Jordon Cahoon

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

Working on this beat has shown me just how much people are willing to do and give up for the benefit of others. These people are giving up precious time, which we all know is money, to coach not only their kids, but kids of the neighborhood-a task that quickly becomes a full-time job. It’s a job that runs them into overtime but is yet to pay anything, aside from a smile from little Timmy as he hits the ball, complaints from the spouse and good memories.  The simple fact that despite times being as bad as they are right now, people are still willing to give up things they may want for themselves just to work on what is a stressful, time-consuming, and most-the-time thankless job.

While working on the beat it dawned on me just what kind of information you will find by simply asking the right, or in some cases the wrong, thing. People love to talk, about themselves, about what they are working with or know of. Not only do these people love to go off and talk about anything and everything, but the reporter then has to decipher all this information and sort it. There seems to be two types of interviewees, the one where you have to pry information out and then work to make it relevant and work with your story, then the type that just won’t shut up.

This class, which seems more as an experience than just a class, has shown me how to use all the reporting tools we’ve been learning about while going to school. It’s nice that when you are finally wrapping up the whole term of your higher education it ties together and finally makes sense. I see now how to use an interviewee to get what I need out of them, I know the differences in types of stories and interviewees. All this only helps tie and relate to what I hopefully will be doing at the next level.

ABOUT ME:

I’ve spent my entire career working to make sure the company stood out over the competition, but it’s my turn to rise up.

I’m the kind of person that will bust mine to make you look good on faith that you can do something to help me later down the road. Raised in a very competitive family where you have to do anything to stand out, I learned how to get things done fast, and get them done right, but what doesn’t show as much is the willingness to help other people get up to the same speed.

I love to joke around and make someone laugh, whether it’s at work or school. So I have a tendency to use a lot of humor my writing or focus on someone’s more humorous quotes rather than the more serious side of a conversation. I feel as though the world today is simply too serious and needs to lighten up and make it a little more enjoyable. Tell a joke or do something stupid to make someone smile, whether it’s for yourself or even better some complete stranger that you can make their day. Who knows maybe they will go tell their friends and family what happened and bring more joy.

I’m also people person, meaning that I love to interact and get to know you inside and out as fast as possible, it’s probably for that reason I’ve worked in sales my entire life. Finding out what someone needs and being able to solve that problem and know that they left in a good satisfied mood is always pleasing, especially if they remember you the next time they come back. The same thing can be handled by writing or reporting, you can influence how the people you reach react to the world, changing and shaping opinions and if they like yours and what it does for them, they’ll come back.

People in today’s society are less likely to drop what they have to just listen to someone. Whether it’s to hear them vent, listen to a problem and offer some advice, or just to find more about them. I myself love to talk, ask anyone one of my friends or family members about me and that’s going to be the first thing they mention without a doubt. Journalism seemed like the best way to voice my opinion, and interviewing someone is the best way to get to know them, interact with who they are and what they like, which will give me more experience.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

Swing through the economy: Baseball leagues grow in numbers

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

Story by JORDON CAHOON

Even with the economy struggling the past few years, Youth Baseball programs across the valley seem to not only be able to maintain their numbers, but in some cases grow.

The state of the economy in recent years is no secret to anyone. Companies have been cutting back. Those employees that are fortunate to keep their jobs are forced to do the same.

Jared Snell, Academy Sports‘ manager, said the economy really has not affected his store.

“In a down economy, parents are more willing to put their children in sports and buy the proper equipment, before buying an Xbox for the kids or something for themselves,” he said.

The number of participants in the Alta Canyon Babe Ruth League has increased from 2007 through 2010. There were 264 kids playing baseball at Alta Canyon in 2007, 312 in 2008, 328 in 2009 and 338 kids playing in 2010. Even though the league hasn’t had their sign-ups for the 2011 season yet, numbers are expected to be in the same ball park – if not slightly higher.

Todd Smith has been the president of the Alta Canyon Babe Ruth league for the past five years.

“I think the main reason we continue to grow through a down economy would be because by signing up for baseball, we are giving the kids something to do three to four days a week for four to five months, all for a fairly reasonable cost,” Smith said. “Between most teams practicing twice, having two and sometimes even three games a week, parents don’t have to worry about what their kids are doing.”

“Plus baseball is a sport that almost anyone can play, regardless of athletic ability,” Smith added.

Tony Wiseman has been involved with the Mount Olympus Pony Baseball League for nine years. He’s put his three boys through the league and is currently the league president. The Olympus Baseball has seen similar growth over the same time span. It has grown from 318 little sluggers in 2007, to 352 in 2008 and 364 children playing ball in both 2009 and 2010.

