Since 1914 racers have ventured to Tooele County’s salt flats near Wendover to try and set new speed records.

The Southern California Timing Association’s Speed Week will return to the Bonneville Salt Flats this weekend.

Speed Week draws racers from all over the world who drive hot rods, roadsters, belly tankers, lakesters, motorcycles, streamliners, and even diesel trucks that want to run the International Speedway in a quest to have their name added to the list of record holders. 

Pits opened up at the salt flats for set-up at 7 a.m. today, with inspection and registration of vehicles running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow.

Racing begins on Saturday at 10 a.m. and will run until 7 p.m. Racing is scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. Sunday through Friday.

Entry passes for spectators may be purchased at the entrance to the salt. 

Spectators can walk through the pits, view the vehicles, and talk to the drivers and crew members.

The SCTA advises spectators to bring a hat, sunglasses, and shade. All semi-permanent spectator areas require a tarp flooring as a covering on the salt. 

Binoculars are also recommended as the race vehicles are a quarter mile way when they run the race course.

Vendors will be available with food, eyewear, sunscreen and more, according to the SCTA.

The spectacular scenery and racing conditions at Bonneville make it one of the most popular areas in the world for speed, according to the SCTA.

The Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway is located north of Interstate 80 near Wendover, Utah, approximately a 10.6 mile drive from Interstate 80 exit 4.

Additional information about Speedweek can be found at www.scta-bni.org.

The Rev. Ken Vialpando will celebrate his last mass as pastor of St. Marguerite Church on Sunday.

Vialpando was appointed as vicar for clergy in the Catholioc Diocese of Salt Lake City.

He has been serving as vicar for clergy on a limited basis since February, working one day a week at the pastoral center in Salt Lake City while he also served as pastor at St. Marguerite. After Sunday, he will work fulltime as vicar of clergy in the Diocese. 

“I’ll be kind of like the human resource person for 61 priests and 68 deacons,” he said. “I’ll be there for their joyful times and in their sorrowful times.”

The vicar for clergy attends to the needs of clergy, deals with complaints and comments, welcomes and orients priests new to the diocese, helps new priests adjust, oversees preliminary investigation and maintains updated information regarding possible civil litigation regarding clerics, according to Vialpando.

Vialpando was born and raised in Tooele City. He attended Harris Elementary, Tooele Junior High School and graduated from Tooele High School in 1979. 

After graduating from high school, Vialpando served in the Marine Corps for three years before entering the seminary. After seminary, he served for one year as a Navy chaplain and three years as a National Guard chaplain.

He served as a religious education teacher at Judge Memorial Catholic High School and as parochial vicar at St. Therese of the Child Jesus and St. Ambrose parishes. He has been pastor of the parishes of St. Pius X and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Before receiving the call to return home to Tooele in 2016, Vialpando served for 12 years as pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ogden.

“It is very unusual for a priest to return to his home church,” Vialpando said. “I will miss my family, friends and parishioners.”

Vialpondo said he may return to Tooele as a substitute for the new parish priest or perform marriages or conduct funerals as requested.

During his three years at St. Marguerite, Vialpando said the parish worked successfully at bridging the gap between between English speaking and Spanish speaking communities to become one community.

“We all speak the language of the love of Christ,” Vialpando said. “We work and walk together in unity as one body of Christ.”

Three candidates are vying for an open spot on the Stansbury Greenbelt Service Agency, while another four are competing for a single slot on the Stansbury Recreation Service Agency. 

Only two candidates in each race will advance to the general election, based upon the top vote getters in each primary election on Aug. 13. The candidates who advance will then compete for a spot on the Stansbury Service Agency board in the general election this November. 

Running for the Stansbury Greenbelt positions are Michael Griffeth, Kasey Nobles and Stephen Nelson. The four candidates for the Stansbury Recreation positions are Brian Endicott, Jacob Zollinger, Devon Hansen, and Randall Hinton. 

The candidates were asked to provide written answers to questions about issues important to Stansbury Park residents, with a 150-word limit to respond. The responses from each candidate, ordered randomly, are included below. The responses were edited for length, spelling and grammar. 

Nobles did not return a request for comment by deadline Thursday morning. 

What does the Stansbury Service Agency need to do to improve Stansbury Lake, both the water and the shoreline? What needs to be done differently in the management of the lake?

Hinton: I believe the agency has done many things to make the lake more attractive to the fishermen, as well as boaters and swimmers. There are still more things that need to be done with a lot of hard work from all of us. 

Endicott: I believe that the Stansbury Service Agency is doing a good job of taking care of the lake and the shoreline. I encourage them to keep working at it. They have few employees to manage the lake, parks, and golf course. If we could increase the number of employees then we could increase the management and overall improvement of the lake.

Griffeth: I have been impressed with the work that has been done recently to improve the shoreline around the clubhouse and the work on the weeds. This large man-made lake will always have “issues”. There needs to be continuous study into solving the problems. We have had some successful ideas in the past but as the population grows, other ideas are needed. Perhaps deepening the lake could help with the weed growth. It is important that every household that lives on the lake take responsibility for their shoreline.

Hansen: Stansbury Lake’s water quality, use, resident protection and its future is one of the most critical and controversial questions facing the Service Agency. There are a number of issues regarding the lake such as resident and non-resident use and resident ownership rights. The Service Agency’s authority may be somewhat limited based upon the original agreement between Tooele County and Terracor. The residents of Stansbury Park have the right to know the details of that legal agreement.  Once the terms of this agreement are known and legally recognized, the critical and emotional questions regarding the lake can be determined. The Service Agency needs to take the responsibility to work with Tooele County to determine the extent and impact of legal agreements between the two parties. Until that time, we need to protect this beautiful resource and enjoy the lake, the golf course, clubhouse, swimming pool and parks.

