And the 2026 Myles Rademan Spirit of Hospitality Award goes to … Randy Barton!

Barton, best known as manager of the Egyptian Theatre, was honored with the Park City Chamber/Bureau’s annual award at its meeting last week. In Barton’s words, however, it’s a “recognition,” not an award.

“I don’t accept on behalf of myself, but on behalf of all the folks who love arts and culture,” Barton said.

He added that he appreciated that the award was not competitive in what can be a very competitive town.

Since moving to Park City in 1975, Barton founded the iconic late-night fast food chain Sconecutter, organized a cow ballet, hosted a drive-time radio show, saved the Egyptian Theatre from financial ruin and, most recently, was seen riding a camel through Main Street at the Miners Day parade.

“I was always involved with the Egyptian Theatre from the day that it was renamed the Egyptian in 1981,” Barton said. “I was never in charge but always there.” 

As a member of the Park City Players, Barton was involved at the theater as an actor and worked concessions at the Sundance Film Festival. 

Over the next few decades, Barton’s involvement around town ranged from television to concert promotion to radio. His TV show, “Park City Faces,” spotlighted the people and personality of Park City every weeknight live for nearly a decade. 

“It was really fun to do that show during the Olympics,” Barton said. 

For two weeks, the program filmed from Main Street instead of the usual studio, and Barton interviewed a horse. 

“I just love that we hosted the world,” Barton said, “and speaking of hospitality, we did such a marvelous job of it.”

After a stint on television, Barton moved to radio.

KPCW ran “The Local View” for four hours a day, five days a week for 20 years. During his time on the radio, Barton was known to make what he called “outlandish” statements. Outlandish, maybe. Radiantly positive, definitely. 

Barton said he would advise people to get out and learn to drive in the snow instead of being afraid of storms. During traffic jams, he’d tell listeners to embrace it, relax and enjoy the music. 

Barton was organizing a concert series in Salt Lake City in the ’90s and wanted to bring the same energy to Park City. In 1997, he started Mountain Town Stages. That evolved into Mountain Town Music, which programs, produces and fosters live music performances in the area. 

“Radio, theater, television, all kinds of at the same time as doing music and concerts. That was kind of my deal,” Barton said.

In 2009, Barton added “Saved the Egyptian Theatre” to his resume. 

“Everybody tells me, you know, ‘You saved the theater. Without you, it wouldn’t be there,’” Barton recalled. “I say, ‘Yeah, but I’m one of many, going all the way back to the 1800s, of people that would rise up and save the theater.’”

As Barton tells it, in the spring of 2009, the theater had closed and canceled all productions because it was out of money. The board of directors had in mind a schedule full of community theater programming, but Barton had a different vision. 

“I told them that was a bad decision for the community and (to) give me 90 days to show you what it should be,” he said. 

Barton luckily negotiated a contract at the beginning of the 90 days; the board tried to fire him three times during that period.

By the end of the three months, Barton had built a model of the theatre that still stands today.

“That is, something on stage every week, building a Pharaoh Club for the support of the theater and making the Egyptian the centerpiece of social life in Park City and a real gathering place,” he said. 

As Barton accepted his recognition, he proudly described the theater as “historic, authentic, intimate, genuine, social and, because of me, slightly irreverent.”

There are many opinions about what makes Park City unique. Is it the skiing, the history, the proximity to Main Street or the culture?

“(Arts and culture) has always been a part of Park City from the very beginning, and it is always what makes Park City a real town,” Barton said. “People talk about going to other ski areas, and what they love about Park City is it is real because of the dining, the arts, the culture, the history.”

If it were up to Barton, Park City would market itself as a “stationary cruise ship.”

“We have all the things that you would go on a cruise for: entertainment, shows, great food,” he said. “Base (the city) on that model. If somebody’s here, they’re going to be entertained.”

Barton is quick to share business strategies, and as a father of three, he’s well-versed in giving life advice.

“You know, I tell my kids and others, be careful with what you decide to do because you just might end up doing that and nothing else for the rest of your life,” Barton said. “I’ve done more than the arts. I’ve done business and I’m a runner. I’m a golfer. I have great joys. Best is being a parent, always.”

