Community

Since 2010, there had been discussions of designating a space for the Arts community – a place to highlight the talent and creativity of the community in downtown Ogden. Local artists needed an affordable space in a convenient location, and East Central Ogden could provide exactly that.

Thaine Fischer started researching Arts and Creative districts in 2012 when he found an interesting statistic… Arts and Creative districts don’t fail, ever! The only recognized failure is that they become so successful, the community who started them can no longer afford to live there. In addition, they are typically founded in the less desirable or neglected parts of a community. Thaine felt Ogden’s creative and artistic community was underrepresented and needed a place to call home.

Years later in November of 2019, Thaine founded The Monarch – a collaborative environment where artists, creative businesses, and makers of all types can connect, inspire, and create together in the heart of Ogden’s Nine Rails Creative District.

“We believe that creativity drives communities,” says Thaine. “We strive to provide the region with unique experiences through artist engagement, a creative environment as a pallet for private event space, and superior management hosting memorable events.”

Thaine and his staff connected a community of artists, makers, and creatives in a redeveloped historic parking structure. In essence, The Monarch put a flag in the ground for the Nine Rails Creative District, a statement that it believes in the power of ART. The organization takes pride in their community impact and feel that their biggest win has been seeing all the support from Ogden City and the entire Wasatch Front.

“At our grand opening, we had many individuals become emotional while telling us stories of how they have interacted with this historic building,” says Thaine in regards to the overwhelming support. “They love how it has become a creative space that welcomes everyone. Now, they get to create even more memories here.”

Thaine and his team at The Monarch are excited to continue expanding the creative spirit and keep the Arts in Ogden Growing.

To learn more about Thaine, his staff, or The Monarch please visit their website here, call or email: (602) 999 1855 or thaine@themonarchogden.com

In 2021, China started Good As Gold Insurance as a one-woman business writing all different types of insurance policies customized to the lifestyle of her clients. As a mother of two girls, it was important for China to have a job where she was able to stay home with them as much as possible before the school year started – Good As Gold Insurance allowed her to do just that.

“You’ve got it gal!” is China’s motto – she never gives up on a challenge and she never wants her clients to give up either. “No” is not an option for her and she will go to any lengths to make things work. Many clients have said that China always gets back to them with not only a solution, but several options when they felt stuck. Everyone knows they can count on China!

One customer testimonial from her client, Debbie Williams, reads, “China is so bright and really knows about insurance. She is friendly and very conscientious, making sure you get the right insurance for your personal needs.”

China loves and values Ogden’s rich culture, history, and growing community. She has always been connected to this community and proud of its accomplishments and growth. Ogden was the ideal place for her to start her business and she knew that her business would prosper here. When asked what the biggest win for her business has been, China said, “Good As Gold Insurance has experienced financial every month since it opened in 2021.” China is excited for the future and looks forward to seeing the growth of a business that is her completely her own, not attached to another person!

So, what if, instead of thinking about solving your whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.
– Rainbow Rowell

To learn more about China please call or email her at: (801) 940 2693 or goodasgoldinsurance@gmail.com

OGDEN – Ogden School District’s summer lunch program has been recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) recognized 84 summer meal sponsors and awarded them with Turnip the Beet! Awards. For the 2021 program year, 14 sponsors qualified for a gold award; 54 qualified for a silver award; and 16 qualified for a bronze award. Ogden School District was one of two silver award winners from Utah – the second award was given to Tooele School District.

Ogden School District was nominated and then given a score by the FNS. Winners of the award must provide appetizing, appealing, and nutritious meals. Categories in the scoring process include:

Age-appropriate meals
Nutrition-based activities
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Amount of whole grain foods

Summer meals supports students’ health, even when they no longer have access to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Ogden School District provides both breakfast and lunch for children under 18 Monday through Friday during the summer months. This meal program has been available to students since 1984 and positively impacts the development of our students.

In summer 2022, Ogden School District will continue its efforts to serve our community. This year’s services will be provided June 6 – July 29.
Program sites are:

Ben Lomond High School
Bonneville Elementary
Lincoln Elementary
Monroe Park
New Bridge Elementary
Odyssey Elementary
Ogden High School
West Ogden Park
4th Street Park

Breakfast will be served at school sites from 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
Lunch will be served at school sites from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

For more information about the meal program visit: https://www.osdmeals.org/

About Ogden School District

Ogden School District serves the city of Ogden, educating approximately 11,000 students. The district has a tradition of academic excellence enhanced by the values of a culturally rich and diverse community. Roughly 55% of Ogden students are ethnic minorities and approximately 75% come from low-income families.