Nelson: My experiences at the lake have been positive. The times I’ve been on the water, I’ve been surprised that more people aren’t out there. However, along the shoreline and right near the clubhouse, the area can get crowded at peak times. Other easily-accessed entry points could be useful. For example, to my knowledge, there are no easy or official access points on the southern or western parts of the lake. This concentrates all public access at the clubhouse or along the northern section. If an objective is to increase usage, other access points might be in order, if they are feasible. That said, the access points we do have (such as the parks on Delgada) should be maintained in such a manner that they’re pleasant and easy to use. My observations are that the grass in those points seems to be unusually yellow.

Zollinger: I know the board has been addressing the issue of cleaning up the lake.  I support them and what they have done up to this point and look forward to assisting them in investigating other options.  I feel the lake is more usable to the community than before.  My only concern that I feel needs to be addressed is the large numbers of geese.  This needs to be addressed yearly.

What other amenities does Stansbury Park need for its residents? Are any demographics in the community not being served well by the existing offerings?

Hansen: The Service Agency could take an active role in expanding arts and music. A community of our size could have for example an art fair featuring some of the local artists.  Display items may include things such as paintings, sculpture, photography, quilting, fly tying, woodworking, etc. We have a number of very talented musicians living in this community.  A music festival would be an activity that would be well received.

Additional activities for the older generation would benefit those important members of our community.

There are proposals being considered for additional amenities in our community. Each should be looked at closely to see that there is a need for these new facilities.  It is easy to spend tax dollars to build new facilities, but before allocating financial, it needs to be shown that there is a need and that they will be used.

Hinton: We live in a quiet, golf cart, biker, jogger, friendly paradise. The fountains, trees, parks, observatory, pool, golf course, and businesses all compliment each other and provide a wonderful experience for all our residents. There needs to be a balance in growth and we should come together in making these decisions as a community. We need to have the county looking out for our interests as well as the other entities in the area. 

Griffeth: I have always felt that a rec center would be beneficial.  That should include a pool that can be used by the schools for competition as well basketball courts and other amenities.  That may require bonding for which some residents are against bit I think it would help engender a sense of community.  There also needs to be more walking/biking trails connecting the different areas of the park.  Additional tax revenue from commercial and retail businesses would be beneficial.

Endicott: Stansbury Park currently provides all of the necessary amenities and is working to add additional amenities such as a recreation center that will be a huge benefit to our community. Personally, I would love to see a splash pad added if at some point it becomes feasible. I am not aware of any demographics in the community that are being underserved. However, if there are any and if I become a board member, I would encourage the underserved to reach out to me so that I could make better informed decisions on their behalf.

Zollinger: I would like to see Stansbury have more lighting on streets and major intersections. To make our parks and greenbelts more available we need more picnic table and facilities that will encourage the residents of Stansbury Park to use these areas. These areas should be made available to our youth’s sports for practices.

Nelson: I think we could use park benches—places to sit and relax, enjoy a cool summer evening. Every time I jog in Stansbury Park, I’m amazed that we don’t have any kind of dedicated trail for joggers or cyclists. I’m also surprised, given the number of dog owners, that we don’t have a dedicated dog park. I do support the master plan’s proposed splashpad, as well as the plans to remove the tennis courts to make room for a bigger pool. I’m not sure if we have enough public basketball courts. The danger with this question is that yes, of course there are tons of things we could add. But will they get used, and who is going to pay for them? It may be better to ensure that our existing facilities are best-of-class, and promote their usage, before collecting funds from residents to build new facilities.

What are your thoughts on the service agency’s draft master plan? What should the focus of long-term planning be in Stansbury Park?  

Griffeth: The current iteration of the master plan is a good place to start.  No one knows the direction that the growth will come but a master plan can help guide that growth.  Public input is essential.  The ideas of the many can help direct the decisions of the board.  I would love to see Stansbury Park more independent and growth will fuel that ability.  The proposed area of Stansbury Park is significantly larger than the current park and so we have the chance to improve our infrastructure if the planning is done in advance of the growth.

Zollinger: After glancing over the master plan I am impressed with the items that have been addressed and agreed upon.  We need to keep in mind the potential of incorporating and making decisions that will benefit the community.  We always need to be looking for ways to improve so our children’s children can experience Stansbury as we did.

Nelson: I view the master plan in a positive light, and applaud the current board for its efforts in assembling the document. Unfortunately, I’ve seen many well-thought-out plans go by the wayside. As with everything, it’s all in the execution. It will be important for the board governance process to ensure that progress is made on the plan. That will likely prove much more difficult that creating the plan. My feelings are that larger parks and recreation facilities are better than smaller ones. These attract more people than smaller parks, which often seem empty when I drive by them. Obtaining larger parks can be difficult, as it (naturally) requires larger pieces of land. Big plots don’t just happen. They must be purposefully acquired. Stansbury Park should ensure that large, cornerstone areas are set aside for parks. Each can offer a different attraction than another, to attract a different population segment.

Hinton: There are some great points in the master plan of Stansbury Park. We need to maintain what is here and focus on the growth that is already upon us. The five to 20 year improvement plan has worthy projects that will allow Stansbury Park to grow with class.  I would love to see neighbors and our community as a whole come together and ensure that’s Stansbury Park is an enjoyable, safe, and clean place to live. Please give Neil (Smart) and Glenn (Oscarson) big hugs every time you see them and thank them for their years of service!

Endicott: The master plan sets good goals and direction for the coming 20 years. It helps the board to have a direction to work towards. The focus should continue to be to keep Stansbury Park a safe and clean community that we can not only be proud of now, but that we can leave for future generations.

Hansen: The Stansbury Park Master plan’s introduction contains this phrase, “More than 410 households in Stansbury Park also deserve thanks for their response to the parks and trails needs assessment survey and for their input and support for these important community resources.”

The current agency members should be complimented for seeking and including residents input as this plan has been implemented. The plan is well done, and implementing the plan over the next years will be important.  The county has the ability to override any plan we have in place.  It is critical that we get the county’s support on the plan. I have the background and experience to work with the county to protect our community. 