He enjoys what he calls “goof-off golfing,” a discipline of the sport where points aren’t counted and improvement isn’t the goal. Unlike his openness toward business matters, his favorite golf course is top secret.

Barton was recognized with a hospitality award, so why all the talk of entertaining? Entertainment and hospitality are one and the same, he said. Barton was born in Hollywood, after all.

“When you say that you’re entertaining tonight, that doesn’t have to mean that you’re dancing or on stage with a mic,” Barton said. “(When) you’re entertaining people, you’re bringing them into your home and showing them a nice time. Hosting is the same thing.”

According to Barton, entertaining and hosting go hand in hand with kindness and openness. 

“The divisiveness of the world is based on a lack of hospitality and ‘I will welcome anybody’ attitude,” he said.

As he accepted the Chamber/Bureau’s recognition, Barton reminisced about the days when he was new in town and faced with the common question: “So, how long have you been here?”

Barton said he feels like he’s on the other side of that question after 50 years in Park City. 

“People want you to talk about what makes you mad or upset, what you hate about the town,” he said. “But I love this town more every year.”

The post Perspectives on hospitality and entertainment from Randy Barton appeared first on Park Record.

Park City marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with a solemn ceremony that honored those who perished, recalled the heroism of first responders and noted the lingering health concerns of those who were there in the aftermath.

The Friday-morning ceremony, held outside the Park Avenue police station, started under overcast skies befitting the date and with a soft rain falling.

Area emergency agencies were well represented, and there were scattered members of the public in attendance. At least three members of the Park City Council — Tana Toly, Bill Ciraco and Molly Miller — were present, as was Park City Manager Adam Lenhard. Dana Williams, a former three-term mayor whose first campaign unfolded against the backdrop of Sept. 11 in the fall of 2001, was also in attendance.

The Park City Fire District brought two engines to the event, parked along the side of S.R. 224. The ladder of one of the engines, displaying a large American flag, was extended high into the air above the road.

The ceremony included protocol such as raising and lowering the American and Utah flags to half-staff outside the police station. There were moments of silence. Vaifoa Lealaitafea, a Police Department lieutenant, performed the national anthem. The event was similar to earlier ones marking Sept. 11 anniversaries. Speakers talked of never forgetting what occurred that day.

Snyderville Basin resident Scott Zink, a retired New York City Police Department sergeant who responded to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, was in the crowd and said afterward he was pleased with the ceremony.

“The event changed our country. It changed the world,” he said, describing that he does not want Sept. 11 to fade from memory. “If you forget history, it’s bound to repeat.”

Police Chief Wade Carpenter delivered stirring remarks, speaking to the crowd about the heroism that day.

“Twenty-five years ago, on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, our nation was shaken to its core. The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were acts of unimaginable cruelty, yet they revealed extraordinary courage and resilience of the American spirit,” he said.

Carpenter added: “In New York City, the towers burned and the streets filled with smoke and fear. Hundreds of firefighters, police officers and emergency medical personnel ran toward danger. They climbed the stairwells in the twin towers guided only by the duty of unshakable commitment to save lives. Many never made it back. Their sacrifice is etched in history of our nation and in the hearts of every American who witnessed their selfless bravery.”

He spoke about the illnesses some first responders at the scene have suffered in the years since Sept. 11, saying there are frequent death notifications filed involving people who suffered illnesses afterward.

“We also honor the citizens lost, families left behind and spouses, children and parents — the loved ones — who will forever be changed. Their strength over the last 25 years is a continuation of the courage we saw that day,” Carpenter said.

The police chief recalled Americans coming together after the attacks.

“As the years continue to pass, fewer people will have personal memory of that day. That makes our responsibility to remember all the greater. We owe the people that lost their lives. We owe the first responders who gave everything. And we owe the generations to come after us,” Carpenter said. “So, today, we take a moment to remember. We remember the lives lost. We remember the families who carry this loss. We remember the first responders who ran toward danger. We remember the strength we found in one another. We remember a nation came together in grief. We remember the men and women who answered the call to serve our country in the years to follow. Let us teach the next generation the stories of these heroes so that their courage echoes far beyond our time.”

