The Lundin farm includes about 120 acres near Wasatch Mountain State Park and open space supporters have been working for five years to place it under a conservation easement Utah Open Lands says progress has been slow due to interfamily lawsuits and complicated negotiations with local governments the end of the Lundin family’s legal battles and a finalized conservation agreement could be in sight Robert Fuller sued the Lundin Land Company for breach of contract in July 2024 alleging the Lundin siblings didn’t honor the right of first refusal agreement they made with him and Randy Lundin A right of first refusal means Fuller and Randy Lundin are entitled to match whatever sale price the other siblings put on the land Fourth District Court Judge Jennifer Mabey dismissed the lawsuit February 3 she wrote that a conservation easement includes the right to use the land – it’s not land ownership Mabey said the right of first refusal doesn’t apply Utah Open Lands Executive Director Wendy Fisher explained the ruling “There are several moments where it talks about the fact that the conservation easement would not trigger the right of first refusal because the property remains in the hands of the family,” she said She said the context of the lawsuit being dismissed meant that Utah Open Lands would need to work with everyone involved to revise the conservation agreement some members of the Lundin family sued their relatives because they wanted to sell the land to a developer while others wanted to keep it as farmland Fisher asked the Midway City Council to keep money set aside for the easement until the end of June she had hoped to have the agreement finalized by April 30 “So that is why Utah Open Lands is here on behalf of this project: to request an extension from the April deadline to the end of June and hopefully bring back to the council a fully ready to go purchase and sale agreement and we can move forward and hopefully get this deal closed.” There was also some question about whether federal dollars for the project are in jeopardy under the Trump administration’s funding cuts across a broad range of government programs Utah Open Lands learned a lot of grant funding had been frozen The Midway City Council approved extending the deadline to July 1. It’s pledged $1 million for the easement Wasatch County also promised to support preserving the farm. It approved $2 million in open space funds back in August 2022 Fisher said those funds remain committed to the land (LEX 18) — When we brought you the story of 20-year-old Ian VanSteenbergh and his run for Midway City Council We checked in last week: VanSteenbergh won "It feels good that the community believed in me believed in my message and didn't look at my age as a bad thing," he said is the one of the youngest elected officials in Kentucky and likely the nation "It was fantastic to be working for almost an entire year The junior at UK was one of nine on the ballot His platform was built on improving Midway "City government can typically be more local so you do sidewalks fixing the roads The city-council member elect will be the newest face on the council with the others elected having previously served Report a typo In 2024, Midway contracted with the Heber City Police Department to put two officers on patrol in the town mostly for traffic and parking enforcement The contract replaced the previous system of having the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office respond to 911 calls and tasking city employees with day-to-day code enforcement two officers are dedicated specifically to Midway during the day shifts the sheriff’s office is responsible for responding to calls Mayor Celeste Johnson said the feedback from residents has been mostly positive “Law enforcement – we’re into it,” she said we’re getting weekly reports that are so easy to read compared to what we used to get.” And she said Heber Police Chief Parker Sever has been helpful and responsive as the program has gotten underway Other councilmembers said they were glad to see the same officer consistently building relationships and becoming an established part of the town Councilmember Craig Simons said though he sees the benefits he also has concerns about the higher costs to Midway Simons asked why the town had to pay two entities for a similar level of service “You have two people beating each other up We’re paying the county to do that,” he said “Now we’re paying Heber to have a presence – we’re still paying the county.” He also said the sheriff's office has had a more visible presence in Midway since the contract with Heber began I think it’s wonderful what they’re doing – that’s not my point,” he said “It bugs me to see the great job these guys are doing you can’t drive into Midway without seeing a sheriff And why do we have to pay a half million dollars for you to pull your head out of wherever it was?” He argued Midway shouldn’t have to pay so much for dispatch services For fiscal year 2025, Midway budgeted $500,000 for law enforcement including about $439,000 for its contract with the Heber police and $45,000 for 911 dispatch services That dispatch fee is up from about $25,000 in fiscal year 2024 The Lundin family has farmed in Midway for four generations Their 119-acre property near Wasatch Mountain State Park is visible from all over the Heber Valley The family has been working with Utah Open Lands since 2019 to put the land under a conservation easement which will prevent it from being developed Midway approved $1 million in funding for the farmland back in June 2023 But without the city council’s action Tuesday night The original deadline to finalize the purchase agreement was Dec But with a handful of details still to work out the land could have been sold to developers instead “The family agreement that was reached in May of this year stipulated that they had until Dec 15 to bring in the funds from Wasatch County and Midway,” she said The Lundin siblings were entangled in a lawsuit over the land’s future. One of the brothers would have preferred to sell the land, but the family reached a settlement last spring that set the Dec Nora Lundin urged the city to act to preserve the valley’s viewshed – and imagined the fate of the land if her family had to sell do we want to save 120 acres that’s in the viewshed of the whole county Or do we want to see – has anybody driven past the new hotel on Deer Valley East [Village] at night?” she asked to sympathetic laughs from locals at the meeting “What has Wasatch County been doing lately What’s going to stop them from putting Deer Valley East right there Yet to be decided is a plan for an emergency access road that will use some of the Lundin property Some Midway homes near the farm can