In 20 years, the Tooele Valley will be filled with homes which will have a great impact upon Stansbury Park.  I have the experience necessary to help prepare for this growth and the impact.

The Tooele City Council approved a settlement with the former Aposhian Sod Farm during its meeting Wednesday evening, ending a dispute that dates back to 2013. 

The long-running disagreement between the former tenant of the Vernon-area sod farm and its former owner, Tooele City, centered on the value of the crop when the lease agreement was terminated. 

Following a July 23 mediation, the city and sod farm agreed to a $840,000 payment for the value of the sod, including $112,851.37 already paid by the city in May per an April judgment in 3rd District Court. The lump-sum payment from the city will be made using funds from the sale of the sod farm last December. 

The city sold the 1,784-acre sod farm, located near Vernon, for $1.3 million to Six Mile Ranch, Inc., of Grantsville. The city retained the farm’s certificated water rights of 4,181 acre-feet (1.36 billion gallons) per year.

An April 30 ruling in 3rd District Court set the total market value of the sod crop at $1.51 million. The city was awarded $385,600 for attorney fees, breach of contract damages, waste damages and holdover damages, for a net obligation of $1.13 million. 

Both the city and sod farm appealed the decision, however, leading to the July 23 mediation organized by the appeals court. 

After determining it was receiving no rent or other benefit under the particular arrangements of the lease agreement, Tooele City sought to terminate the lease without cause in 2013. The city, following the required notification, was obligated to pay for the value of the mature sod crop under the agreement. 

Aposhian Sod Farm requested $3.2 million, an amount the city could not substantiate, and a lawsuit followed when the lessee refused to leave the property, according to the city’s attorney, Ted Barnes. 

The lawsuit was originally tried before a jury in December 2016. The jury determined Tooele City proved Aposhian committed waste on the property of $137,000 and the market value of the sod crop was $2.77 million. 

In December 2017, the court granted Tooele City’s motion for a new trial in regard to the sod crop value and determined the city suffered holdover damage and Aposhian had revenues totaling $942,719.45 in 2013, which offset the value of the sod crop at the end of the contract. 

Then in May 2018, the court reversed its prior decision that Tooele City was entitled to offset the value of the sod crop with Aposhian’s total farming revenues in 2013.

A new trial on the sod crop issues occurred last December, with the court ruling the value of Aposhian’s sod crop was $1.51 million. In subsequent post-trial memoranda on Feb. 11 and Feb. 15, the court declined to reconsider or denied all requests to adjust the damage or attorney fee amounts.

Firefighters battled a fire that damaged an outbuilding at an Erda residence on Tom’s Lane on Wednesday evening. 

North Tooele Fire District firefighters were dispatched to a brush fire at around 6 p.m., which quickly spread into the neighboring outbuilding, according to NTFD spokesman Jon Smith. Crews arrived on scene, with assistance from Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department, federal Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. 

Firefighters were able to get water on the fire to prevent it from spreading to the nearby homes, Smith said. The fire was knocked down in about 15 to 20 minutes, with extended mop-up keeping the roadway closed in the aftermath. 

“Anytime that we’ve got flames in the open, obviously it’s a concern,” Smith said.

Fire crews brought two engines, four brush trucks, two USFS engines, a BLM engine and two water tenders, Smith said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

July was a dry month, but the wet spring has year-to-date totals for precipitation still running ahead of normal.

Last month, Tooele City received a total of 0.39 inches of precipitation. Normal precipitation for July in Tooele City is 0.92, according to Ned Bevan, National Weather Service observer for Tooele City.

Bevan also reported that the total precipitation for Tooele City as of the end of July was 19.86 inches compared to a normal of 16.13 inches.

Reservoir levels in Tooele Valley were also showing above average levels last month, according to the National Resource Conservation Service.

Settlement Canyon Reservoir was at 78% capacity as of July 31 compared to a historical average of 67% at the end of July. In 2018, Settlement Canyon Reservoir was at 35% capacity at the end of July.

Grantsville Reservoir was at 70% capacity as of the end of July compared to a historical average of 51% at the end of July. In 2018, Grantsville Reservoir was at 36% capacity at the end of July.

The U.S. Drought Monitor does not list any part of Tooele County in a drought condition as of Aug. 13.

The warmest July day in Tooele City this year was 100 degrees on July 23. The coolest daytime temperature was 79 on July 5. 

The coldest recorded temperature in Tooele City recorded by Bevan for July was 51 on July 5.

The subdivision final plat for 53 single-family residential lots at approximately 760 W. 700 South was forwarded with a positive recommendation by the Tooele City Planning Commission during its meeting Wednesday evening. 

The homes, built in the R1-7 residential zone, will be on 14 acres north of 700 South and west of the properties fronting Coleman Street. Properties to the north and east are zoned R1-7 residential as well, while properties to the south and west are zoned multi-family residential, according to the staff report. 

Included in the subdivision final plat is a stormwater detention basin, which the developer, Blue Bison Development, proposes to dedicate to Tooele City for ownership and maintenance, the report said. 

The City may only accept detention basins by a resolution of the City Council; the basin in question would be landscaped by the developer with the intention of low water usage. 

The development would connect to 700 South and the existing stub of 580 South, with a proposed connection to American Way if an easement can be obtained. There would be three interior streets of 760 West, 580 South and 680 South.

The subdivision final plat includes a flag lot in the upper right corner of the property. Flag lots are permitted in the city’s subdivision ordinance, according to the staff report. 

The positive recommendation was unanimously approved by the planning commission on a motion by Commissioner Tyson Hamilton and seconded by Commissioner Melanie Hammer.  

The housing development would be built in the vacant field that was the ignition site for a destructive wildfire in 2016. The July 19, 2016, wildfire that started on the property spread north toward Van Dyke Way and destroyed 11 homes and damaged 17 more. Total damage estimates and initial recovery costs totaled more than $1.3 million. 