“It’s hard to say exactly, but we’re expecting to have close to 400 kids in 2011, hopefully more,” Wiseman said. “The biggest thing is just making sure the league runs smoothly and the kids are enjoying it. After that everything else finds a way to just take care of itself.”

Snell not only supplies the league with their equipment but coaches his sons team in the Alta Canyon league.

“The important thing to remember is that even though money is tight, to make sure that today’s youth still has every opportunity to take part in some type of activity,” Snell said. “Not only are sports a healthy way to pass the spare time, especially compared to playing the Xbox or Playstation, but by playing sports the kids build character and learn how to work together.”

Filed under: Sports & Recreation, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

Scott Wiseman

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

Over the course of the semester, I have taken journalism from an interest to a lifestyle. When I had learned that we would be writing about Utah’s economy, I was unenthusiastic and apathetic toward what the semester would bring.

After writing four in-depth articles dealing with the economic impact at the University of Utah, I have developed a greater sense for some of the monetary aspects of the campus. I learned specifically about budget development, where funding goes, how funding is raised and the impacts of the recession on departments. The information that I learned about the university was valuable, but the best benefits from the semester came from learning how to interact on campus, schedule interviews and develop connections on campus. The journalism experience that I received during the semester is invaluable.

During this semester, I have had many epiphanies about my career. I started a job working at the Daily Utah Chronicle which opened my eyes to the struggles and successes that accompany the life of a journalist. I’ve worked extremely hard this semester. Even though I am used to the requirements of school and my job, it is still sometimes a struggle to balance all of my responsibilities. I have heard a lot of rumors about journalism. Most of them turn out to be negative, as I hear that journalists do not make much money, have a difficult task and are getting laid off. Fortunately enough, I have had a rewarding experience at the Daily Utah Chronicle. This is something that I hope to continue with as I move on throughout my college career.

Overall, this semester has been a quite rewarding time to be a journalist. I believe that with perseverance, hard work and diligence, journalism will take me far.

ABOUT ME:

I grew up in a suburb of northeastern Pennsylvania, right on the Delaware River. Raised playing baseball and snowboarding in the Pocono Mountains, I relocated to Salt Lake City as soon as I graduated high school. Moving across the country by myself was by far the biggest change in my life, and I don’t regret any second of it.

At the time of this posting, I am a sophomore studying mass communication at the University of Utah. Currently, I am a news writer for The Daily Utah Chronicle, which is my first experience in a newsroom. It is a much more positive experience than my previous job, which included leaning over an extremely hot grill at a Philly Cheesesteak restaurant for hours on end.

Some of my career aspirations include finding a profession that lets me express my voice, preferably through writing. I would also enjoy being involved with a national media outlet

Outside of a career, I want to live in many different areas of the world. I desire to see the exotic sights that the world has to offer, as there are incredible amounts just waiting to be discovered.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

Students weigh cost of living on-campus

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photos by SCOTT WISEMAN

When students consider housing options, their choices are impacted by variables such as location, amenities, activities and opportunities to increase social circles. Above all, students face the challenge of balancing cost with all of the other options.

Students sit and relax inside the lobby of the Heritage Center.

Current plans for the 2011-2012 academic year expect to see yet another increase in cost for on-campus-housing. The cost for a standard double room will increase $162 per academic year, while the premium four bedroom apartments will increase $23 per month, according to the Housing and Residential Education website.

While Housing and Residential Education is receiving less student housing contract cancellations than the previous year, student applications to live on-campus for the upcoming academic year are increasing, said Scott Jensen, assistant director of Housing and Residential Education.

Even though costs of living on-campus are scheduled to increase, construction for a new student housing building is starting near the Annex building. Tentatively scheduled to open in 2012, this building will contain more than 320 rooms designated for the living-learning program hosted by the Honors College, Jensen said.

Living on-campus may be more expensive, but the benefits that come with it outweigh the monetary costs, Jensen said. Some of the benefits included with living on-campus are easy access to a campus shuttle, prepared meals for students, a convenient location and the security of resident assistants and campus security.

First year students make up 56 percent of all of the students living on-campus, while 19 percent of the entire freshman class resides on-campus, Jensen said.

“The college experience is much more than just reading books,” Jensen said. “Living on-campus offers a unique sense of community— it offers access to all that the university has to offer.”

In reaction to the high price of living on the University of Utah campus, some students have chosen to leave the campus in search of cheaper rent.

“I felt as if living in the dormitories was far too expensive,” said Steven Gonsalves, a former resident of Gateway Heights and a sophomore attending the University of Utah. “I was able to find a room at my fraternity house for only a fraction of the cost of living on-campus.”

While Gonsalves said he did not need many of the additional services provided by living on-campus, he did recommend first year students live on-campus.