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In 2022, Park City was amid a debate about a development proposal in the area of Quinn’s Junction known as Studio Crossing.

The project, when it was under review at the Marsac Building and later approved, had a large number of housing units set aside for the workforce. It was a proposal that was seen as advancing Park City leaders’ efforts to create housing options for rank-and-file workers who would otherwise be priced out of the community’s resort-driven real estate and rental markets.

Jennifer Wesselhoff, the president and CEO of the Park City Chamber/Bureau, was one of the figures who provided input to the Park City Planning Commission during the Studio Crossing discussions. Her written input was broad in nature and not exclusively centered on Studio Crossing, but it was nonetheless an impassioned argument in favor of workforce housing.

“The high price of Park City housing is woven into every aspect of our lives to harmful effect, pricing out service workers and up-and-coming Parkites, and our seniors, whose options have been drastically reduced,” Wesselhoff said in the submittal, written on Chamber/Bureau letterhead.

She added: “Businesses’ ability to hire and retain employees is increasingly negatively impacted by the lack of affordable housing,” and workers in Park City “often have no choice but to commute long distances to find housing.”

Four years later, the Chamber/Bureau recently provided another round of input about a different development proposal, this one involving the Park City municipal government as part of a partnership with a Chicago-area firm.

The project is proposed on municipal acreage stretching inward from the southwest corner of the intersection of Bonanza Drive and Kearns Boulevard. It is designed with 88 units of income-restricted rentals as well as rentals without income restrictions and other elements. Wesselhoff signed the correspondence endorsing the proposal on behalf of the Chamber/Bureau board of directors amid the ongoing Planning Commission review.

“Without workforce housing, Park City will become less authentic, potentially losing our community character, losing the grit and tenacity that enabled us to evolve from a mining town to the vibrant recreational community we are now,” it said.

The Chamber/Bureau is a highly influential institution in the tourism industry, marketing Park City nationally and internationally as a year-round destination. It works to attract an array of visitors — skiers, conventioneers, arts enthusiasts, athletes and others. The organization, though, has sometimes been seen as narrowly focused on tourism generation at the expense of issues commonplace to the workforce in that sector. Boosting visitation has long been the overarching role of the Chamber/Bureau, but Wesselhoff has in some ways seemed to advocate for the workforce that is critical to the functioning of many aspects of the tourism industry.

“The Chamber exists to advocate for a healthy local economy and a thriving community, and you can’t have either without a workforce that can afford to live here. When we advocate, we’re representing the businesses that are struggling to hire and retain employees — the restaurants, the hotels, the shops, the ski instructors, the healthcare workers. Their voices don’t always make it into the public comment record, because they’re working. So part of our role is to make sure decision-makers hear from the business community,” Wesselhoff said in a prepared response to a Park Record inquiry about the Chamber/Bureau input regarding housing.

Wesselhoff said the Chamber/Bureau sometimes acts on topics aligning with the organization’s legislative policy agenda.

“In other cases, we take specific issues to the Board and get their direct feedback, and (ultimately) they can decide to take a position. For Bonanza Park, the item was discussed at a board meeting and it was voted to take a position,” Wesselhoff said. “The Board looked at the location — near transit, schools, grocery stores, a central intersection. They considered the open space commitment, which is nearly 70% of the site and considered the history of this parcel specifically: it was purchased with transient room tax dollars, with a commitment to create something that benefits both visitors and the community. So, our statement reflects all of that.”

Wesselhoff, meanwhile, addressed what she sees as the success of the Chamber/Bureau efforts in support of housing.

“I think we’ve been effective at making the case clearly, and I’m proud of that. What’s harder — and this is true for everyone in this conversation, not just the Chamber — is shifting the broader community dynamic around housing,” she said. “Park City has seen project after project face intense neighborhood opposition. I think there’s genuine community support for affordable housing in the abstract. The challenge is translating that support into specific projects at specific locations. That’s a longer conversation, and we’re committed to being part of it.”

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The Bonanza Park development partnership on Wednesday outlined some details of the commercial aspects of the proposal, providing a building-by-building breakdown of the possibilities for the ground floors.

