What’s new around town.
—by Katherine Pioli
Salt Lake Solar Service
On August 29 when the Utah Public Service Commission denied Rocky Mountain Power’s request for a $4.65 net metering fee increase—a fee that would have increased the monthly bill for homes and businesses with small solar power arrays—Utahns for alternative energy breathed a sigh of relief. It felt safe, once again, to invest in solar.
But obstacles still remain, many of them monetary—balancing required start-up capitol for a rooftop solar system with pay-offs down the road—and with significant benefits ready to expire—the 30% federal Solar Investment Tax Credit currently extends only through the end of 2016—many people may feel like their back is up against a wall. Here’s where My Community Solar steps in to help. Community Solar is a bulk-purchase program that helps lower the rates for installations and helps simplify the installation process.
The current U Community Solar campaign is a bulk purchase program for members of the University of Utah campus. Those interested should start the process by taking a quick and simple solar survey—about your home construction, average wattage usage and roof shading.
The deadline to complete the survey has been extended to October 24. For more information on the project, attend a Community Solar workshop on October 16 at the University’s Alumni Hall, health and sciences education building, 26s 2000e. MyCommunitySolar.org.
Symphony’s Upbeat series aims at the under-30s
If the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera really want 25% of their audiences to be 30 or younger they are starting with a good hook: affordable tickets.
The Vivace package, season tickets for the social extrovert, treats pass holders to discount tickets and private after-parties.
For the more subdued music afficionado, Upbeat is probably a more enticing offer. Available to anyone 30 and under, this new program offers discount tickets with prices ranging from $10-15. The Upbeat Design-A-Series allows ticket holders to select their own performances. And Abravanel Hall has its own special deal, a $49 all-access season pass for students—buy one and a second pass is only $25.
USUO.org
Wasatch Brew Pub
Utah’s micro brew pioneer, the Wasatch Beer and Squatters Pub cooperative known as the Salt Lake Brewing Company, is making sure it has a hand in Salt Lake’s most development-crazed neighborhood, Sugar House. Wasatch Brew Pub opened its Sugar House doors last month and is now serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.
Wasatch Brew Pub, 2100 s Highland Dr.
Community Gardens begin with you
The city likes community gardens. It would be happy to see more. Now, if you want one near you, there are just a few bureaucratic steps to go through. True, asking people to gain written commitment from five garden organizers, create and circulate a community petition, meet with and obtain support from a local Community Council member, all assures actual dedication to completing a large project, but it’s a task large enough to sound like a part-time job and it all needs to be completed and submitted to the city by December 1. So, now that most of your harvest has come in, start crackin’.
Find more information and download the application at Slcgov.com/slcgreen/communitygardens or contact Susan Finlayson with Wasatch Community Gardens at susan@wasatchgardens.org.
Poetry workshop
Winter can be a creative and contemplative time, perfect for writing poetry. If you have ever thought about honing your lyrical skills, consider this free spring semester poetry workshop presented by Westminster College and taught by Westminster professor of English Natasha Sajé. Interested participants, both community members and students, must complete an application including three samples of original poems by October 15. Go to Ellipsis.westminstercollege.edu, click on Submit and scroll down to the poetry workshop submission tag. Participants accepted into the program will be notified by December 1.
Fall weeklies give way to the monthly winter market
The season is winding down and farmers are packing up their booths. Salt Lake City’s popular Downtown Alliance-sponsored Saturday market ends Oct. 25, Tuesday market on the 21st, and without much of a pause the winter market at the Rio Grande begins on November 8.
For closing dates for other markets around the valley check out Utah’s Own web map at Utahsown.utah.gov/farmersmarkets or Farmersmarketonline.com/fm/Utah.htm or, next time you’re at your market of choice just ask the organizer or a friendly farmer for the final date.
Boundless Sky
Donna Dinsdale is a meditation instructor, a massage therapist, an ayurvedically trained nutrition and lifestyle educator and a recent graduate of the Duke Integrative Medicine program at Duke University. The former high school biology teacher finds that her passion is helping people learn new pathways to better health, and she’s got the tools to make this happen.
She recently opened Boundless Sky, where she offers primarily integrative health coaching and meditation courses. Dinsdale says that from the one-on-one client/coach relationship comes an individualized, personalized health plan that addresses each client’s needs and goals. Twice a year, she also offers a “Meditation for Wellness” course.
Boundless Sky, 336 E. 900 S. 801.979.0111. Boundlessskyhealth.com
Adopt-a-Native-Elder needs volunteers now
Inspired by a group of Dine (Navajo) women she met at a Park City rug show in the 1980s, Utah-based artist Linda Myers began donating food, clothing and basic medicine supplies to the Dine community. Since then, Myers’ work has developed into the Adopt-A-Native-Elder Program, which works to support native elders and preserve their traditional arts.
Hundreds of volunteers donate thousands of hours to provide food, clothing and supplies to Elders who live on the reservation, fill backpacks for school children and create Christmas stockings. Those activities usually occur at the Salt Lake warehouse, 328 W. Gregson Ave. (3080 S.). Work on Christmas stockings begins October 7.
