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Sunday, February 26, 2012

A Center for Story

Pop Quiz: Do you know what these following lines are from?

"In the beginning..."
"It is a truth universally acknowledged..."
"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...."
"All children, except one, grow up."

The first line, you should know. (For all my, non-Christian friends, it's from the Bible.) The second is from Pride and Prejudice, and the third one is from Star Wars (now in 3D). The last line is from your journal. (I'm just kidding, it is from Peter Pan.)

These famous lines are all common in the fact that each one is the beginning of a memorable Story, a story that has endeared itself to hearts of many. Although these stories, except one, probably haven't altered the course of your life, each one has effectively enriched our culture and references to each have woven themselves into the fabric of our society.

That is the power of Story.

If we stop for a moment, we'll recognize that art, in all its forms, is storytelling. Art (whether it be music, painting, dancing, or sculpture) is created for the purpose of preserving or capturing a certain emotion or event from the lifetime or imagination of its maker.  

Story is thus the foundation for culture.

That's what the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival is all about--preserving the tradition of Story. This homegrown program has a "Once upon a time..." of it's very own. It all started in 1989, when Karen Ashton and Friends of the Orem Public Library took the initiative to promote community involvement in the Orem Public Library and set their minds to raise funds for an additional children's wing to the library.


In 1990, the first storytelling festival was organized, and the rest is history.The Timpanogos Story Telling Festival and the Friends of The Orem Public Library eventually raised enough funds and made it possible for the an adjacent children's wing of the library be built.

The Timpanogos Story Telling Festival recently celebrated it's 20th year anniversary. This festival is endemic to Orem and annually draws 26,000 story-goers. It is a key part of our city's history and personality. Many volunteers and patrons gather each year to enjoy this singular event. This is something people can rally to; it's a community affair.

Orem City has since announced its plans to build another addition to the library--an auditorium and multi-use building that will become a Center for Story and will be used in conjunction with the Timpanogos Story Telling Festival. The building is designed to be situated adjacent to the adult wing and little theater of the current library.
The Center is designed to seat 290 on the main floor with a balcony that will seat another 95. It will also be furnished with meeting rooms, a gift shop area, and lobbies with enough open space for art displays. Interestingly, the Center will also be equipped with a recording room that will allow individuals to record their personal and family stories for generations to come.
The Center for Story's year round programming will feature:
  • performance and workshops by the best regional and national storytellers;
  • puppetry and dramatic presentations;
  • lectures, literary readings, and readers' theater;
  • music, dance, and film screenings;
  • storycrafting and writers' workshops; and,
  • fine art and touring exhibits.
As I researched this Center for Story, I discovered that there is some controversy concerning its construction. The controversy was not so much centered on the idea of the Center for Story but centered on the logistics of it. Is now the right time for the City to build a Center for Story? Is the area adjacent to the library the best place to build the Center? Will there be enough parking spaces to facilitate those who come to attend?

I pondered similar questions and had some doubts. However, one Monday, my family went to the library and came across this--A family event put on by the library where parents, children, and siblings came to enjoy an evening together. The little theater was packed with standing room only! It became clear to me, that a larger venue was needed. 

The Center for Story will cost 4.4 million dollars. The majority of this project will be paid for by private donations and grants. The remaining funds will be provided by the city through the CARE tax. (A voter-approved fund for the enhancement of cultural arts and recreation in our city.)

I personally have attended, and participated in, the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival--it was wonderful! I've attended the events that are put on in the little theater at the library, they were fantastic. The Center for Story will become a cultural engine that will drive appreciation for the arts and provide more meaningful and affordable entertainment and educational opportunity for the citizens of Orem.

I'm excited for the Center for Story. I think it will be a nice, complementary accent to the culture and tradition being fostered in our city.


Monday, February 20, 2012

Get Your Vote On

Maybe you were going to wait until November, but you can't!

It is time to dust off your ol' political thinker, and put it in gear. A crucial part of Utah's election process is about to take place--precinct caucuses meetings. Participation at these caucus meetings is civic duty at it's most basic level. And, as the LDS First Presidency put it, "Precinct caucuses are the most fundamental grassroots level of political involvement. They are best served by a broad representation of Utah citizens. Those who attend play a critical role in selecting candidates for public office."


There is often the notion to feel that when it comes to national elections, our voice is so insignificant (or at least, this thought cross my mind), but our participation in the political process is so much more than that. The mere fact that any human being come to these meetings and voice her or his opinion is something special.

Recently in my American Heritage course, we had the opportunity to learn about the events surrounding the founding of this great nation. Because of this study, my appreciation for the the brave Americans of that era has grown immensely. I took the opportunity to read some of the documents central to the founding of The United States of America. (You may have had a similar experience.) As I read, I learned that there is a spirit about those documents--something scripture-like; I attest to that. I cried as I read over the names of those who signed the Declaration of Independence. I also read the constitution for the first time. I wasn't sure what to expect as I began reading, but it was short and sweet. It was very simple and clear in enumerating the roles of the different branches of government.

This nation truly is what we make it; the founders intended it that way. During that hot, miserable summer of 1787, when the constitutional convention was held, state delegates put away their fears and any apprehension they had toward a new form of government. They sacrificed pride and personal agendas to put the power squarely on the shoulders of the American People, when they could have kept it to themselves. Our government's purpose, at its very core, is to serve the people; corruption can only exist if we let it.