A Tooele man is facing felony charges in two different cases, both related to the alleged distribution of methamphetamine. 

Brandon Keith Burr, 37, is charged with second-degree felony distribution, offer or arrange the distribution of a controlled substance and misdemeanor manufacture or deliver drug paraphernalia in one case. 

In the second, he’s charged with first-degree felony distribution, offer or arrange the distribution of a controlled substance and misdemeanor manufacture or deliver drug paraphernalia.

In the first case, a detective in the Tooele City Police Department was contacted by a confidential informant who said they could purchase meth from Burr on Feb. 12, according to a probable cause statement. The detective gave the informant a transmitter and $40 of buy money, following a search, then dropped them off to meet with Burr. 

The informant went into Burr’s residence and then were picked back up by the detective, where they provided a plastic baggie with a white, crystal-like substance identified as methamphetamine, the statement said. When investigators gave the informant a photograph lineup, they identified the picture of Burr as the person who sold them the meth, which weighed in at 2.3 grams. 

A similar methodology was used on April 29 in the second case, according to the probable cause statement. In the second case, however, the probable cause statement did not mention the confidential informant picking Burr from a photo lineup and the amount of methamphetamine purchased weighed 4.0 grams. 

Burr made his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on both cases on Monday before Judge Matthew Bates. He is scheduled to return to court for both cases on Sept. 24 at 1:30 p.m.

After a work session on the 2019-20 budget Wednesday evening, the Tooele City Council trimmed the budget and reduced the proposed certified tax rate ahead of a decisive meeting next week. 

Following a lengthy discussion on budget line items, planning for future equipment and taxpayer impact, a straw poll of the City Council settled at a 6% increase over the state’s certified tax rate of .003024. In total, the City Council cut $176,888 from the budget, including the elimination of a grant writer position, cuts to the operation and maintenance line item in the streets budget and the removal of an annual judgment payment following the settlement with the former Aposhian Sod Farm. 

At the .003213 tax rate now proposed by the City Council, a property owner with a $280,000 home would pay $495 in city property taxes, compared to $466 under the certified tax rate. The previously proposed tax rate of .003334 would result in property taxes for the same homeowner of $513. 

A certified tax rate 6% greater than the certified tax rate would create a $192,330 deficit to the tentative budget, which is based around a .003334 tax rate, which is the same as last year. The gap between the proposed cuts and the property tax revenue would be made up by a transfer from the City’s general fund balance, City Councilman Dave McCall suggested. 

City departments only spent about 95% of their budget in the past year, according to Tooele City Mayor Debbie Winn. McCall said the City should continue to look for cuts wherever possible. 

“I don’t want us to get to where we were before,” McCall said. “I don’t. I’m not a pro-tax guy … but if we don’t do something and keep our head above water to where we’re moving in the right direction, we’re going to find ourselves back here with another 80, 90 or 115 percent tax increase. And no one wants that.”

City Councilman Brad Pratt called some of the budget cuts to reach 6% as “easy to make” and said they wouldn’t be detrimental to the City’s goals. 

“I think that we can operate on that and continue to accomplish all of the things that we want to accomplish,” Pratt said. “I really do.”

For City Councilman Scott Wardle, the expanded spending without a full future plan for equipment replacement and other needs was a concern. 

“I’m a little troubled, I’m not going to lie,” Wardle said. “We’re growing this government very fast and I know it’s because we’re behind. But I have trouble growing government when I don’t have plans in front of me and we’re just throwing money at a problem.” 

Winn said she had trimmed the budget working with department heads prior to presenting it to the City Council. She said the budget was created under the agreement with the City Council to hold the tax rate from the previous year budget and cautioned against making too many cuts. 

“We’re going to get back in the situation that we have been in,” Winn said. 

A final decision on the City’s 2019-20 budget is expected at the City Council’s Aug. 21 meeting at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Tooele City Hall.

It’s a Broadway revival in Tooele City.

The bar on Broadway Street, formerly known as the Broadway Club, has new owners, a new name and a new look.

Patty Bullock-Drochner and her husband, Adam, along with Grantsville businessman Randy Hunt, purchased the Broadway Club on the southeast corner of Broadway and Elm streets in Tooele City’s Newtown area in Nov. 2018.

With the help of Paramount Networks’ Bar Rescue show, the new owners remodeled and renamed the club at the end of July.

The place is now known as The Roost Bar, according to the sign hanging on the outside of the building.

“I had been looking to buy a place for years,” said Patty Bullock-Drochner. “I saw this place was up for sale. I had been here before and thought I’d give it a try.”

After a few months, the new owners of the Broadway Club were contacted by representatives of the Bar Rescue show. Bullock-Drochner said she welcomed help from the show.

“I had no idea what to expect,” she said. “But we had to do something, we weren’t turning a profit.”

With help from the show, the bar was remodeled and a new menu of bar food was prepared.

“Originally we were going to serve fried chicken,” Bullock-Drochner said. “But the chicken didn’t work well with our fryer.”

The menu now includes the “best chicken wings and tenders in Tooele,” according to Bullock-Drochner. The Roost also serves a variety of hamburgers, nachos, and smothered tater-tots.

The building itself has been given a complete makeover, she said.

Along with a new sign outside, the front of the brick building has been painted bright teal color.

“It really pops out now,” Bullock-Drochner said.

Inside, where Bullock-Drochner and Hunt had already installed a new ceiling, the old dated furnishings are gone. New tables and chairs, a new coat of paint and new light fixtures have brightened up the interior while still leaving it with a cozy feeling.

An outdoor smoking patio in the back leaves the bar smoke free.

The new look is kind of like modern industrial meets traditional farmhouse.

Bricks from the old Bauer mine spell out “Tooele” on the wall behind the bar’s three pool tables. Barn doors from Bauer hang on the east wall.

People seem to be liking the new look and food, according to Bullock-Drochner.