only be reached by a single route the city wants to construct an additional road but its exact location and width have not been determined As soon as all the details of the purchase agreement are finalized Midway Mayor Celeste Johnson can disburse the open space funds to the Lundins Johnson said Tuesday the vote was the culmination of years of hard work how much we want this to happen,” she said And Fisher said it was an honor for Utah Open Lands to reach this point in the journey toward the easement and it really doesn’t get better than that,” she said The total value of the easement hasn't yet been set The land value has been estimated to be around $12 million if it were sold for development today Once the Lundin easement is completed, Wasatch County will have around 350 acres total of protected open space. Utah Open Lands is also working to secure funding for another 200 acres of open space across the county Several property owners in Wasatch County’s North Fields have committed to placing their land under conservation easements They include the 57-acre Giles property between West Potter Lane and West 2400 North and the 165-acre Gertsch and 44-acre Christian Michel properties along River Road Utah Open Lands is spearheading the three conservation easements It still needs more funding for the Giles property and hit a roadblock with the Gertsch property — plans for a bypass to pull traffic from Heber’s Main Street may go through the area the nonprofit made headway with the Christian Michel property this week During an open space open house in Midway Saturday Utah Open Lands Executive Director Wendy Fisher announced all funding needed to preserve the Christian Michel property has now been secured after three years The property sits on the entry corridor to Midway from River Road expands upon existing open space reserves and contributes to scenic open space in Midway state and federal agencies helped secure enough money to make a conservation easement possible Midway provided around $250,000 through an open space bond and Wasatch County gave $750,000 Fisher said the nonprofit received good news — a $2.5 million grant from the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service was unfrozen and can now be allocated “Between the money that Utah Open Lands raised through our North Fields Protection Initiative and these other grants we were still shy of about $15,000,” Fisher said “That's when the amazing community effort that Preserve Midway put forward at their Volksmarch to bring in the last $15,000.” Preserve Midway presented the check to Fisher at the open house Saturday The money was raised during the nonprofit’s annual Volksmarch in September Board member Holly Bodily said the event stems from Midway’s european roots “It brings the community together to highlight something that is special to that area,” she said “When we were looking for a fundraiser for Preserve Midway to kind of help raise these funds and for hundreds of Midway locals walk to land the organization is working to preserve to see what they’re supporting educational booths and lots of farm animals Fisher said this level of local support to preserve land was unprecedented and the amount of leveraging that Midway City has been able to accomplish for your tax dollars — incredible five to one “The other thing is to see the community pride and support of your local landowners to make sure that they can stay thriving is absolutely incredible.” Now that funding for the Christian Michel property has been secured Fisher said the conservation easement will go through a series of federal reviews the 44-acre property will remain working land upholding the agrarian culture of the area The City of Midway’s fire certification has been suspended as city officials put together a plan to revive its fire department Members of the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council’s voted last Thursday to suspend the city’s certificate “They are expecting us to work as quickly as we can to get our station in order,” Midway council member and mayor pro tem Dr Clemontine Washington said at a special called council meeting “You can look at it as a blessing in disguise,” added Cornelius Robinson the Fairburn fire chief who has been consulting the Midway City Council “Now it allows us to proceed to get everything right like we want it.” voted 3-1 to get the city fire station up and running as soon as possible Council member Malcolm Williams cast the dissenting vote Council members also voted 3-1 to enter into an automatic mutual aid agreement with Liberty County and other agencies to provide fire coverage for Midway agreed to provide fire coverage to Midway for the next 120 days in a 5-1-1 vote Commissioner Eddie Walden voted against it Commissioners also engaged in a lengthy debate about fire protection before casting their vote “I feel we should be doing the right thing for the citizens,” Commissioner Justin Frasier said “We have an obligation to protect the citizens,” added Commissioner Timmy Blount Walden pointed out that County Administrator Joey Brown Fire Chief Brian Darby and county attorney Kelly Davis went to Midway’s council to work on an agreement in good faith “And we thought it was going to work,” he said It looked like it was something that was going to be beneficial for the folks in that area.” Under the agreement commissioners approved Tuesday night the county stands to get reimbursed for costs of covering fire calls in Midway the county is not running medical calls in Midway unless there is CPR underway or requested by EMS to do so “Those citizens belong to us and we would not allow them to not have any kind of fire coverage,” Chairman Donald Lovette said “They have now come with a plan to stand up their own fire department No longer will it be coverage without any kind of compensation.” coverage for Midway would come from the Miller Park station before a new station could be built south of the city on Highway 17 While the city could hire fire fighters in the next few weeks Darby pointed out that a new fire engine could take at least 24 months to be delivered once it is ordered though the city could purchase a truck from a dealer that is either a demo model or one or two years old The city’s two fire trucks are county property and the county has spent $18,000 on repairs to the newer of the two vehicles said the city could follow that route to get new trucks Darby said the newer of the two trucks the city had been using could help the county’s department It is going to cost us some money to get it up to par,” he said “But it is definitely needed in our fleet.” Mayor Levern Clancy said GFSTC executive director Randy Toms called him and told him the city can proceed with its plans and