The partnership, involving the Park City municipal government and a Chicago-area firm called Brinshore Development LLC continued the talks with the Park City Planning Commission at a meeting at the Marsac Building. It is unclear when the panel will be prepared to cast a vote, but the meeting covered a range of issues that will be important to the eventual vote. The Planning Commission did not hold a hearing on Wednesday, likely contributing to a smaller crowd compared to some recent meetings.

The partnership showed a slide that provided information about the plans for the spaces on the ground floors of the buildings. It was among the highlights of the meeting, as the partnership attached square footages to the spaces. Brinshore Development LLC said afterward the numbers could be tweaked.

The slide, though, offered at least a preview of the possibilities. The breakdown includes:

• Building 1 has 4,300 square feet of childcare space and 2,188 square feet in a leasing office.
• Building 2 has 7,160 square feet of art studios.
• Building 3 has 3,689 square feet of fitness-studio space, which would be open to the public.
• Building 4 has a retail lease covering 2,140 square feet and a cafe lease with 2,200 square feet.
• Building 5 has 5,516 square feet of retail lease that could be divided into two.
• Building 6 has a restaurant lease of 2,100 square feet and a retail lease of 2,592 square feet. The retail space could be divided into two.
• Building 7 has an art pavilion of 2,563 square feet.

The proposal largely locates the buildings on the perimeter of the approximately 5 acres, which stretch inward from the southwest corner of the intersection of Bonanza Drive and Kearns Boulevard. The buildings would surround other aspects of the proposal, like an amphitheater, a commons, a fitness lawn and groves. Two of the acres are described as open space.

The overall proposal includes:

• 88 units of income-restricted rentals.
• 18 rentals without income restrictions.
• More than 30,000 square feet for a variety of tenants, such as retailers, restaurants, cafes and art spaces for not-for-profit organizations.
• A childcare location.

The municipal government owns the land and tapped Brinshore Development LLC as a partner. Park City leaders see the proposal as an important element of the municipal government’s housing efforts, which are seen as having benefits like increasing socioeconomic diversity and reducing commuter traffic.

There is organized opposition to the proposal, with some pressing Park City leaders to instead create park space at the location. Testimony in support of the proposal at earlier meetings of the Planning Commission has broached topics like creating housing opportunities for those otherwise priced out of Park City’s resort-driven real estate and rental markets. Critics have countered with concerns about traffic increases and the designs.

The development team and the Planning Commission spent limited time on Wednesday addressing the commercial elements of the proposal. The development team, as an example, mentioned the commercial tenants could be open from the morning to the evening. That, the Planning Commission was told, could spread out the traffic headed to and from the commercial spaces through the day.

The development team, meanwhile, showed a slide that explained the desired mix of tenants that would be housed in the commercial spaces. Some of the points, as written, included:

• “Targeting tenants whose busy times are staggered throughout the day.”
• “Services, wellness, retail, food, and fitness spreads variability with access/demand.”
• “Appropriate mix helps reduce car visits by having patrons visiting multiple businesses on one trip.”
• “Targeting different tenants from surrounding developments encourages non-motorized transit between neighborhood properties.”

Another slide shown to the Planning Commission called for creating a “Third Space — places that aren’t home or work, but a welcoming, flexible environment where the community naturally gathers.” It listed possibilities like a brewery or taproom, a restaurant or cafe, a bicycle and outdoor store, and a fitness studio.

The slides that were displayed on Wednesday followed another batch of information about the commercial possibilities provided by the partnership as the meeting approached. Some of the earlier information was similar to what was shown at the meeting, including a statement saying: “The site design, leasing plan, and the programming and activation are designed to work together as placemaking to create a ‘Third Place’ for community gathering. The Third Place planning concept is meant to build community by providing a safe place to connect that is not home or work (or online). A Third Place is where locals can meetup, engage in activities, communicate, and be recognized as familiar neighbors, creating a sense of community and belonging.”

It is not clear when the Planning Commission will be prepared to cast a vote. There were comments on Wednesday from panelists about the proposal being consistent, at least broadly, with the municipal General Plan, an overarching document that guides growth in the community.