“We’ve had a lot more people coming in,” she said.

The Roost has added a Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Along with Bloody Marys and a Mimosa bar, the Roost serves French toast, breakfast burritos, a hangover burger, and biscuits and gravy made with Bullock-Drochner’s grandmother’s secret recipe for brunch.

“The second Sunday we had so many people for brunch we had to run out to grocery stores to buy more food,” Bullock-Drochner said.

Fridays and Saturdays the dance floor is cleared off for dancing to recorded music. Starting on Aug. 22, Thursday nights will feature karaoke at the Roost.

“It’s been great,” said Bullock-Drochner. “We’re pulling in a good crowd. Maybe this will help revive Broadway street.”

The Bar Rescue producers told Bullock-Drochner that if the episode with The Roost airs, it will be in about six months, she said.

The Roost Bar is located at 104 N. Broadway in Tooele City. Monday through Saturday the Roost is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and in the evenings from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tooele County healthcare agencies will receive more than $1 million in federal grant money next month to bolster opioid prevention and recovery efforts in the county, local health officials say.

 “The money will be used to bridge prevention, treatment and recovery services in the county,” said Dr. Maren Wright Voss, health agent of Utah State University-Tooele Extension. She helped submit applications for the grant.

USU-Tooele Health Extension, Valley Mental Health, Tooele County Health Department and Mountain West Medical Center emergency department have formed a three-year alliance in effort to address the county’s opioid abuse problem. The group is called the Tooele Rural Opioid Healthcare Consortium. 

“As part of the proposal, all of these groups committed their willingness to play a role,” Voss said. “Tooele is great as far as people working together for the community good.”

She said $1 million will be received from the Health Resources and Services Administration and $175,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in partnership with USU broadcast education programming.

The HRSA funds will directly support pain education, alternative pain management programs (i.e., cognitive therapy, yoga, and mindfulness), and disease prevention for community members, according to Voss. Some funds will also be used to educate healthcare professionals. New programs will directly address gaps in treatment services in Tooele County. 

The money will also pay for a clinical coordinator for the next three years at an annual rate of about $50,000 per year. This person will provide clinical support and training to the community parties, Voss said.

The grant funds will also provide evidence-based interventions for health care professionals and first responders, like stigma reduction and disease prevention coordination and tracking.

Meanwhile, the USDA grant will allow residents in the recovery community to get trained as lay-professionals to increase the treatment. 

Also helping with the three-year project is Dr. Sandra Sulzer, assistant professor at Kinesiology & Health Science Department at USU.

She said that according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tooele County currently has the second highest opioid-related mortality rate in the state.

The need for melding programs to reduce opioid abuse in Tooele County is critical, according to a study by researchers from Westminster College in Salt Lake City last year.

Researchers reported that Utah ranks fourth in the nation in the percentage of opioid-related deaths.

The rate of opioid deaths in Tooele County was 33.6 per 100,000 people. This is higher than the state average, which is 22.29 per 100,000 people. The 2016 national average was 19 per 100,000 people.

Voss said statistics for opioid-related deaths in Tooele County could be somewhat misleading because sometimes people who live outside the county die while in Tooele County from opioid abuse. 

She said opioid related emergency visits are particularly high in Tooele at 1.3 times the state average.

Scott Rounds, emergency department director at MWMC, lauded the grant funding.

“With solid community partnerships, we will make a positive impact in the lives of our neighbors and loved ones who are in need of effective and safe pain management,” Rounds said.

Valley Behavioral Health had already instituted a number of prevention programs and MWMC teamed up with the health department to launch the 2018 “Speak Out, Opt Out, Throw Out” awareness campaign last year. 

 “The opioid epidemic is one of our community’s greatest challenges and public health has made it a priority to address this issue,” said Amy Bate, health promotion coordinator/public information officer at the Tooele County Health Department. “Evidence supports that a sustainable, comprehensive public health approach results in significant decreases in preventable opioid overdose deaths, prevents disease, and saves lives.”

The HRSA grant supports this training by funding ongoing supervision for new Peer Support Specialist lay professionals.

Peer to peer support is not a new concept; it was used as a model by Aristotle, Voss said. But the approach is gaining new ground in the medical field. While healthcare is typically thought to be the domain of experts, there is new recognition in behavioral health that people who have experience with illness have unique expertise. 

Voss said agencies recognize that personal experience can be highly beneficial in treating mental and substance misuse issues.

Rural regions have even more to gain from the lay-professional PSS workforce, she said.

“Without full-service in-patient or residential treatment facilities to rely on, a peer support specialist can offer nearby and ready recovery support to rural residents,” Voss said. “The grant funding will amp up disease prevention efforts and offer the support programs and alternative pain management options that are so needed for responsible opioid management.”

She said if someone seeks education on living with chronic pain, to contact her about the new grant funded program offerings that will begin later this year.

Call 435-277-2400 for more information. Voss can also be reached at 435-277-2409 and at maren.voss@usu.edu.

Six candidates remain in the running for three seats on the Tooele City Council, while two candidates remain in a pair of races for seats on the Stansbury Service Agency board. 

Ed Hansen, Justin Brady and incumbent Dave McCall were the top three vote getters in Tuesday’s primary election for the Tooele City Council with 1,672, 1,605 and 1,561 votes, respectively. The next three candidates were Jon Gossett (1,153), Tony Graf (993) and Wayne Anderton (958). 

The two candidates missing the cut for the municipal election this November were Ryan Peacock, with 663 votes and Jeff Saunders, with 652 votes. 

In the Stansbury Greenbelt Service District board opening, Michael Griffeth led the way with 599 votes, or 60% of the total votes cast. Stephen Nelson received 215 votes to claim the final spot in the municipal election, while Kasey Nobles fell short with 183 votes. 

The Stansbury Recreation Special Service District board race saw Randall Hinton lead the way with 340 votes, followed by Jacob Zollinger with 242 and Devon Hansen with 241. Brian Endicott finished fourth with 171 votes. 