once they are ready “We want to move as quickly as possible,” Clancy said By phone during a city council meeting last week Toms warned the city they were in danger of having their certification pulled serious state of noncompliance and the time of kicking the can down the road has to come to an end,” he told council members Toms had given the city council until April 1 but that was with the understanding of a potential agreement with the county for fire coverage The county had broached covering the city with personnel and equipment dedicated solely to Midway As part of a broader plan for fire coverage the proposal also included a new station south of Midway to be staffed with full-time personnel in five years there would be two firefighters per shift for the first two years with adding a lieutenant per shift and in the fifth year going to three firefighters and one lieutenant per shift The county’s framework for coverage includes salaries benefits and new turnout gear for firefighters The city’s roster of volunteer firefighters is down to two the city advertised hiring a fulltime chief for between $70,000 and $72,000 a year and a deputy chief at $25 per hour Washington said once the city hires a chief it will be up to that person to hire the rest of the department and city employees do day-to-day code enforcement Midway councilmembers said at their meeting July 16 they want to negotiate a contract with Heber Police to implement a patrol presence Councilmembers identified law enforcement as a priority during their annual retreat in January Midway Mayor Celeste Johnson said the town listed specific police service needs including patrolling and parking and trail use enforcement “Our biggest dilemma that we’re faced with in Midway is cars going too fast in our very quiet 1 cause of concern when citizens reach out to me.” Children and teens on e-bikes and motorized scooters are another concern of underaged use of motorized and electric vehicles like motorcycles and scooters and things like that “And it’s unsafe – we’ve had some close calls.” Leaders said it makes sense for city employees to continue doing code enforcement as usual rather than asking police officers to take over that duty Heber Police Chief Parker Sever said two officers would be assigned to Midway so the community recognizes them one of the things that we’ll be doing is Midway will become a beat,” he said “They should see the same officers every day that are responding to the calls for service.” Those officers will be on duty during the day shifts the sheriff's department would continue to answer calls as they do now Councilmembers asked Johnson to work with Midway’s city attorney and Heber Police to negotiate a contract Sever estimates the first year of service will cost Midway about $440,000 That’s because the department will hire two new officers to maintain the same level of service in Heber while expanding patrol coverage into Midway Johnson said city staff adjusted the budget with that price tag in mind so citizens won’t pay extra taxes for the police service Councilmembers said they want to begin with a one-year trial and renew the contract annually after that They want the plans to remain flexible if services from the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Department become a better option in the future Sever must get approval from the Heber City Council to move forward in negotiations with Midway then both city councils must approve the contract Johnson said she’s hopeful the Midway City Council will be able to approve a contract at its meeting Aug Ian VanSteenbergh graduated high school in 2022 and today the now 20-year-old is on the ballot for Midway City Council LEX 18 asked the young politician the obvious question: why run It's just kind of that idea if no one else is going to do it why not be you," said VanSteenbergh "You can either be on the couch and complain or you can get out there and do something meaningful." Data from the State Board of Elections shows involvement from the 17-24 age group in terms of voter turnout has been declining for several years VanSteenbergh said he's hopeful because it's a presidential year "There's some real energy and I think we're going to see some real turnout this election," said VanSteenbergh The last day to register to vote is Monday and Nora Lundin says her family’s Wasatch County farm may not be preserved This comes after five years of negotiations multiple votes by Midway and Wasatch County officials and interfamily lawsuits over the future of the 120-acre property near Wasatch Mountain State Park “[I’m] just heartbroken and just completely and absolutely beaten down because we thought this was going to happen and we have worked so hard to do this,” she said Midway city councilmembers voted to disburse $1 million in open space funds as soon as a few details were finalized But stakeholders said in subsequent conversations it proved impossible for everyone to agree on the terms of the proposed easement A major sticking point is the water shares connected with the land Lundin said her family needs to keep the water rights to apply for federal conservation funding But Midway Mayor Celeste Johnson said the city needs collateral to give the Lundins the open space funds She said the city would hold the water rights in escrow until the easement paperwork is filed That’s just one of the issues the parties can’t see eye to eye on The delayed agreement might not have been a dealbreaker – but for some members of the Lundin family who preferred not to place the land under an easement The family reached a legal settlement back in May One condition of the settlement was that the conservation easement be finalized by Dec Lundin said she’s not sure it’s possible to reach an agreement that will work for everyone “I really don’t know what the next step is but I do know that we have financial responsibility to my brother and sister-in-law that don’t live here We can’t just keep going the way we’ve been going.” That could mean selling the land to a developer if the easement falls through Utah Open Lands Executive Director Wendy Fisher called the stalemate “heartbreaking.” “At the core of what Utah Open Lands does is we protect these lands that we all love,” she said when you put in hard work and effort and it doesn’t look like you’re going to be able to achieve it it’s sad because you end up losing something you love.” The Lundins have farmed their Wasatch County land since 1892 Fisher said the land is worth more than the $3 million Wasatch County and Midway have pledged toward the easement “There’s no question that the Lundins would have been making a contribution of value,” she said “One of the challenges in land conservation is you’re never going