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On Sunday, Sept. 6, at 11:05 p.m., someone informed the police that they had left a motorcycle at the Park City Library after deciding it was unsafe to drive in the rain. The person contacted the police to ensure the motorcycle would not be towed.

A hawk, described as injured, was seen at 10:27 p.m. along Main Street. The bird was “hiding in some electrical stuff between two stores,” the police were told.

Four or five people were reported to be noisy in a hot tub at 10:22 p.m. on Rothwell Road. The police logged the case as suspected disturbing the peace.

A suspected intoxication case was reported somewhere at 8:46 p.m. along Kearns Boulevard. Public police logs did not provide details.

A stoplight was reported to be out of service at 9:05 a.m. on U.S. 40. The police said the issue created a traffic hazard.

A suspected drunk driving case was reported at 12:09 a.m. on westbound U.S. 40. Public police logs did not provide details.

On Saturday, Sept. 5, at 11:08 p.m., a suspected intoxication case was reported on Main Street. Public police logs did not provide details.

A police officer at 5:30 p.m. stopped a driver in the area of Swede Alley and Heber Avenue after the person, according to the agency, passed a vehicle that was stopped at a crosswalk. There were pedestrians crossing at the time, the police said. Public police logs did not provide details about whether the driver received a ticket or a warning.

An officer on patrol at 2:19 a.m. reported finding a person asleep and possibly intoxicated in a vehicle that was on Main Street. The officer assisted the person in booking a rideshare home.

A man was reported to be “passed out” at 12:29 a.m. on Main Street. The police logged the case as suspected intoxication.

The Police Department at 12:18 a.m. received a report of a party with loud music on Three Kings Drive. The noise began an hour or so before the call to the police and remained “very loud,” the department was told. The police classified the report as suspected disturbing the peace.

On Friday, Sept. 4, at 10:16 p.m., a suspected alcohol offense was reported in Park City. Public police logs did not provide details.

A suspected drunken driving case was reported in the area of Kearns Boulevard and Monitor Drive. Public police logs did not provide details.

On Thursday, Sept. 3, at 10:59 p.m., people, described as loud, were reported outside a residence on Three Kings Drive. The noise kept the person who contacted the authorities awake, according to public police logs.

Someone was reported to be “trying (to) fight everyone outside” at 9:05 p.m. The location was close to a Main Street restaurant-bar. The police categorized the case as a suspected assault.

A large stone was removed at 8:51 a.m. from a travel lane on S.R. 248.

The police at 1:44 a.m. received a report of a possible party with loud noise on Homestake Road. The police logged the case as suspected disturbing the peace, but the person who called the authorities hung up when asked if they were willing to file a formal complaint.

On Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 11:15 a.m., a police officer stopped a driver on Deer Valley Drive after observing the vehicle traveling at approximately 5 mph in a 25 mph zone. The police said the vehicle impeded traffic and a line of vehicles was apparently trailing it. Public police logs did not provide details about whether the driver received a ticket or a warning.

On Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 4:38 p.m., youngsters were reported riding electric motorcycles on the Rail Trail.

On Monday, Aug. 31, at 10:41 p.m., loud music was reported on Park Avenue. The police categorized the case as suspected disturbing the peace.

A collision between a driver and a deer was reported at 10:18 p.m. in the area of Kearns Boulevard and Wyatt Earp Way. The animal survived the collision, the police were told.

A hit-and-run traffic accident was reported at 10:40 a.m. on Kearns Boulevard, apparently near Quinn’s Junction.

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There could someday be a promenade along busy Bonanza Drive as it extends southward from the Kearns Boulevard intersection.

And there may be a variety of businesses located in the promenade should a development proposal involving the Park City municipal government be approved. The proposal includes 88 units of income-restricted housing as well as commercial businesses and green space.

As discussions continue about the proposal, a partnership involving the municipal government and Brinshore Development, LLC has provided a description of the commercial possibilities.

The partnership, in a written response ahead of a Sept. 9 meeting, addressed questions and comments raised by the Park City Planning Commission during an earlier discussion. The response outlined the thinking behind the commercial spaces, including the sorts of businesses that may ultimately be located within a Bonanza Park development.