A total of 9,257 votes were cast in the Tooele City Council primary, while 997 votes were cast in the Stansbury Greenbelt Service District primary and 994 in the Stansbury Recreation Special Service District primary. 

A total of 4,573 ballots were cast in the three races, with Tooele City residents able to vote for three City Council candidates, according to the Tooele County Clerk’s office. Of the ballots cast, seven were blank. 

Only 22.5% of the 20,298 eligible registered voters actually voted in Tuesday’s primary election, according to unofficial results provided by the County Clerk’s office. 

In addition to the three races in Tuesday’s primary, there are 24 positions up for grabs in this November’s municipal election. 

Those races include four seats on the Grantsville City Council, including a position with a two-year term and another three with four-year terms. The Rush Valley Town Council has two positions to fill, while the Lake Point Improvement District board has two positions open, but a single candidate.

The North Tooele Fire District will fill three board positions and the Stansbury Park Improvement District board has one opening. Stockton residents will elect a mayor and two councilmembers, while the Vernon Town Council has four positions open, including a pair of two-year and a pair of four-year positions. 

The Wendover City Council has five openings, including two two-year positions and three four-year positions.

They’re back. 

The Nitro World Games are returning to the Utah Motorsports Campus on Saturday.

On Monday night, the Red Bull Airforce Wingsuit Flyers leaped out over the state capitol from a flight that originated at Tooele Valley Airport. With pyrotechnics strapped to their legs, the flyers lit up the Salt Lake City sky to call attention to the  NItro World Games coming to Tooele County this weekend.

Nitro World Games packs a lot of high-flying action into their one-day event at UMC, according the event’s organizers.

“Nitro World Games is the big air of action sports competition,” said Travis Pastrana, creator of Nitro World Games. “The Red Bull Air Force are world-renowned skydivers and some of the only humans in the world who can pull something so astounding off with precision, just like the athletes at Nitro World Games.”

This will be the second year the Nitro World Games have come to Tooele County.

“We are really excited to welcome back the Nitro World Games to UMC for a second year,” said Dixon Hunt, senior vice president of UMC. “They are the biggest event of the year. It will be a great weekend.”

It may be possible to see some world’s firsts at the innovative Nitro World Games on Saturday, according to organizers.

“It’s very scary, very high, very intimidating,” said Blake “Bilko” Williams, a motorsports competitor from Australia.

The Nitro World Games include not only the Nitro Rallycross race, but also an FMX Best Trick competition, the Moto Quarterpipe, and Flat Track races. 

The Super Hooligan National Championship race will also make its Nitro World Games debut at UMC on Saturday.

“Saturday is guaranteed to be action-packed with the return of Nitro Rallycross, the innovative race that has set the bar in rallycross racing,” said event organizers in a press release. “Ten of the best drivers in the world have touched down in Utah, all with the goal of standing on the top step of the podium Saturday evening and earning bragging rights for the next year.”

Nitro World Games activities also includes a custom car show, the Red Bull gaming truck, and the UMC karting center.

There will be a full family-friendly activation zone, and a variety of food and other vendors onsite, according to event organizers.

When it debuted in 2016, Nitro World Games shifted the landscape for both athletes and the industry alike with its new big air formats, breakthrough ramp technology and innovative judging criteria.

Created by Nitro Circus and action sports icon Travis Pastrana, Nitro World Games is produced in partnership with the Utah Sports Commission. 

“Partnering with Nitro World Games and Travis Pastrana always brings great action and excitement to the state,” said Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission. “Having this tremendous event take place that continues to generate significant economic impact and media exposure, further positions Utah as one of the top places in the world to host major action and motorsports events.”

Nitro World Games 2019 sponsors include the Utah Sports Commission, Red Bull, Yokohama, cbdMD, Kevlar, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Subaru, Brimstone Recreation, and O’Reilly Auto Parts.

For more information or to buy tickets, go to NitroWorldGames.com.

The Tooele County School District is hoping voters will approve a property tax increase for three new schools and security upgrades at existing schools.

The Tooele County Board of Education adopted a resolution calling for an election on Nov. 5 to authorize the issuance of $190 million in general obligation bonds during its Tuesday night meeting.

In a previous meeting, the board said the proceeds of the $190 million in bonds will be used to build a new high school in Overlake, a new junior high school in Stansbury Park, a new elementary school in Grantsville, expand the Stansbury High School lunchroom, and install security upgrades for all current district schools.

The ballot language, as required by state law, states that without regard to any levies for current bonds that may decrease over time, the property tax impact of $190 million in new bonds over a 20-year period for the current average home valued at $250,000 would be $346 annually. The cost for a business property of the same value would be $630 annually.

However, the school district does have payments for outstanding bonds that will be reduced over time, resulting in a net annual property tax impact of $128 for the owner of a $250,000 home. The net annual property tax impact for a business of the same value would be $233, according to the ballot language included in the resolution.

The school district purchased property for the new high school and the new junior high school with funds from bonds approved by voters in 2015.

The new high school will be built on land west of the Home Depot store. The new junior high will be built on property south of Stansbury High School on Bates Canyon Road.

The new elementary school will be built in the Grantsville area. The location has not been determined.

Voters approved the issuance of $49 million in general obligation bonds by the school district in 2015. Along with buying property for the new high school and new junior high school,  proceeds of the 2015 bonds were used to build Old Mill and Sterling Elementary schools, increase the capacity of Tooele Junior High School, and for miscellaneous projects at Tooele High, Grantsville High, and Grantsville Junior High schools.

Wednesday afternoon marked the first time Tooele and Cedar Valley have ever met on the soccer pitch, but it didn’t take long for the rivalry between the Region 10 girls soccer squads to develop.

The first-year Aviators came in to Tooele and came away with a 4-2 victory over the host Buffaloes in the first region game of the season for both teams, with intense, physical play ruling the day and emotions simmering just below the surface.