to approach what a developer might pay to buy the fee title and develop the land.” said she’s still optimistic the parties can make an agreement at the eleventh hour and we will continue to work towards a successful conservation easement,” she said She said city staff have been in conversation with everyone involved including the Lundin family members who set the mid-December deadline MIDWAY, Utah — Kody and Jennie Hoover own Gravity Coalition a shop born of a desire to share the outdoors with residents of Heber and Midway It’s one of the few bike shops in Heber Valley and the only one to also sell backcountry and outdoor gear An immense amount of brain power toggles Kody and Jennie between family time and their growing shop where they were both ski instructors at Beaver Mountain in the early 2000s A chairlift ride brought them together; dating included spectating hockey games and dining on lasagna conservation policies and councils running the “Slow the Flow” education campaign is responsible for creating LoToJa — a single-day 203-mile road bike race which many have been suckered into riding simply because it’s a “Utah thing to do.” Kody had other plans Kody left Logan and became the first analyst at Backcountry.com while pursuing his MBA at the University of Utah and the path to his dream career working in international business for a global ski company parent company to ski brands Atomic and Salomon it came time to nurture his next dream: building his own company who likely influenced Kody’s motivation an outdoor gear shop began to take shape on a chalkboard “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” Jennie wavered “We have a few hours together at night after work — maybe — and then the kids go to bed Are we supposed to live our whole lives separately?” The Hoovers have now been in business for seven years and the proof of concept is still ephemeral Opening Gravity Coalition in an old Midway home their bootstrapping techniques meant maintaining day jobs who owned the house constructed of a locally quarried stone called “potrock,” provided a spectacular deal on their commercial rent Jennie maintained the shop while researching water conservation for USU the first phase of their business plan was to offer gear It wasn’t until phase three that they planned on including bikes they began servicing bikes due to sheer demand Even though they hadn’t wrapped up phase one the duo skipped ahead and responded to the neighborhood demand the Hoovers opened accounts for other adventure gear: river rafts Lamenting that Gravity Coalition is often overlooked as a source for all outdoor pursuits they try to remedy that misconception through marketing and word of mouth discover us looking for some specific piece of gear,” they explained Kody and Jennie would reinvest profits into inventory including the ebb and flow of customer interest with growing pains and learning experiences only familiar to their style of “mom and pop” retail Bursting at the seams took on new meaning as the pandemic hit when product availability was all over the map they pounced and loaded the shelves (often without the shelf part of the equation) and found themselves filling spaces otherwise left to spiders and ghosts “One positive that came from COVID-19 was that people rediscovered as other businesses were being told to shutter we were able to stay open,” Jennie said Gravity Coalition completed construction of their new retail space which now offers a wider spectrum of inventory “People would come in and be surprised at the products we actually had,” Jennie said “They would also see a showroom full of bikes.” In a recent meeting with Midway business owners hoping for increased tourism “I need more locals.” Committed to bolstering the outdoor community in Heber Valley customers often see Kody and Jennie outside the shop They are “ride leaders” for NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association — high school mountain bike program) supporting the Wasatch Club and Park City Club Gravity Coalition will attend regional NICA races for 2024 with neutral support they also offer movie night fundraisers for Wasatch Trails Foundation Occasionally they’ll even get out for trail-work days “I’d love for people to recognize us as a resource in the community We’re here for all of that,” Jennie said She and Kody want to expand their community connection That often starts with a simple conversation about trail conditions their kids would ride bikes from school across the valley to the shop Sometimes Jennie had to post a sticky note on the door: “Be Back In 30.” Such are the amusing memories of a small-business owner with this snow-hungry family donning headlamps up the mountain as sunset arrives early ready to make turns after the pink alpenglow has faded they truly are spending more time together Post A JobView All Add Your Organization Don’t miss a beat in the Park City community—get the daily scoop delivered straight to your inbox Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Sign up for our TownLift Daily Newsletter and get today's top local news stories in your inbox TownLift is a web and mobile-based Entertainment & News media outlet providing Park City and Summit County Utah with Breaking Local News & Community Updates Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More the small town of Midway has become a frozen winter wonderland but a recent magazine article is beginning to warm things up "You are not going to find in Kentucky a more vibrant And we like to say it's 'midway' between heaven and earth." Island Magazine recently published an article listing the City of Midway as "'Kentucky's Most Underrated Town': Full of Charm."  "It means a lot," said Zachary Rankin, Midway resident and Midway Makers Market owner "I think it's a testament to not only our city leaders but also all of our local merchants that band together and create a wonderful experience for visitors from not only Kentucky but from surrounding states and around the world." Rankin said he believes living and owning a business in Midway is like stepping back in time "It is like living in a Hallmark movie year-round," Rankin said Island Magazine described Midway as small and quaint not a vast metropolis primed for endless exploration The article goes on to describe it as a place where travelers can depart on day trips to the remote rural pastures that span out from its edges "It's like living in a time gone by, honestly," said Ashlee Denington, Midway resident and owner of A Likely Story bookstore located in the heart of downtown Midway.  