Another genius of the constitution was the process of indirect election. Indirect election is when individuals are chosen to represent their peers in the voting process. This is the basic idea of the precinct caucuses. It allows a large nation, such as ours, to possess the benefits of a republic, for it is nearly impossible for each person to meet the candidates and discuss the issues with them. As you vote to select a person from your precinct to represent you, or as you discuss those issues that are important and relevant to you in your precinct caucus, you will be participating in a sacred process and you can pledge your allegiance to this great nation in a very meaningful way.

The caucus dates are Tuesday March 13 and Thursday March 15. Make it a date night. Encourage the scouts to go (I'm sure that fills some merit badge requirement). Bring your family. But most importantly, GO! Anyone will be admitted regardless of age, gender, race, nationality, or political party affiliation--this is America!

Get out the Vote!



The following is information I've gathered about caucus meetings that might be helpful to you in understanding the caucus process and how you can prepare to participate. The following video and slideshow were from the Utah Republican website, I didn't find anything similar on the Utah Democratic website, though I did look. I'm sure the caucus process is similar for each party. I hope to attend both the Democratic and Republican caucus meetings for my precinct, and you can as well. (In fact, you don't need to be affiliated with the democratic party to be a precinct officer or delegate which might sound intriguing to an independent voter.)

Tuesday, March 13

Thursday March 15

I regret to tell you that I could not find a link that listed caucus locations. If I find anything, I'll post it. 

I did find the following Map of Orem Voting Precincts (as of 2011).

And here is some general 2012 Caucus Convention Information.




 

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

A Win-Win for Utah County.


For the past month or more, I've been driving past this construction site. 

This big pipeline used to be the Murdock Canal (the canal that goes past Orem cemetery and runs alongside the Novell Campus).

It seems like a nice idea--covering the canal. I know people have drown in that canal before. But why bury it now?

Actually, I don't know "Why?" But this much I do know: The canal covering will be home to a new, pedestrian-friendly trail. This trail will be a 15-foot wide, 17-mile long asphalt trail linking Orem through to Thanksgiving Point!

Wow, what a treat for us bike-lovers! This trail will also permit running enthusiasts, walkers, and horses. Yes, the trail will even permit equestrian riders.

Theoretically, one could start the day fishing the Provo River, bike, have lunch in American Fork, and spend the evening perusing dinosaur skeletons at the The Museum of Ancient Life. Now that sounds like a fun date!

With gas rising prices turning people to economical transportation, and recent public trends emphasizing health and fitness, this trail will certainly be a valued recreational resource and a fine addition to the rich tradition of our community.

Removal of local hazard: Win!

New, world-class, restricted-access trail: WIN!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Smooth Sailing in Orem

Good traffic doesn't always get our appreciation, but oh, how bad traffic can get on our nerves!

It's like sailing on a windy day--nothing is worse than sailing against the wind, but a good tailwind doesn't always get due credit.

If you'll pause for a moment and think about it, you will noticed the winds of Orem have changed. The traffic situation in Orem over the past years has improved steadily and surely; the overall change has be drastic.

For example, prior to my current job, I worked at a place on the other side of town. Getting to work took me past some busy intersections, including turning onto 800 North and passing State Street. More than once, I made it to work without hitting a single red light. When it happened the first time, I pull up to work and let out a cheer. (I mean, how often do you make it across town without hitting a single red light?) The second time it happened, I was like, "Wow, that was cool." Eventually I lost count of this phenomenon, it became a regular occurrence.

Why the change? How could this be? Who are these traffic angels?

Well, there is an answer. In December, 2005, the City of Orem provided the City with a traffic control center. This project, a total of $350,000, was funded by a federal grant and funds from the city's budget. It was a project that started by equipping 14 of the city's busiest intersections with 360 degree spin PanTilt zoom cameras that can be controlled and viewed easily from the city's public works facility, including pictures from 37 other stationary video detection cameras.

The traffic control center which started out as room with 6 computers, 4 small, mounted screens, and 2 wide-screens panels (for viewing images from intersection cameras), received a makeover when the City moved its new public works facility. The newer facility completed in 2007 offers the traffic control center with a wider workspace where they can fit an additional 2 wide-screen panels.

This is a video I found on You Tube that gives you an idea of what the traffic control center looks like. It shows Orem's traffic engineers demonstrating the capabilities of the traffic cameras and shows the room. Take a look:

 

Since that time, improvements have continually been made to Orem's traffic grid. It is increasingly automated. Orem has since included blinking yellow turn arrows, and equipped intersections with more gadgets that manage light rotations to get you where you need to be on time!

Three years ago I had the chance to tour public works with a youth group. As a part of this tour we had the chance to see the traffic control center. My initial impression was that it looked like the bridge of the USS Voyager. It is pretty rad! We had a question and answer session where we learned that government representatives from all over come to look at our Orem facility. Orem's traffic control center is top of the line and a pioneer in automated traffic grids. We learned that the new system helped shave minutes off the State Street  commute from Provo to Lindon, and vice versa.

Next time you drive down an Orem street, just take a minute to notice. See if Orem's traffic grid hasn't been improved; I'm confident that you will find it has been improved. Thank your local City Council member. And remember to be a courteous driver.