The business mix, according to the response, would include a restaurant, a coffee shop, retail spaces, a gym and a daycare location that would operate as a nonprofit. There would also be an “arts workshop and not for profit arts studio spaces,” the response says. The presence of arts spaces is notable after an earlier concept for the land — an arts and culture district anchored by the Kimball Art Center and the Utah offices of the Sundance Institute — was scrapped.

“The retail spaces aligned along the Bonanza frontage and multiuse pathway will create the Bonanza Promenade with a line of storefronts activating the street frontage and encouraging pedestrian activity,” the response says.

The retailers would open up to the road as well as the central green space, it says.

The southern end would be anchored by a restaurant, while the northern end anchor would be a coffee shop and deli.

The response outlines that the lease rates of the retail spaces would “be at market rate so as not to subsidize or unfairly compete with adjacent developments.” That statement will likely be of note to commercial properties in the vicinity of the land since subsidized lease rates could be more attractive than the rates attached to nearby buildings.

The approximately 5 acres, stretching inward from the southwest corner of the intersection of Bonanza Drive and Kearns Boulevard, are located close to commercial properties in Prospector and the Iron Horse district. There would also be a rental rate for not-for-profit arts studios that would be lower than the rates charged to retailers, it says.

The response also includes two passages explaining the vision for a strategy for leasing the commercial spaces. The passages:

• “The leasing strategy is to create a rich mix of local services, provided by both new and existing local businesses, to create a Third Place community gathering place that supports both the arts and the local community. Our leasing agent will focus on recruiting local businesses that serve the neighborhood and residential tenants.”
• “The site design, leasing plan, and the programming and activation are designed to work together as placemaking to create a ‘Third Place’ for community gathering. The Third Place planning concept is meant to build community by providing a safe place to connect that is not home or work (or online). A Third Place is where locals can meetup, engage in activities, communicate, and be recognized as familiar neighbors, creating a sense of community and belonging.”

The proposal includes:

• 88 units of income-restricted rentals.
• 18 rentals without income restrictions.
• More than 30,000 square feet for a variety of tenants, such as retailers, restaurants, cafes and art spaces for not-for-profit organizations.
• A childcare location.
• 2 acres of open space.

The Planning Commission is scheduled to discuss the proposal again at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Marsac Building. More information about the meeting is available on the municipal website, parkcity.gov. The direct link is: parkcity.gov/?event=102.

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The Park City Historic Mine Route officially opened to the public on Miners Day.

The route, organized by the Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History, combines two of Park City’s most important attractions: history and outdoor recreation. 

The Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History worked with the Mountain Trails Foundation to incorporate existing trails along 24 historic silver mining sites to create the 7-mile route. The pinnacle is the recently restored Silver King Mine sitting near the eastern boundary of Park City Mountain.

“There’s a genuine destination (to the hike),” said Colleen Logan, marketing manager for the Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History. “It’s so rich, there are so many stories to learn about.”

Almost the entire route follows existing trails, with new wayfinding signs marking the Historic Mine Route. The Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History also created interpretive signs to tell stories at specific sites and QR codes linking to the trail’s audioguide via the TravelStorys app. 

Logan said another great thing about the trail is the variability.

The route starts on Main Street and stretches 7 miles with 1,200 feet of elevation gain when hiked in full.

“You definitely feel a good workout, but it’s in sections, so you don’t feel like you’re just walking straight uphill,” Logan said. 

A more moderate option is to ride the Town Lift or Payday Express lift from Park City Mountain to the mine, and hike down Empire Canyon. This shortens the route to 3.4 miles and reduces elevation gain while allowing hikers to visit 15 historic sites. The easiest way to explore the historic mine route is by an out-and-back trail from Main Street to Empire Canyon. 

There’s a 10-mile bike trail to view the Historic Mine Route, too. It follows the same path as the 7-mile hike, with a short diversion around the hiker-only Trestle trail.

The downhill section past the Silver King Mine and through Empire Canyon is densely packed with mine sites, including the Silver King Mill, the next Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History restoration project.

Logan said one of the nonprofit’s goals for the route is to “make Main Street your trailhead.” Parking, water and restrooms are easy to find at the start of the route near the Park City Museum.