Denington said she finds value in a positive review of the place she calls home "It's just a unique place," she said You can walk up to the school; you can walk to the park There's just an incredible sense of community here." Vandegrift said Island Magazine's recognition is appreciated but he knows there is always more the city can accomplish to keep it thriving "There's always more to create better services and greater safety a better environment for our businesses to thrive and for our citizens to thrive," Vandegrift said The Midway Ice Castles will open Wednesday 2024 after warm weather delayed the opening Utah — The popular Midway Ice Castles attraction at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center is finally set to open Wednesday evening after a weather-induced delay Warmer-than-usual temperatures postponed the seasonal spectacle which typically debuts in late December or early January The centerpiece of this year’s event is a new nightly fire show atop the glistening icy towers which owners introduced to enhance the magical atmosphere the addition merges the elements of fire and ice creating a visually stunning experience after sunset “We are thrilled to bring the enchantment of Ice Castles back to Midway — where it all began,” said Kyle Standifird “This year’s display features a unique design and a bold fusion of fire and ice that will captivate visitors against the frozen landscape.” Tickets for the attraction are now on sale with prices ranging from $12 to $26 depending on age and timing (Fridays The season is expected to run through at least Feb The TownLift News Desk specializes in delivering concise Our expertise is in covering local stories that matter most to the Park City community Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Grandfather and Great Grandfather passed away peacefully at home in Midway 2024 at the age of 92 surrounded by his loving family Dad married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life Dad graduated from Wasatch High School where he excelled in sports as an All-State football and basketball player earning a scholarship to BYU He was very well known as a “Bad Ass" in sports Dad had a talent for hunting and fishing and his skill as a marksman was unmatched He never missed a target and took pride in his accuracy he dedicated many years in the Rose Park community particularly with Little League baseball and football Under his guidance his little league baseball team achieved three consecutive undefeated seasons He was a huge influence in many young men's lives grandchildren and great grandchildren participating in various sports Dad never missed Bonnie and Jill's dance recitals and pretended he liked them and was always taking time off work to watch Steve and Brad's ball games Dad was a master carpenter known for his exceptional skills and precision He could build and fix anything and consistently completed projects with perfection and in a timely manner Later in life Dad and Mom sold their home in Rose Park Dad and Steve built their beautiful forever home in Midway Dad loved watching the Utah Jazz and could often be found cheering them on You could call him and ask what he was doing and his response was watching the “Spazz." He loved old western tv shows which brought him great joy and entertainment One of Dad's favorite sayings was "Well we better git." He used the saying every time they needed to leave to be somewhere else always pulling pranks on someone which encapsulates his playful and jovial spirit Dad found solace in tending to his lawn and yard work He took pride and meticulous care of his property ensuring it was always in pristine condition He loved all of his pets and they loved him Strays would often come and of course stay as they always received treats He enjoyed watching the hummingbirds outside his bedroom window He also leaves behind four grandchildren and ten great grandchildren We will treasure the moments and memories we shared Preceded in death by his beloved sweetheart Our family would like to thank Tiffany Coleman and nurses aide Rosa for their kind and compassionate care He truly loved you and looked forward to your visits Dad will be dearly missed by all who knew him skilled carpenter and sports enthusiast will forever be remembered Until we meet again...Just Beyond the Moon 2024 from 10:00 am to 11:15 am at the Fox Den LDS Church located at 250 East 200 South 2024 at 12:00 pm at the Midway City Cemetery the family requests donation to be made to Paws for Life or The Horse of Many Colors in Dad's name Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Smoke from a house fire near Midway that killed an elderly man on Oct Utah – Wasatch County Fire officials said the details surrounding a house fire that killed an elderly man outside Midway are under investigation firefighters responded to a home on Stringtown Road south of Midway at approximately 2 p.m Fire Chief Eric Hales confirmed that an elderly man was found dead inside the home following the fire on Saturday Fire marshals determined the blaze originated in the living room causing severe damage to the single-story structure Stringtown Road remained closed for several hours as fire crews worked to extinguish the flames Investigators stayed on the scene until around 9 p.m along with the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office and the state fire marshal while the state medical examiner will determine the official cause of death Authorities have not released the man’s identity Marina Knight began her career in journalism working for The Stowe Reporter in 2003 where she was a staff writer and later the publication’s Web Editor She covered the Winter Olympic Games in 2006 and 2010 and has worked as a freelance writer covering outdoor topics as well as art criticism Knight was Editor-in-Chief of SkiRacing.com She has won multiple awards from the New England Newspaper Association for environmental reporting In her free time you’ll find her in the mountains Utah Highway Patrol Corporal Luis Silva said the crash happened Monday around 7:30 p.m The three teen girls were riding together on one e-bike when they turned in front of an Acura RDX Silva said the driver couldn't stop in time and collided with the teens “Two of the girls on the e-bike were transported to a nearby hospital by ambulance and one was airlifted They're all in stable conditions right now,” he said but Silva said the e-bike did not have the right-of-way when it tried to make a U-turn and collided with the SUV The road was closed for about 45 minutes while officials investigated the incident The SUV driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with the investigation Wasatch High School informed staff and students through an email Tuesday morning The school reported counselors were available to support students who may be struggling emotionally and encouraged them to reach out if they want to talk about the accident Yoga in the Park is about more than just yoga he and his wife Anna bring their “intelligent funny and warm”16-year-old daughter to Midway Town Square She may no longer be able to use her hands or talk but what unfolds speaks volumes sometimes we're totally doing our own thing," he said You can feel her put her hand on your chest and kind of beat a little bit with her heartbeat sometimes And I think she's just so delighted to be included in the community.” established the free event in 2019 and said it became a lifeline for many during the pandemic “So many more people came because it was just a time to get out And it really was more of a community builder than it was a yoga class," she said "So now it's really fun to see people in jeans you see people with kids and maybe their dog or you see people talking to each other saying ‘I didn't realize that you lived by me’ and ‘who are you?’ So it's really been a fun community builder.” Sherry Zemlick said she looks forward to it every summer “This is my first time back since my hip replacement and stretching is really important to stay active and moving So we ride our bikes down from our house near the golf course we do yoga and then we go for a bike ride.” the square brims with small-town nostalgia on Saturdays Shoppers stroll the adjacent art gallery and quaint boutiques Some migrate next door to the small farmer’s market that runs from 10 a.m.-1 p.m they’ll hear the Swiss Glockenspiel clock dance its lively tune at Midway Town Hall Heimburger’s reasons for doing yoga with Lucy extend beyond the physical therapy benefits He said the United States is a world leader in addressing wheelchair accessibility “We don’t want to impose so we grant access "So this is a place where not only is Lucy allowed and welcomed and people come to realize that there's really nothing particularly unusual about having this cute little girl in a wheelchair stretch out on the lawn And they realize that it's nothing to be afraid of And she realizes that people around her are there for her and love her And there’s certainly a lot to love about summer Saturdays in the park Plans to revitalize the Homestead Resort have been under discussion for months Midway leaders gave their stamp of approval for construction to go forward seven single-family residential units and several new resort amenity buildings About 56 of the resort’s 72 acres are designated as open space And the Homestead has a contract with Marriott that will brand the hotel as part of the Marriott Autograph Collection when resort improvements are complete City planning director Michael Henke said the changes will benefit Midway by bringing more tourism to town “Amenities will be created that will be accessible year-round which will invite more tourists to visit the resort in all seasons,” he said “It's been a problem in the past that the Homestead used to shut down in the wintertime But the project has raised some neighbors’ eyebrows Nearby residents told city leaders they’re worried about lighting noise and environmental impact at the resort The plans approved Tuesday stipulate all lights on the resort must be brought into dark sky compliance and a fence will help block parking lot lighting from the adjacent neighborhood After about 50 aging trees were cut down on the property earlier this summer the city says the Homestead must replace them with two new trees for each one that was chopped The resort has also pledged to abide by the city’s noise ordinance after recent complaints from neighbors about noisy late-night wedding parties Residents have also pressed the city for a trail construction timeline A stretch of public trail along Homestead Drive was originally meant to be built in fall 2021 then the deadline was pushed back to August 1 but councilmembers say they’d like to see it finished by mid-September The planning commission recommended approving the plans with several conditions related to parking environmental conservation and light mitigation The city council voted to accept its recommendation Details about the plans are available on Midway's website then-Midway Mayor Stacy Thurman announced her resignation the Midway City Council unanimously chose her predecessor Vandegrift announced on social media that come November “A friend in the legal community called me and pointed it out to me and that's when I went to the county clerk and it turned out that she was already looking into this from the time I found out about this was just a matter of weeks ago but there was verification that had to happen There was communication between county clerk and Secretary of State's office.” The election law in question states that resignations more than three months before the next election require a special election I would rather be directly elected by the people than just being elected by the council and serving out two and a half years.” Versailles Mayor Brian Traugott’s resignation will take effect October 1st so the city council will select the person to finish his term If they don’t make a choice by the end of that month ** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, and fact-based journalism. Monthly supporters are the top funding source for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation MIDWAY, Ky. — He thought he would be the mayor of Midway for the next two and a half years, but a Kentucky law may upend his tenure “There’s a strange little quirk in Kentucky’s law where if a vacancy happens a certain amount of time from an election it actually triggers a special election in that next November’s ballot we didn’t know about that,” explained Grayson Vandegrift He was appointed mayor by the city council back in May with the plan being to fill the term of his vacating predecessor when the council appointed me to fill an unexpired term back in May I like … they thought that they were appointing me for two years and seven months but because he missed the filing deadline to be a candidate his name won’t be on the ballot in November you’re going to have your name on a ballot and you go up to the ballot and you vote and you vote for who you want the votes will only count for who will serve as mayor the next two years They’ll only count if you write the name of your candidate in and it’ll only count if that candidate filed to be a write-in candidate,” he explained The mayor’s only option is to be elected to his current position by mounting a write-in campaign it’s actually an opportunity to now go and have the people directly elect me for the next two years I don’t know that I’ve ever written in a candidate,” he explained A challenge that Vandegrift hopes will rest with a pen in the hands of voters this coming November Friday’s ceremony