For more information visit: https://www.ogdensd.org/

Grand Opening Planned for Dumke Arts Plaza in Ogden

Construction is near completion on the Dr. Ezekiel R. and Edna Wattis Dumke Arts Plaza, located in Ogden, Utah. The Dumke Arts Plaza will be an arts-focused community space, a dynamic outdoor gallery, and an intimate performance venue. The plaza is designed to inspire creativity, elevate diverse perspectives, and anchor Ogden as a hub for contemporary art. The plaza will feature major art installations as well as community-led arts programming ranging from small concerts, to dance performances, to video art. It will be a space to engage with art in all its forms, but also a place for everyday gatherings — sharing lunch with a friend or enjoying a family visit.

The community is invited to celebrate the grand opening of the Dumke Arts Plaza on Friday, Dec. 3 from 6-9 p.m. at 445 25th Street, at the corner of 25^th Street and Ogden Avenue. The event will serve as the premiere of the plaza’s inaugural exhibition, a selection of work by internationally renowned American sculptor Chakaia Booker, curated by Weber State University. Also on display will be the Beacon, a permanent sculptural piece that extends from the plaza over 25^th Street. Invited speakers will make brief remarks at 6:15 pm and performances will take place throughout the evening. All are encouraged to attend and celebrate the Dumke Arts Plaza as a new arts-focused space for the community.

A unique collaboration among project partners and community members has shaped the Dumke Arts Plaza. The Dr. Ezekiel R. and Edna Wattis Dumke Foundation is the lead funder for the project. The Foundation’s gift of more than $2.2 million to support the Dumke Arts Plaza is intended to honor the legacy of its founders and their commitment to Ogden. Ogden City and Weber County RAMP also contributed major funding to the project. The Foundation, Ogden City, RAMP, Weber State University, and Ogden Contemporary Arts, along with community stakeholders, collaborated closely to develop the vision for the Dumke Arts Plaza. The plaza design was led by renowned firm, Sasaki Associates, working with Ogden-based firms IO LandArch and Union Creative Agency. Hogan Construction is now building the plaza.

The Dumke Arts Plaza represents the transformation of a blighted motel property into an innovative civic space that will bring the community together around art in Ogden’s dynamic Nine Rails Creative District. The plaza’s design, inspired by the region’s dynamic landscape, has the flexibility to support many types of art, from large-scale installations to small performances, and includes an LED screen for displaying film and video art. An elevated platform known as the plinth provides more space for arts programming, as well as a new perspective on the plaza and its surroundings. The Dumke Arts Plaza is a welcoming public space, with interactive play elements, unique lighting, benches, and waterwise landscaping. A major feature of the Dumke Arts Plaza is the Beacon, a new sculpture that extends over 25th Street, inviting visitors to explore the plaza.

The Dumke Arts Plaza creates an exciting opportunity to share world-class art exhibitions with the community in an outdoor civic space. Weber State University’s Mary Elizabeth Dee Shaw Gallery and the Department of Visual Art & Design are proud to curate the inaugural exhibition at the Dumke Arts Plaza, featuring a selection of work by the internationally renowned American sculptor Chakaia Booker. The exhibition includes three major recent pieces by Booker. Booker’s distinctive approach to form and materiality, utilizing repurposed automotive tire rubber to construct complex and monumental abstract objects, speaks eloquently to themes of transformation, reimagining, and recontextualization. As such, her work is a uniquely fitting focal point for the public’s first opportunity to experience world-class public art at the Dumke Arts Plaza, itself a major initiative in the revitalization and reclamation of civic space for Ogden, the state, and the region.

For more information about the Dumke Arts Plaza, please visit ogdencity.com/DumkeArtsPlaza. Ogden City encourages community members and organizations interested in hosting arts programming and events at the Dumke Arts Plaza to visit the website for more information.

For more information about the Chakaia Booker exhibition presented by Weber State University, please visit https://weber.edu/shawgallery/upcoming.html. The exhibition will be on view to the public from Dec. 3, 2021, through May 15, 2022. The exhibition is presented in partnership with Ogden City and Ogden Contemporary Arts and is made possible by the generous support of the Dr. Ezekiel R. and Edna Wattis Dumke Foundation, the Matthew S. Browning Center for Design, and the Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities.