Many volunteers are needed with next month’s rug show and sale in Park City. Details are available on their website, complete with an electronic signup sheet.
For November show: see back cover. To volunteer, visit anelder.org
Argument for protection
The push to protect more of the Greater Canyonlands area has a new crusader. Archaeologist and author Jerry D. Spangler is a recognized expert on prehistoric peoples of the northern Colorado Plateau. In Secrets of the Past in a Rugged Land: The archaeological case for protecting Greater Canyonlands, recently released by the Greater Canyonlands Coalition, Spangler identifies some of the area’s archaeological treasures—evidence of ice age encampments, North America’s most well preserved and oldest rock art, outlaw hideouts and markings from early explorers. By identifying such unique assets Spangler’s report gives another strong argument for extend protection through monument designation.
Download the publication from SUWA.org.
Pounds of produce
Local food. It may be the single sexiest phrase in the restaurant business these days. But it comes with so many questions. What is considered local? How much of what comes out on a plate is locally grown?
Mandarin Restaurant in Bountiful has tried to answer some of these questions. According to co-owner Angel Manfredini, over the course of 14 weeks this summer Mandarin’s kitchen used 5,000 pounds of produce, sourced from their neighboring farmers Bangerter and Son. That’s over 350 pounds of vegetables passing from farmer-to-restaurant-to-plate every week. That’s pretty good.
Mandarin, 348 e 900 n Bountiful.
Cardamom: Ticket out of poverty?
While “local food” is the buzz phrase for restaurants, “humanitarian partnership” is probably the sexiest phrase for corporations. Though, once again, there are tough questions. It can be difficult to decipher if the claims of social improvement are as real or as beneficial as promised. That said, there seems to be some potential in a new partnership between two Utah-based groups, the international non-profit CHOICE Humanitarian and the international essential oils company doTERRA, that is hoping to bring good to a some villagers in Guatemala. The whole deal revolves around cardamom: growing, harvesting and distilling cardamom seeds for use in essential oil.
Guatemala is already the world’s largest cardamom producer. By setting up cardamom farms in rural Guatemalan villages, and with doTERRA already set up as a buyer for the product, CHOICE Humanitarian sees a chance to create an economic system that will lift people out of poverty. This is a good bet, since by weight, cardamom is the world’s third most valuable spice (second only to safron and vanilla).
Who’s your deity?
My Hindu deity, or ishta-devata, is Saraswati, goddess of knowledge, the arts, and nature. I learned of her just the other day through an unlikely source, BYU’s Museum of Art. Currently showing at the museum through March 21, 2015, Loving Devotion: Visions of Vishnu explores the Hindu relationship with God and the divine through art and religious objects from the Indian subcontinent. “Through powerful images of these Gods inscribed on stone, in bronze or in paintings, worshippers and viewers alike are invited to learn that god is love and not fear,”we learn.
In a creative and playful stroke of genius, the exhibit also allows online viewers to take a survey to find which personal ishta-devata deity they might want to pray to. I happen to like what my quiz came up with and I plan to send my next few prayers to Saraswati.
Loving Devotion: Visions of Vishnu, BYU Museum of Art, North Campus Dr, Provo. moa.byu.edu/loving-devotion
Troy Williams to lead Equality Utah
Once called the “gay mayor of Salt Lake City” and the “Harvey Milk of Utah gay politics” Troy Williams, executive producer of KRCL’s RadioActive, will not surprise his fans and followers with the news that he will be the next executive director of Equality Utah, replacing Brandie Balken who stepped down in August.
We are deeply sorry to lose his voice and influence in the wider social and political debates tackled by RadioActive. At the same time, we are happy to see him take this new step, using his well-honed skills as an activist, thinker, writer and leader in advancing the causes of Utah’s LGBT community. After 10 years with RadioActive, Williams says, “It’s time for me to try something new, and to create a great opportunity for someone else at KRCL.”
RDT Contemporary
A new addition to RDT’s dance company, Lauren Curley, is bringing a new class to RDT’s adult community dance school. Curley’s contemporary dance class will be held Mondays, 8:15-9:30pm. A close cousin to modern dance, the contemporary class will emphasize floorwork and improvisation. All ages and abilities are welcome.
Rdtutah.org/danceclasses.html
Consignment season
Consignment shops never take my clothes. Part of the reason for this rejection, it seems, is bad timing. But October, with holidays and change of weather, is a great time to take stuff in as these stores look to update their merchandise for the winter. Fun & Frolic is now accepting winter clothing and accessories including winter sport gear like snowshoes and boots, trail guides, backpacks and indoor workout gear like yoga mats. IconoCLAD has seen a huge increase in demand for Halloween-y clothes and accessories. Maybe it’s time to let go of those old prom dresses in the back of your closet.
Fun & Frolic, 2066 s 2100 e, Myfunandfrolic.com conoCLAD, 300 s 414 e, Facebook.com/iconoclad