came just as some of the homes at Ameyalli are ready for residents to move in, while construction of more resort amenities gets underway. Last week, the Midway City Council granted final approval to the project One distinctive feature of the development is Ameyalli’s partnership with the Chopra Foundation Deepak Chopra’s organization focused on improving health and well-being for all Chopra spoke about the connection between mind and body in shaping well-being at the groundbreaking as rain poured onto the tent “We are in a very interesting time in the world to what our vision has always been: to reach a critical mass of people who are more peaceful emotional and spiritual well-being to thrive and find their purpose Developer Chuck Heath says Chopra’s teachings inspired the plans for Ameyalli the Midway destination will feature hotel rooms Heath told the crowd the project is “a labor of love.” water and wellbeing – it really has it all,” he said And so what we tried to do from day one is really treat the land with that sacred reciprocity.” Midway Mayor Celeste Johnson got choked up as she spoke about the open space that’s part of the development “I became mayor of this beautiful town because I wanted to protect it as a little town,” she said saved about 400 acres in a perpetual conservation easement 50 of which are right here at this project.” She says the Ameyalli project is “a gift to Midway.” Chopra Foundation CEO Poonacha Machaiah said visitors to Ameyalli can work toward well-being at the Global Center of Excellence under construction at the resort It’s intended to help guests connect with community and with nature It will also tap into artificial intelligence and Midway can be the center of excellence for well-being?” he said “So that’s really our promise and commitment.” Attendees at Friday’s groundbreaking toured a model home Several homes will be ready for residents on Aug It will take up to two years for the resort to be fully constructed A recent survey indicates resident of Midway are willing to invest in conservation and would likely support a $5-$7 million dollar bond in November to conserve open space Utah – Most Midway residents indicate strong support for the city spending an additional $5 to $7 million on conserving open space Midway voters may decide whether to approve a new bond for the city’s conservation efforts Midway planner Katie Villani presented the results of a phone survey conducted by Utah Valley University which gathered responses from about 300 Midway locals an overwhelming majority would “probably” or “definitely” support a new open space bond with over 80% of respondents indicating their support The survey gauged residents’ likelihood of supporting open space bonds of $5 million A $5 million bond would cost taxpayers slightly over $16 per $100,000 of taxable value over 20 years while a $7 million bond would cost about $23 Approximately 80% of respondents favored a $5 million bond and a majority also supported a $7 million bond though less than half backed a $10 million bond Villani highlighted that the survey results reflect residents’ willingness to invest in conservation citing a perceived decline in open space over the past decade and an increased sense of urgency for preservation Midway Mayor Celeste Johnson expressed support for a $5 million bond acknowledging the need to respect those concerned about tax increases She believes their hesitation is due to the financial burden rather than a lack of desire for open space Councilmembers generally favored allowing residents to vote on a bond this November the city must finalize the resolution by August 22 this would be Midway’s second open space bond following a $5 million bond approved in 2018 dedicated to conservation easements The final decision on placing the bond on the ballot will be made at the city council meeting on August 6 (435) 631-9555 - info@townlift.com Will Scadden Jun 24 Wasatch County Council candidate Colleen Bonner Photo: Photo: Colleen Bonner Utah — In advance of the primary elections next week candidate for Wasatch County Council Seat B recently spoke with TownLift about her campaign and priorities if elected Bonner is facing Nick Lopez in the primary election and both candidates are running as Republicans This means that next week’s primary election will essentially serve as the general election for the County Council’s B seat With over 40 years as a resident of Wasatch County Bonner brings experience from her tenure as Mayor of Midway and member of Midway’s City Council which she feels has equipped her for the transition to County politics Bonner served 12 years on Midway’s City Council and 16 consecutive years as Mayor “I have the experience to bring to the Council some things that that worked well in Midway as well as just a love of the valley,” Bonner said and I want to be a part of trying to get ahead of that change so that we can have a little more say in how our community actually grows and changes and just work together with the citizens of the community to make a difference here.” but hopes to implement requirements on new developments akin to Midway People have rights on a property for years and have maintained it and taken care of it so I think we have to be somewhat careful there but we also have to recognize that these people who own these large pieces of land when there’s a certain zone on a piece of land There’s not legally a whole lot that we can do We do require open space in many of our developments and sometimes it comes in the form of land donated for a park or sometimes it comes through the form of usable trails for the whole community.” Bonner would like to see the County and municipalities within Wasatch County work together to maintain its rural identity while also responsibly managing growth “What would be really awesome is if we could work together and create kind of an overall vision and then encourage incorporated areas as they grow and manage to maintain an overall vision,” Bonner said “I think if the county has a really good plan and a good overall general vision of what they want the county to look like they’ll help the zoning that’s in place right now and not allow Heber City to bleed out any further into the county or into these areas so that we can keep something that feels somewhat rural.” part of what has decreased Wasatch County’s rural feel has been the traffic flowing through Heber City and Wasatch County Bonner is in favor of the much-anticipated bypass road but would like to see more involvement from Wasatch County “What’s making this valley not seem as rural as it used to be is the way the traffic is flowing and I just think that we have to get on board and do something but the county needs to get into the driver’s