November 17, 2021

Petersen Inc. awarded Global Supplier by Bechtel

Bechtel awards Petersen Inc. 2020-2021 Supply Chain Excellence for their contributions to the Hanford Vit Plant project

Ogden, Utah – November 17, 2021 – Petersen Inc. announced today that Bechtel has recognized them with a Global Supplier Award for 2020-2021. Companies were evaluated on multiple factors including overall performance, ability to deliver quality services, and meeting or exceeding expectations of safety, performance, technical expertise, and environmental compliance.

“This is a tremendous recognition by Bechtel, and we are humbled and grateful to be acknowledged as a key supplier,” stated Rob Despain, VP Business Development for Petersen Inc. “We have a 20+ year partnership with Bechtel and look forward to continually strengthening that relationship and future opportunities in the years to come,” added Despain.

Petersen Inc. of Ogden, Utah and Pocatello, Idaho built two 300-ton melters to be used at the Department of Energy’s Hanford Vit Plant (Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant). The melters will safely process a portion of the 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste generated during the Manhattan Project and Cold War. The process involves mixing silica and other glass-forming materials, heating to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit, then pouring into stainless steel containers for disposal.

Designing and manufacturing the two melters included 1,200 engineering drawings and took nearly three years to fabricate, with a third melter in fabrication as a spare. Petersen Inc. is also currently manufacturing the stainless-steel containers used to dispose of the waste.

“The partnerships we have with our subcontractors and suppliers are fundamental in delivering projects to our customers,” said Tarek Amine, Bechtel’s Manager of Procurement & Contracts. “Collaboration with subcontractors and suppliers enhances our ability to align to our customers’ goals, achieve their objectives, and deliver a lasting positive impact in the communities where we live and work.”

Click for more info

November 11, 2021

The Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate became public under an Emergency Temporary Standard OSHA regulation on Friday, November 5, 2021. As a result, businesses must be in full compliance with the rule by January 4, 2022. However, as was expected, within 24 hours of the public filing, a federal appeals court issued a stay on the regulation citing ‘grave statutory and constitutional issues with the Mandate.’

Employers have compliance requirements within 30 days of rule publication and testing requirements within 60 days of publication marking the January 4 final deadline unless a court ruling overturns the regulation.

The COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) issued by OSHA sets in motion these requirements for companies with over 100 employees. The rule requires businesses to set up an assessment process to determine who is vaccinated and who is not, set guidelines on receiving proof of vaccination, and establish a record-keeping system containing this information. Important dates and information to consider include:

By December 5, 2021 (30 days from publication), workplace assessment must be completed, and unvaccinated employees are required to wear masks until vaccinated.
By January 4, 2022 (60 days from publication), vaccinations must be completed for employees. Booster shots are not required.
Companies must provide 4 hours of paid leave to receive vaccination and 2 days paid for potential vaccine recovery if needed.
Natural immunity does not count and those with exemptions must test in a clinic (Home tests are not acceptable, and employees must pay for tests.)
Businesses should determine how they will handle religious exemptions in terms of attestation, ecclesiastical statement, or strong moral objection.

Required Documents to Share with Employees:

As part of the emergency regulation, it is required that employers distribute the following four documents to their staff by December 5, 2021, which explain the rights and responsibilities of each party.

OSHA Rules for Submitting Comments:

OSHA has initiated a 30-day comment period for employers/business feedback on the ETS as it could become the permanent standard. Now is the time to voice your concern, opinion, or experience with this matter.

You may submit comments and attachments, identified by Docket No. OSHA-2021-0007, labeled “COVID 19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard Rulemaking” electronically at regulations.gov. Follow the instructions online for making electronic submissions. All submissions must include the agency’s name and the docket number for the ETS (Docket No. OSHA-2021-0007.) When submitting comments or recommendations, commenters should explain rationale and, if possible, provide supporting data and information. Wherever possible, commenters should indicate the title of the person providing the comments and, when appropriate, include information about the type and number of employees at their worksites.

All comments, including any personal information you provide, will be placed in the public docket without change and, with the exception of copyrighted materials, will be publicly available online at regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about submitting information they do not want to be made available to the public or submitting materials that contain personal information (either about themselves or others) such as Social Security Numbers and birthdates.

