said.

She will compete in the pools used at the 2016 Olympic games. In those games, Michael Phelps won five gold medals, and Katie Ledecky won four.

When Zulcic returns the City Journals will have comprehensive results. l

Shayla Zulcic swims with the West Valley Aquatics swim club at the fitness center. (Photo courtesy of Edin Zulcic)

Understanding Grief: Caring for Yourself, Caring for Others

Thursday, September 14, 2023

6:45–8pm

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1950 East Dimple Dell Road, Sandy, Utah

SPEAKER

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Author • Educator • Grief Counselor • Chaplain

West Valley City assistant city manager

Nicole Cottle steps down

By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

Since 1999, Nicole Cottle served in several roles as she helped shape and guide West Valley City during a period of rapid growth.

She was assistant city manager through most of that tenure during which she also oversaw West Valley City’s community and economic development functions. Cottle also was city attorney and general counsel for a while and supervised the city’s Justice Court.

After 24 years and having a hand in nearly all aspects of city government, Cottle stepped away from the city in July.

She will continue her professional career as director of government affairs at fiber-optic internet network UTOPIA.

“I’ve loved my time at the city. I truly do,” Cottle said. “I’ve grown to love the community.”

Cottle started at city hall after graduating from law school at the University of Wyoming in 1999. “My first real job out of law school,” she said. She was the city’s attorney and general counsel before being appointed to other duties like legislative liaison, community and economic development director and assistant city manager.

Each position gave her a prime view of and a say in West Valley City’s evolu-

tion during those years. “I think the city has really come into its own over the time I’ve been there,” Cottle said. What she described as “strategic and appropriate” commercial, industrial and residential development has filled much of the city’s available land and has boosted the population from 109,000 in 2000 to 140,000 today.

That “renaissance,” as she labeled it, includes the creation of a true city center made up of new office space, multifamily housing, a police department building, a transit hub, and additional retail development around Valley Fair Mall, all of it surrounding the current city hall, which opened in 1990. “We have a strong and diverse tax base,” Cottle said. “I’ve just kind of watched it blossom.”

Mayor Karen Lang praised Cottle’s contributions. “Nicole’s commitment to West Valley City is greatly appreciated and is evident on so many levels.”

West Valley City is one of 20 Utah cities where UTOPIA has installed lines that are leased by private internet service providers from which people can choose to deliver internet service to their homes and businesses.

As time allows, Cottle will also do some legal and consulting work.

“I’m kind of moving into a different phase of life,” she said. l

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

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

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

• Is what I’m feeling and seeing normal?

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

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

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

For more information, call (801) 571-2771

Nicole Cottle held a number of roles during her 24 years with West Valley City government. (Courtesy West Valley City)

Continued from front page area safe today, Pioneer Crossing Regional Park includes a small building that will be a base of operations for West Valley City police patrols in the area.

“This beautiful park will bring exploration and safe transportation to both pedestrians and bikers,” added Salt Lake County Deputy Mayor Erin Litvack.

West Valley City Mayor Karen Lang said the Jordan River has played a big role in the development of the city, both before and after its incorporation. “The Jordan River is really important to our community. Being able to now access it and use it (for recreation)...is just such a benefit for us,” noting she and her family plan to take advantage of canoeing on the river from the new launch point.

Soren Simonsen, executive director of the Jordan River Commission, said Pioneer Crossing Regional Park helps further the vision of what the river can be with the restoration of natural and wildlife habitat for public enjoyment. “This park is the perfect example of some of those natural river functions being restored and opening up opportunities for great recreation.

“The Jordan River is our oasis in this vast desert arid valley,” Simonsen said and encouraged people to come and make their own connections to the river.

Planning and construction of Pioneer Cross Regional Park came after voter approval of a Salt Lake County parks and recreation bond for $90 million in 2016 for new recreation facilities and maintenance of existing ones. Pioneer Crossing was built for $3 million. It was named such because it is where early pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley first crossed west of the Jordan River, also making it a historically significant site. l

Salt Lake County-operated Pioneer Crossing Regional Park is now open along the Jordan River near the Utah Cultural Celebration Center in West Valley City. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)

Utah Tacofest raises funds for the Kennedy Jr. High after-school program

Since2017, Utah Tacofest has raised and donated more than $20,000 to charities such as Meals on Wheels and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake. This year the organization will donate to Kennedy Jr. High School’s after-school program to highlight its benefit to the community.

Utah Tacofest, the two-day cultural event, was held at the beginning of August at the Utah State Fairpark with live music, a lowriders car show, kids zone, dancing, giveaways and more than 20 taco vendors serving mouthwatering tacos as they competed for Best Taco Awards in seven categories.

Each year, Utah Tacofest donates a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales to a deserving charity. Organizers recognized that the KJHS after-school program strengthens and provides academic support to students at KJHS in West Valley City.

“Kennedy Jr. High after-school program prides itself in helping many students improve their grades, inspires them to attend college and pursue other career paths through our enrichment classes,” said Frank Bedolla, the KJHS after-school program coordinator. “In the last five years, we have reached hundreds of students in our tutoring classes, with teachers and youth counselors helping students individually. Our after-school program students work hard each quarter with a GPA goal to earn a field trip, which the taco fest funds will be used to support.”