seat,” Bonner said does it have to be designed to just the UDOT highway standard of asphalt and concrete Could the county come in and say that we want to keep this as close to the east or the west side of Heber’s boundary as possible Can it be designed more as a parkway rather than necessarily like a big freeway Regardless of the route that UDOT ultimately recommends Bonner would like to see speed limits increased to get the traffic through Wasatch County as quickly as possible Bonner recommends that the County learn from previous mistakes I think we have to learn from our mistakes and try not to repeat them again A lot of development that’s happened and in the last 10-15 years you either provided affordable housing within your development or we allowed the developers to pay into a fund for affordable housing.” there was never enough money to compensate So I think we’ve got to relook at what what does affordable housing look like How do we mix it in among all of our growth so that it’s not just one area that we say I don’t think that’s a healthy way to grow a community.” “I think we need to blend together and intersperse that growth But it’s something that I think that if we put our heads together Contact: will@townlift.com serves as the Political Correspondent for TownLift Will brings a unique local perspective to his reporting He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in International Relations blending his academic insights with his passion for political journalism Read more from Will Scadden Submit a news tip, Share a photo or video, or contact TownLift with your local Park City news and feedback 2 days ago     Full time     $20.00 - 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Canyons golf, golfing, canyons village, park city mountain, putting, summer activity, outing Get Todays News Today Sign up for our TownLift Daily Newsletter and get today's top local news stories in your inbox TownLift is a web and mobile-based Entertainment & News media outlet providing Park City and Summit County Utah with Breaking Local News & Community Updates info@townlift.com The 119-acre property near Wasatch Mountain State Park is visible from all over the Heber Valley the family can rest assured its land will be protected for future generations through a partnership with Utah Open Lands which is working to finalize a conservation easement said she’s grateful her family can keep the land as a legacy to her ancestors “My family has been at that farm in Midway since 1892 and we’re the fourth generation to work that land,” she said it really broke my heart to think that we were going to have to someday sell it.” After meeting the executive director of Utah Open Lands Nora Lundin and her brothers Mike and Randy started the process of securing an easement Fisher said the land is a valuable part of the Heber Valley “When the siblings came to Utah Open Lands and talked to us about whether we could help them preserve it There were some bumps along the road: one of the Lundin brothers would have preferred to sell the land and the siblings were in a legal battle for a few years The land would be worth around $12 million if it were sold for development Wasatch County pledged $2 million in 2022, and Midway committed $1 million for the land last summer Utah Open Lands may apply to other funding sources for the farm as well “If the settlement can move forward and we can get the documentation in place there is the possibility that Utah Open Lands could apply for NRCS funding and then hopefully help to match some of the county and city money,” she said That’s the Natural Resources Conservation Service a potential source of federal funding for the easement Lundin said she cares about preserving land for future generations to enjoy “I think we have to start really being protective of what we have left,” she said “It’s just so important because it’s not going to go back that's how it's going to be – it’s not going to be farmland anymore Fisher said she hopes the easement is finalized by this fall She said the addition of this open space in Wasatch County is worth celebrating “All of these conservation easements take time and the landowners who participate in it do so because they love their land,” Fisher said demonstrate their appreciation for landowners who are willing to contribute to such a tremendous legacy for the Heber Valley.” In March, the Wasatch County Council dedicated $3 million to conserve 200 acres of the North Fields When the Lundin farm easement is completed Wasatch County will have around 350 acres of protected open space Utah Open Lands is also working to secure funding for another 200 acres Earlier this spring, Homestead applied to amend its master plan, but the Midway planning commission wasn’t ready to recommend the resort’s proposed changes – commissioners were worried about a proposal to build homes on part of the property’s designated open space It withdrew its application for amendments to the master plan instead revising its plans to match its current agreement with the city The Midway City Council granted preliminary approval to the plans during its meeting June 4 the revised proposal maintains almost 56 acres of open space including indoor pickleball courts and a restaurant Midway planning director Michael Henke told the city council the condo units will not permit full-time residents They need to be put in a rental pool,” he said two or three weeks out of the year at most – somewhere around there… It keeps taxes lower for the rest of the community by having these resort pods around Midway.” but some of its neighbors object to the expansion Brian Andrews spoke up during public comment to criticize the density of the new condos but doesn’t feel like it’s great for the city,” he said Homestead also intends to invest in its leisure infrastructure including building a long-promised trail along Homestead Drive improving its golf course and opening new swimming pools later this summer The resort is expected to join Marriott’s Autograph Collection following some renovations Water rights are the main question yet to be resolved with the city The resort leases some water rights from Wasatch Mountain State Park but their agreement expires a little over 20 years from now so Homestead will need a longer-term solution “It’s difficult to find water rights these days in Midway – in the whole valley We’ve seen developers get pretty creative on getting water rights to Midway So that’s something for the city council to consider is how the water rights are looked at with this.” the application will return to the planning commission for the final approval process The planning commission will forward its recommendation to the Midway City Council for a final vote.