All comments and submissions are listed in the regulations.gov index; however, some information (e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly available to read or download through that website. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for inspection at the OSHA Docket Office. Contact the OSHA Docket Office at 202-693-2350 (TTY number: 877-889-5627) for assistance in locating docket submissions.

Utah Chamber Coalition

On November 10, 2021 the Ogden-Weber Chamber met with representatives from the Utah Chamber Coalition to address this issue to help ensure a greater collective voice of business within the state. The Salt Lake Chamber provided the information contained in this fact sheet for distribution.

Rick and Jay, being lifelong friends and both with backgrounds in IT systematics and Coding, decided they wanted to take their passion and turn it into a business – the founding of Code Ninjas. Code Ninjas opened its doors specifically for the youth in the Ogden area in February of 2021. Since its startup less than a year ago, they have already enrolled over 120 future ninjas!

Balancing technology, video games, and making it a place where kids feel they belong, Code Ninjas has become a place where kids can be creative, have flexibility in how they learn, and flex their technology muscles. At Code Ninjas, kids learn to code while making their own video games.

Rick and Jay love the Ogden area and feel that the community comes together to help kids grow within their passions. Code Ninjas provides a safe place for children of all ages to learn and become who they want to be. Coding students progress through the program at their own pace, but always have a watchful coding coach nearby to help. Parents also have added confidence in knowing that they can conveniently drop off their children in a professional and safe environment after school, in the evenings, and even on weekends.

If you’re interested in helping get your children involved in an environment where they’ll make friends, build confidence, and master new skills, reach out to Code Ninjas in South Ogden.

This Mural will be representing inclusivity and a sense of belonging during special community ceremony. MarketStar, one of Ogden’s largest private employers, has partnered with the Ogden Downtown Alliance and local artist Cole Eisenhour to present “You Belong,” a new painted mural celebrating diversity and inclusivity in downtown Ogden.

A community ceremony will be held on August 6 at 6:00 p.m. to introduce the mural and celebrate the vibrancy and diversity within Ogden. Keith Titus, MarketStar Chief Executive Officer, Kim Bowsher, Ogden Downtown Alliance Executive Director, and local artist Cole Eisenhour will give remarks during the event. Community members will have the opportunity to create art, enjoy local food trucks, and listen to live music from Ogden’s own Cherry Thomas. This community celebration is also part of the Ogden City First Friday Art Stroll, which happens the first Friday of every month throughout the year

The mural, painted on the south side of the company’s parking structure, is representative of MarketStar’s dedication to building and maintaining an inclusive culture within the communities in which the 33-year-old company does business. The theme of the mural, “You Belong,” is taken from one of the company’s six core values.

The mural will now become a prominent part of Ogden’s downtown art scene thanks to collaborative funding from the MarketStar Foundation, RAMP and the Ogden Downtown Alliance.

The mural kicks off the first of many community-oriented projects MarketStar has in store for their communities this summer. It is significant because of the partnership it represents with the company’s home city of Ogden.

Weber State University’s Center for Community Education (CEC) invites the community to the Food FUNding & Your Future Carnival at 2605 Monroe Blvd., Aug. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m.

This event will give students and their families the opportunity to learn about scholarship and financial aid options available to them at Weber State. Experts will be on hand to help students with applications on the spot. Applicants will need to bring identification and estimated gross annual income information. DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students are encouraged to attend.

“You can also explore educational programs from badges and certificates to degrees to secure a better future in just a few months,” said Niki Tonks, marketing manager for the John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics.

Spanish and English speakers will be on hand to answer questions.

The carnival will have a number of activities to entertain family and friends, including lawn games. Hokulia, a local food vendor, will hand out free shaved ice as long as supplies last. Participants may visit various booths from Weber State organizations and learn about different activities and services.

Along with financial information and assistance, the CEC offers a variety of services including English as a Second Language (ESL) courses for non-native speakers. The Weber-Morgan Health Department is also offering COVID vaccine clinics on Mondays and Wednesdays in August from 1-8 p.m.

This carnival is free and open to the public. For more information, visit fb.me/e/159yqLVPN.

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.

Contact:

Niki Tonks, Goddard School of Business & Economics marketing manager
801-626-7397 • nikitonks@weber.edu

Author:

Melissa Smith, Marketing & Communications
801-626-6348 • melissasmith9@weber.edu

About Ogden School District

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The Monarch, Thaine Fischer

About Ogden School District

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