The route is described by the nonprofit as an “open-air museum,” but Logan still recommended stopping by the Park City Museum before hitting the trails.

“It really is a complement to go to the museum before or after you do the hike,” Logan said. “The museum helps explain things at a level of detail you can’t get when you do the hike, but the mountain experience brings an ‘ah-ha’ moment to what you see at the museum.”

Whichever route is taken, the Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History hopes the new Historic Mine Route can teach people about the sites they might have often skied, biked or hiked past. 

“It takes something that may be familiar, but now (you) know something about it. Now you know the stories,” Logan said.

Details of each route can be found online at hmr.parkcityhistory.org.

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This Miners Day, Barry Hanover marched in the parade with the League of Women Voters. Hanover first became involved with the league because of his wife, Allison, but before he marched on Monday, his family had a long history of advocating for the rights of women to vote.

“Since it was the League of Women Voters, I couldn’t wait to get (to the parade) because of this tie with my family,” Hanover said.

Hanover is from Tennessee and moved to Utah in the ’70s. His great uncle, Joseph Hanover, was a representative in the Tennessee House of Representatives when the state voted to ratify the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote in the United States. 

In 1920, Tennessee was the last state to vote on the amendment. Joseph Hanover, or Uncle Joe, as Barry calls him, led the fight on the House floor. 

Hanover knew his uncle well, he said. 

Uncle Joe was a Jewish immigrant from Poland who came to the United States as a young child. When Joseph was young, he often asked “why mother can’t vote,” the family said. 

“That was a question he repeated,” Barry said. “He understood it, but he didn’t like it. He didn’t think it was right, even as a young boy. They never had a very good answer for him because there wasn’t a very good answer.”

When it came time for the House to vote on the amendment, the League of Women Voters, the same group Hanover marched with in the parade, asked Joseph to fight on their behalf. The amendment passed, with much effort, largely credited to Joseph’s work in the House of Representatives. 

“It’s a great heritage to be tied to that,” Hanover said. “I can’t think of anything better.”

During the suffrage movement of the late 1800s and early 1900s, the League of Women Voters and those in support of giving women the votes could be seen wearing yellow roses and white dresses. The League of Women Voters wore the same outfits this Miners Day.

At the parade, Hanover could be seen running back and forth asking people if they were registered to vote and handing out voter registration cards. Hanover said he specifically wanted to make sure the younger people and women in the crowd had the information. 

“My wife and I try to do our part largely by encouraging young people to get involved,” Hanover said. “I tell young people, ‘Whether you know it or not, I’m voting for you. I’m voting for your future.’”

As Hanover ran around handing out voter registration cards made by his wife, he was inspired by the crowd, he said. 

“Most of the people that I asked, and it was mostly young people, and especially women, when I asked them if they were registered to vote, they said, ‘Of course,’” Hanover said. “‘Yes’ is good, but ‘of course’ is great.”

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A 24-year-old man has been ordered to leave the United States after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a Park City High School student.

Third District Judge Richard Mrazik sentenced Conrrado Ahuexoteco to 48 months of probation after he pleaded guilty to third-degree forcible sexual abuse, according to court documents. He also ordered Ahuexoteco, who was in the United States illegally, to leave the country.

A misdemeanor charge for obstruction of justice was dropped in return for the plea, and Mrazik signed a continuous protective order preventing Ahuexoteco from contacting the teenage girl he assaulted.

The girl, who was a Park City High School student at the time of the assault, reported the incident two days after it happened in late February, according to court documents. She agreed to a medical examination, and nurses noted her body had signs of injuries. The girl also showed investigators an Instagram account she’d found that appeared to belong to Ahuexoteco.

The girl told detectives that she went to her friend’s house near the school and was in bed, watching videos on her phone, while her friend took a shower. Ahuexoteco, who was referred to in court documents as the friend’s 24-year-old ex-boyfriend, also came to the house and asked the girl if he could watch videos with her.

He then proceeded to get into bed and touched her inappropriately despite the girl repeatedly telling him to stop.

The Park City Police Department interviewed two other minors who were at the home when the incident happened. Both said they saw Ahuexoteco in the bed with the girl. They told detectives they didn’t see the assault happen, but the girl told them about it afterward.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for Ahuexoteco’s DNA and went to his residence, but Ahuexoteco said his name was Jose and provided officers with a different unit number than the one he lived in when confronted.