However, Tooele coach Stephen Duggan couldn’t bring himself to be upset even in a loss.

“In terms of effort and in terms of everything they brought, you couldn’t ask for any more from your team than to go out and leave everything on the field,” Duggan said. “I thought they were fantastic today. They took knocks and bangs and kept getting up and going right back at it. The reward for me is seeing every player that played for us today go out there and give it 110%, and not let themselves down. You’ve got to give them huge credit for the effort they put in.”

Tooele (3-2, 0-1 Region 10) needed all of 40 seconds to get the fireworks started. Liz Lundwall took a pass from teammate Makenna McCloy, cut in from the right side and put a shot into the lower left corner of the net to put the Buffs ahead 1-0. The Aviators (2-2, 1-0) began peppering Tooele goalkeeper Maddy Lyman with long shots, but they didn’t truly threaten for most of the first 20 minutes.

In fact, Tooele had the best chance of all in that stretch, as Lundwall took another pass from McCloy and rolled a shot toward the left post that seemed destined for her second goal of the match in the 13th minute. However, the ball ran out of steam as it neared the net, and it slipped just wide, much to Duggan’s dismay.

Seven minutes later, Cedar Valley got the equalizer, as sophomore Presley Devey weaved her way through the Tooele defense and tucked the ball past Lyman. But the Buffs kept the pressure on the Aviators’ defense and goalkeeper Saige Meryhew, as Lundwall just missed the right post on a great individual effort in the 27th minute and McCloy clanged a free kick off the crossbar in the 29th. 

Devey took advantage of a miscue by the Buffaloes’ defense to put the Aviators ahead 2-1 in the opening minute of the second half. That seemed to take the wind out of the Buffs’ sails for a few minutes, and helped lead to Devey’s third goal of the game in the 51st minute. 

“If we would have gone into halftime 3-1 up, it wouldn’t have been an injustice, I don’t think,” Duggan said. “The one thing you don’t want to do at the start of the second half is concede (a goal). It puts you on the back foot, and then you’re kind of chasing and heads go down a little bit, which is natural, and then you go 3-1 down.” 

Meanwhile, tensions began to boil over between the two teams, with coaches and school administrators engaging in spirited conversations on the sideline as the match became more intense. Cooler heads eventually prevailed, however.

“If you can’t be passionate about sport, why are you involved in it in the first place? (Afterward) you go up, you shake hands, you say congratulations and you move on,” Duggan said.

Tooele began to get its game going again as the second half continued, with Lundwall and McCloy using their speed to keep the Aviators’ defense busy. The pressure paid off in the 74th minute, when Cedar Valley was whistled for a handball inside the 18-yard box. McCloy scored on the ensuing penalty kick to pull the Buffs within a goal.

Unfortunately for the Buffaloes, the comeback wasn’t to be, thanks to a stellar effort by Devey for her fourth goal of the afternoon in the 79th minute. A perfectly placed chip found its way inside the left post and past Lyman, providing the final margin.

“That’s not one of those games where you lose and you’re disappointed,” Duggan said. “They’ve got a really, really good player up top. (Devey is) top-notch. She’ll be an All-State player, there’s no question about it. You can tell just by watching her today. She’s not easy to defend against, and it’s a lesson learned for the next game.”

Tooele’s next match is Monday in Vernal, when the Buffs will face Uintah in another Region 10 match. The Buffaloes will take on Juan Diego on Sept. 3 in Draper, with their next home match scheduled for Sept. 5 against Ogden.

As the summer sun takes over from the drizzle of spring rains, there is a window of opportunity for us hikers. The sun, high up, strikes even the most northern facing slopes and the snow clears except in a few shady crevices. 

This stirs hikers up into the high places where the harshness of winter excludes those without specialized equipment and young athletic legs. Our local mountains have in abundance impressive high ridges that provide great views, stunning wildflowers, and peaks over 9,000 feet high.  

These ridges are governed by the direction they face and the contrasts between their sides is compelling. South facing ridges, despite being so high up, are typically dry with low lying plants. Some of these provide the best spots for wildflowers. The north facing ridges are dominated by Douglas fir and white fir, which shade out many of the more colorful flowers. Even so, keep an eye out for bluebells, white columbines, and coyote mints in the shadows.  

Ridges, next to road cuts, are the favorites of geologists. Erosion begins up high and the sediment load flows downhill. As a result, rocks are well exposed along ridges. Within these rocks are often fossils from the ancient sea where these rocks formed millions of years ago. I sometimes gather fossils. I have learned the hard way to gather them on the way down, not up.  

The views provided by ridges can be extraordinary. They change throughout the season, as snow melts, as vegetation matures and dies back, and as the angle of the sun shifts throughout the days and months. Climbing the peaks provides a sense of accomplishment. I like to say I “bagged” this peak or that, but in hiking the journey is more important than the destination. Often, your best views aren’t from the peaks, but of the peaks and how they fit along the ridge.  

This time of year is why you stay active during the winter and spring. To be able to scale up high and see our amazing alpine peaks and ridges is a privilege I hope I never lose nor take for granted. The season is short up high, and life there adapts to that reality. It flourishes quickly and dies back with equal speed. Water flows downhill, so the water that is up there in the spring is there for a short time before it seeps into crevices and reappears as springs farther down. 

The winds can be fierce up high and trees and bushes often conform to the prevailing winds, making for some fascinating forms. Storms can create immediate danger if you aren’t careful. Deer flies and mosquitoes can be handled with Deet-based repellent, but there is no repellant for lightning.  

As the summer is replaced by fall, color will be added to these views. Maples are typically the first to turn, and their bright orange colors will be replaced later by the bronze of oaks and the yellows of aspen. When the cool autumn winds blow the last quaking leaves off the aspen, their leaves may fall onto the first light snows of the coming winter. 