Utah’s Tacofest is a Latino-owned, local event founded by Marcelo Bayon. He organized the first Tacofest at the Mexican Civic Center in 2017. For more information about Utah Tacofest visit www.utahtacofest.com.

Students at Kennedy Jr. High (4495 S. 4800 West) participate in the school’s after-school program, taking advantage of tutoring, goal-setting, field trips and more. Utah Tacofest will donate a portion of ticket sales from its August event to support the program. (Photo courtesy of KJHS)

Take the ElevateHERTM Challenge

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Dazzling the skies: Drone light shows take flight

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

alize the production and tell a story.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Virtual Study for Asthma

BE A MEDICAL HERO! JOIN A STUDY TODAY.

KANYOS BIO - CELIAC DISEASE:

This is a two-part study is for adults 18 -70 years old. Which part you are put in will determine how long you will be in the study. It can be either 56 days or 58 weeks long. You must have a diagnosis of Celiac Disease either by a positive celiac serology test or a biopsy and have followed a gluten-free diet for at least 12 months to qualify.

HORIZON - UNCONTROLLED GOUT:

This is a four-part study for adults 18 years and older and can be up to 45 weeks long. You will have 18 visits and you will come to the clinic at least 11 times for blood draws. These visits will be 48 hours before you have the infusion, you will have infusions every week for 22 weeks, and they can take up to 2-3 hours. There is one phone call 30 days after your last infusion. You must have uncontrolled gout defined as meeting the following criteria: (a) you must have an elevated level of uric acid (b) you must maintain the serum acid with Allopurinol at the maximum medically appropriate dose of 300 mg, or with intolerable side effects meaning it didn’t work for you based on medical records or the subject informing us the Allopurinol didn’t work. You must also have one of the following symptoms of gout: The presence of at least one tophus (uric acid builds up around your joints) recurrent flares are defined as 2 or more flares in the past 12 months, or the presence of chronic gouty arthritis.

BATURA AVILLION ASTHMA:

PFIZER CHILD LYME DISEASE VACCINE:

The BATURA Study is now enrolling participants 12 years and older for an asthma research study.

You may qualify for this clinical research study if you:

• Are 12 years of age and older*

• Have had a clinical diagnosis of asthma by a healthcare professional

• Are actively using short-acting beta-agonist inhalers (as-needed rescue inhaler, such as albuterol) to control or reduce asthma symptoms, alone or in combination with either low-dose inhaled corticosteroid (Flovent® , Pulmicort® , or Asmanex®) or leukotriene inhibitor montelukast (Singulair), zileuton (Zyflo®), or zafirlukast (Accolate®)

• Meet additional study criteria

*Parental consent is required for individuals under 18 years of age.

This study is for children 12 years and older who have a diagnosis of Asthma from a prescribing healthcare provider. We will need documentation of diagnosis from medical records or a letter from your child’s physician. You must be capable of signing and understanding the eICF (including assent with parental/legal guardian consent for children ages 12 - 17 years old). Your child must be actively using a SABA (short-acting beta antagonist) alone or SABA on a background of either low-dose ICS (inhaled corticosteroids) or a LTRA (Leukotriene Receptor Antagonists such as Accolate, Montelukast, Singulair, and Zafirlukast. This study is 52 weeks long with 8 virtual visits. You will get paid $50 for each completed visit, and you will make a total of $400 for the study. You and or your child will be required to use the Science 37 app, which can be downloaded on your phone.

This study is for healthy children or children that have stable pre-existing chronic medical conditions. This is a study for children 5 to 17 years old. Children and their parents must be able to attend all appointments and phone calls. This study is 2 years long; there are 6 clinic visits and you will get paid $116 for each, as well as $116 for any unscheduled visits. There are 2 phone calls, and you will get $25 (parents or guardians will get this money) for each of those phone calls, and there is a weekly ediary that you will get paid $10 for upon completion. Parents will get $87.75 for any TeleHealth visits. This study is a 4-dose series; you will get your first 3 doses at your first appointment, your next dose during month 2 and month 3, and then your last dose at 18 months.

This research study is enrolling. Learn more.

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

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.

Community east-west trail finally complete after 30 years

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

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

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

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

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

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

A look back at the Sugar House tunnel

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

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

By Genevieve Vahl | g.vahl@mycityjournals.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

tiate with,” Olson said.

The term “draw” “was used by Utah’s earliest settlers to describe the sunken riparian corridors that carried water off the Wasatch Mountains, most of which have now been filled,” according to Johanson. It

is a low area, sloping down in one direction only and sloping upward in three others. “I never design until I have discovered the meaning of the place,” Johanson wrote.

“Each place has a unique set of conditions and we need an intimate understanding of

what it has been, is now and will become in the future, in order to create a design that is more than a willful act.”