The unit number he provided was on the other side of the apartment complex, but detectives watched Ahuexoteco walk into a unit with a different number than the one he’d just described. The unit he entered was the apartment they believed Ahuexoteco lived in based on his car registration.

Officers arrested and interviewed Ahuexoteco, who claimed to have met the girl two or three times. However, he insisted he “never really talked” to her and denied that he was the friend’s ex-boyfriend.

Ahuexoteco has been held in the Summit County Jail without bail since his arrest. Court documents did not indicate how the Summit County Attorney’s Office will ensure Ahuexoteco leaves the country to comply with his sentencing.

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The Park City Chamber/Bureau leadership has endorsed the disputed plans for development in Bonanza Park that involve the Park City municipal government, drafting a two-page correspondence that attempts to balance the desire for housing against the wishes for open space.

The Aug. 5 correspondence is addressed to the Park City Planning Commission, which is reviewing the application. Jennifer Wesselhoff, the chamber’s president and CEO, signed the correspondence on behalf of the board of directors.

It is a strong statement articulating what the Chamber/Bureau sees as the benefits of the 88 units of workforce or otherwise income-restricted housing included in the plans. Wesselhoff mentions the small percentage of the Park City workforce living inside the city.

Some of the points, as drafted:

• “Businesses will suffer from a lack of workforce leading to fewer local businesses, increased costs for locals and potentially reduced hours, operations and services, ultimately impacting our overall quality of life.”
• “Without workforce housing, Park City will become less authentic, potentially losing our community character, losing the grit and tenacity that enabled us to evolve from a mining town to the vibrant recreational community we are now.”
• “Traffic and congestion will only get worse when workers don’t live close to where they work and play and are forced to drive into the area from surrounding areas.”

The municipal government and partner Brinshore Development LLC, based in the Chicago area, are pursuing a project on approximately 5 acres stretching inward from the southwest corner of the intersection of Kearns Boulevard and Bonanza Drive. The land is under municipal ownership. The proposal includes:

• 88 units of income-restricted rentals.
• 18 rentals without income restrictions.
• More than 30,000 square feet for a variety of tenants, such as retailers, restaurants, cafes and art spaces for not-for-profit organizations.
• A childcare location.
• 2 acres of open space.

There is organized opposition, with many of the critics of the proposal wanting leaders to instead create park space on the land. The opposition cites concerns about increased traffic at a location where there are already regular backups, the height of the proposal and what they consider a small amount of land that would be left undeveloped.

Meanwhile, backers of the Bonanza Park proposal counter with arguments supporting an increase in the community’s income-restricted housing stock.

The Chamber/Bureau leadership in the correspondence mentions the conflicting arguments regarding the proposal. It also acknowledges that the leadership “shares concerns about traffic and neighborhood character and the desire to preserve what makes Park City special.”

“The board believes that this is an approach worth advocating for. In some cases, open space is clearly the right call. In others, housing should take priority. The answer doesn’t have to be the same every time, and it probably shouldn’t be. But a reflexive ‘no’ at every site, for every proposal, isn’t a community strategy, it’s just avoidance,” the correspondence said.

It continued: “Park City can be a place with trails and neighbors. With protected ridgelines and restaurant workers that live here. With open meadows and a teacher who can afford to stay. We don’t have to choose between them. The 5-acre proposal is a test of whether we can say yes to both. It keeps the promise made to the businesses who funded this parcel. It puts housing where housing makes sense: on transit, near schools, walkable to everything.”

The Chamber/Bureau endorsement is another piece of input in a growing record of split opinions delivered to the Planning Commission in hearings and written comments. The input has come from long-established figures such as a former mayor and Parkites not widely known to have been involved in the public discourse about growth before the talks about the municipal acreage.

The Planning Commission is scheduled to revisit discussions at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday during a meeting at the Marsac Building. A public hearing is not scheduled on Wednesday. More information about the meeting is available on the municipal website, parkcity.gov. The direct link is: parkcity.gov/?event=102.

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