Like in life itself, the season to get to those ridges is short. The perspectives you gain on them are too valuable for words to capture. When you engage all your senses up high, you’ll take back down into the valley an understanding of the grandeur of the world we live in. 

From a young age David Swan’s natural curiosity led him to explore and study the outdoor wonders of the place where he was born and raised. He currently lives on the southeast side of Tooele City with a view of the Oquirrh Mountains from his backyard. 

A Tooele couple made their initial appearances in 3rd District Court on Tuesday after they were allegedly found in possession of a stolen camping trailer earlier this month. 

Daniel Christop Frieze, 34, is charged with second-degree felony receive or transfer a stolen vehicle, second-degree felony altered vehicle ID number and third-degree felony false evidence of title and registration. Ashley Marie Winslow, 31, is also charged with second-degree felony receive or transfer of a stolen vehicle, as well as third-degree felony unlawful acquisition, possession or transfer of a financial card and misdemeanor possession of another’s identity documents. 

A Tooele City police officer was dispatched to the area of 810 North and 630 West on report of a 911 hangup on Aug. 8 at 6:19 p.m., according to the probable cause statement. Once on scene, the officer was waved down by a man, identified as Frieze, who said he and his wife, identified as Winslow, were having a domestic dispute. 

Frieze provided the officer with a debit card and social security card belonging to someone other than Winslow, which he said she had stolen, the probable cause statement said. He said they were arguing because the cards were stolen from a family member while Winslow was in Idaho, which were confirmed stolen by the Nampa Police Department. 

While interviewing Winslow, she told the police officer Frieze had stolen the cards and the camping trailer they were staying in was stolen, the statement said.

The officer was able to locate the National Crime Information Center listing for the trailer, the probable cause statement said. Winslow advised she had witnessed Frieze paint over the trailer to cover the decals and identifying information; the officer observed the trailer had been painted over and the vehicle identification number was removed. 

The agency which reported the trailer stolen provided photos to the victim, who confirmed identifying features and damage of the trailer, according to the probable cause statement. 

On Tuesday, Winslow was appointed counsel and she was assigned no bail allowed, while Frieze, who was not in custody, was also appointed counsel. Frieze is scheduled back in court on Oct. 1 at 1:30 p.m. before 3rd District Court Judge Matthew Bates, while Winslow is scheduled to return on Sept. 3 at 9 a.m.

A Tooele man who allegedly threatened a family with a metal bat and used racial slurs pleaded guilty to lesser charges in 3rd District Court on Tuesday. 

Roland Elvis Hicks, 43, was charged with three counts of third-degree felony aggravated assault and a misdemeanor count of intoxication. At Tuesday’s court hearing, Hicks pleaded guilty to three counts of misdemeanor aggravated assault, with the misdemeanor intoxication count dismissed. 

Hicks was ordered released from the Tooele County Detention Center at his hearing on Tuesday, provided he report to Adult Probation and Parole within 24 hours and get a substance abuse assessment and start treatment within 48 hours.

The case is set for sentencing on Oct. 8 at 1:30 p.m. before 3rd District Court Judge Matthew Bates. 

The charges against Hicks stem from an Aug. 1 incident in which the victim flagged down an officer in the area of 780 N. 100 West, Tooele, at 9:52 p.m., claiming a man had threatened him and his family with a bat, according to a probable cause statement. The responding officer observed a man, later identified as Hicks, standing with a metal bat in his hands. 

The officer observed Hicks walking away and “heard the distinct sound” of a bat hitting the street, the statement said. After the officer observed Hicks throw the bat under a parked vehicle on 100 West, Hicks continued to walk north away from the area before stopping at the command of police.

When the officer made contact with Hicks, they observed he smelled strongly of alcohol and was slurring his speech and had a glossy appearance in his eyes, according to the probable cause statement. Hicks later told officers he had drank four malt liquor beverages. 

The male victim said he didn’t know who Hicks was, and Hicks had approached them yelling and saying he would fight them, the statement said. He said Hicks referred to them with a racial slur and continued yelling at the family. 

The two female victims, an adult and a juvenile, said Hicks kept hitting things with the bat and yelling at the group, according to the statement. 

Hicks was placed under arrest at 10:13 p.m. and transported to the county jail, where he recorded a .161 blood alcohol content on a portable breath test. 

Tooele County is updating its codes for record access and electronic record retention.

The Tooele County Commission voted to hold off approving a pair of resolutions that would modify county codes relating to access to public records and the retention of electronic records during its meeting Tuesday night.

Both resolutions were first introduced at the Aug. 6 County Commission meeting. The commission tabled a vote on the resolutions to “a future meeting” at Tuesday night’s meeting.

County Commission Chairman Tom Tripp said the commission expects to make some amendments to the resolutions. 

Ordinance 2019-19 modifies Tooele County Code Chapter 11, County Records Access and Management.

“It’s been more than 20 years since this policy has been updated,” said Tooele County Attorney Scott Broadhead, during the Aug. 6 County Commission meeting.

Most of the proposed changes in 2019-19 involve removing language from the county code and inserting language that says that the county will follow state code, according to Broadhead.

“This way we don’t have to update our code every time the state code changes,” Broadhead said, “which has become almost everyday.”

Resolution 2019-10 enacts a new chapter of the county’s personnel and policies and procedures manual titled “Electronic Records and Retention.”

The policy is designed to be consistent with statewide retention policies, especially in the area of email retention, according to Tripp.

The policy defines electronic records, with examples of what electronic records are and are not.

Electronic records do not include daily calendars or personal notes nor temporary drafts prepared for personal use, according to the proposed policy.

Transitory emails that contain no final contractual, financial, or policy information, nor any information that impacts agency function, do not need to be kept after their purpose has been served, according to the proposed policy.

Emails that document implementation agency functions and programs or document work accomplished, transactions made, or actions taken are among the emails that would be required to be kept permanently, according to the proposed policy.

The complete policies can be viewed on the county website attached to the agenda for the Aug. 20 meeting.