Connecting communities with the trail

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

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

“There were a lot of people in the public who didn’t think putting money into some artistic elements in the underpass was a good use of funds,” Arce-Larreta said. “But people love it now. It’s an amazing amenity in the community and people still don’t know about it.”

Parley’s Trail helps connect communi-

ties across the valley. “This is bridging the gap, connecting community,” Arce-Larreta said. “It’s connecting a lot of cities. People are going to be able to go from the East Bench to the west side in a relatively safe way. When they get to the Jordan River Parkway, we broke down this last barrier between 900 West and the Jordan River. The use of the trail should go way up as people discover it more and more.”

Even though the trail is officially complete, work on it still remains. “We’re not turning our back on the trail at this point, we’ll continue to improve it. Now we can add a bench here, or events there,” Arce-Larreta said. “The community needs to continue to be involved in not just the trail, but in their local community park and their local sidewalk and storm drains to make the community a better place.”

Now with this community amenity in place, Arce-Larreta encourages people to continue thinking big, about what else could better the Salt Lake communities we are all a part of. “If people see an opportunity to bring amenities to their community like the Parley’s Trail, they should not be intimidated about accomplishing their vision,” Arce-Larreta said. “They might be surprised to find that with a little time and effort and commitment to the project, just what they’ll be able to accomplish.”

The opening will be held in September to celebrate the decades of work to put Parley’s Trail together. l

Headed west on Parley’s Trail at 1300 East, riders emerge out of the tunnel along a faux slot canyon wall representing Echo Canyon where the pioneers made their final stretch into the Salt Lake Valley. (An Errant Knight/Wikimedia Commons)

Wasatch Wanderers presented with the Governor’s Spirit of Service Award

AdisonSmith thought she was being scammed when she got the email from the governor’s office. But when they reached out a second time, Smith realized the email was legit and her nonprofit was being honored with the Governor’s Spirit of Service Award.

Smith is the president of Wasatch Wanderers, an animal rescue organization that has saved nearly 1,000 abandoned or injured domestic waterfowl and exotic animals since it was founded in September 2021. The award recognizes the group’s efforts to rescue animals and educate the public.

“The Spirit of Service winners are amazing examples of why Utah leads the nation in volunteerism and service,” said Gov. Spencer Cox. “I am honored to pay them tribute and recognize the good they are doing in our great state.”

Wasatch Wanderers was selected from hundreds of nominations submitted to the governor’s office this year. Smith and co-founder Kade Tyler attended the ceremony at the Utah State Capitol in July. She hopes the recognition will bring more attention to their cause.

“We’re asking the public to share this important message that not only is it illegal to abandon animals, but it’s also extremely cruel,” Smith said.

The group’s focus is on saving waterfowl and animals that aren’t considered typical pets including ducks, geese, pigs, turtles, goats, hamsters and guinea pigs. Wasatch Wanderers make it their goal to show just how valuable these animals really are.

During the last two years, Smith said she’s seen a change of mindset as people learn the dangers of abandoning domestic wildlife. Parents have told her they stopped releasing

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

ducks, geese, turtles and fish into public lakes and streams after hearing the Wasatch Wanderers message.

Cities have also reached out to the organization to help rescue animals in their waterways. Smith would like to get more cities on board with the idea of rescue instead of euthanization.

“The choice of euthanizing all of those animals over and over and over again every single year isn't making a difference,” Smith said. “They continue to have the same amount of people buying the animals and abandoning them. And if they don't understand that, they're not getting the point.”

As Wasatch Wanderers grows in visibility, it needs more foster homes, people willing to adopt animals and more donations to keep the effort going. The goal is to one day purchase property to have a rescue facility where people can drop-off or adopt animals. For more information, or to see a list of animals available for adoption, visit WasatchWanderers.org and follow its social media pages.

Smith is optimistic that change is possible and is pleased with the progress they’ve made in the last two years. She’s had parents tell her they had no idea it was illegal to abandon geese or ducks in the wild. They didn’t know it was a danger to the animals and the environment.

“In the animal community, change takes forever, so seeing this change means everything,” Smith said. “One of my favorite things to do, when we teach an educational group, is to watch the parents’ faces of the children we’re teaching. They're just totally floored. So it’s neat to watch and it’s big. Hopefully, with the parents hearing it too, we could possibly change traditions or choices for generations to come.”l

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

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

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

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

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

By Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Senior Economist

tial workers available in the economy.

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

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

Different groups have had unique reactions to the pandemic economic shocks.

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

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

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

workers.

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

Adison Smith (right) president of Wasatch Wanderers, and cofounder Kade Tyler, received the Governor’s Spirit of Service Award for their work in rescuing abandoned or injured domestic waterfowl and exotic pets. (Photo courtesy of Adison Smith)

Supporting Our Police Force for a Safer Community

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

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

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

Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Councilwoman| District 3

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

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

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

ble to mental health struggles compared to the general population.

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

signs of mental health issues and providing a compassionate hand.

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

“

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

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

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

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

Getting Schooled

Peri

Life and Laughter

everyone would laugh.

Not sure if I learned anything that year.

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

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

And, of course, there had to be space

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

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

#Science

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

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

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