“I believe that a first-year student would benefit greatly from the services such as the campus shuttle, mailroom and the prepared food at the Heritage Center,” Gonsalves said. “As a sophomore, I was searching for different aspects of college life, so it was not worth the price for me.”

Jensen said the most frequent reason for student cancellation of housing contracts is financial issues. Students also often cancel contracts due to the required meal plan associated with living on-campus.

When a student determines whether or not they want to live on-campus, the financial commitment is a large factor in the decision, said Jensen.

By living on-campus, students have the opportunity to become part of a community of friends who are living in the same location.

“Freshmen should definitely live their first year on-campus,” said Shawn Pfeuffer, a sophomore currently living in Sage Point. “I lived my first year off-campus and I felt really disconnected from the university. Also, there are plenty of easily accessible resources on-campus to help you with your schoolwork if you live on-campus.”

Students who live on-campus are more likely to achieve more academic success. Students living on-campus see a higher grade point average, as well as a higher return rate to the university than those living off-campus, Jensen said.

Financial aid and scholarships have also been made available to students living on-campus that are determined to fall under the category of need-based aid. Some of the on-campus housing scholarships offered include the Larry H. Miller, athletic and several offered through the honors college.

As far as students paying a higher rate to live in the on-campus community, there are people who feel that the extra benefits received from living on-campus outweigh the price.

“If someone is from out of state and has no previous connections to anyone here, it is definitely worth the extra cost of living,” Pfeuffer said. “You can meet great people every day. It’s a very social environment with many opportunities to make friends.”

Filed under: Education, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

Helen Cox

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

Most students would cringe if they were told they were going to spend their next semester writing about the current state of Utah’s economy. My feelings, of course, were no different.

After years of hard times and finally accepting the recession as normal, I had forgotten that every aspect of my life has been affected by the down economy. I realized I was being given the freedom to write about anything.

Recognizing my stories could be as exciting or as boring as I wanted to make them, I opted for a beat I would enjoy. I wanted to write about something I love, something I wanted to learn about from a new point of view. The answer for me, of course, was music.

I have been actively involved in Salt Lake City’s underground music scene for more than 13 years. As an avid supporter and musician, I’ve sold my soul for rock‘n’roll more times than the Devil could count ­– and I knew there were others out there with similar stories.

Over the past few months I have learned so much about the strains of our local music community. Every interviewee’s story has been inspiring, stirring and surprisingly positive. This is a community that struggles together, that overcomes together. It is truly remarkable.

My faith in Salt Lake City’s music community has been strengthened. I have never been more proud to be a part of the artistic endeavors of this city, and even more proud to have had the opportunity to share some really wonderful stories while strengthening my journalistic skills. I hope you enjoy the articles I have written as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

ABOUT ME:

Since childhood I’ve dreamed of being a career musician, but have always known a college degree would be a good back-up plan just in case, for some strange reason, my underground music never goes multi-platinum.

I have always chased creative dreams, so when it was time to attend college I was very confused by which major to choose. Computer science, gender studies and nursing were all considered. What was I thinking?

At age 19, I was promoted from my job in a mailing room to junior web designer of the same company. Multimedia was a hobby of mine at the time. Corporate found out, and I’m sure hiring me for nine dollars an hour was a great alternative to paying someone else a salary. The company eventually went under, but I quickly found another part-time job in graphic and web design. I finished my associate’s degree and decided to get my second in graphic design.

I finally knew what I wanted to do, but after graduation and because of a down economy, I could not find a job. I enjoyed my part-time position and the career I had started, but made the decision to quit and went back to the University of Utah full-time in 2010.

I am now a mass communication major at the University of Utah and will graduate in Spring 2012. To compliment my design and advertising background, I have chosen to focus on new media and journalism. I hope to get back to my creative career soon after graduation.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

Utah musicians sacrifice equipment for survival

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by HELEN COX

The current recession has several local musicians struggling to sing the blues about the hardships of everyday life – specifically the economic ones.

After saving for almost a year, Alex Jorgenson is able to play music with his own equipment again.

Music, often used as an emotional outlet during hard times, has taken a backseat to financial priorities for many locals in Salt Lake City. They are disgruntled about selling their musical equipment in order to pay the bills and put food on the table. But they are doing what they must to make ends meet.

“I traded my harmonica for a sandwich last week,” local musician Kelsey Perkins said.

It is a matter of survival, but most musicians agree the sales are worth it to keep food in the cupboards and collection agents off their backs. Regardless of the circumstances, it is very difficult to find a local musician in Salt Lake City who can get by without a day job and is not feeling the effects of the down economy.

Liam Hesselbein, of rock and roll bands Calico and The 321s, sold his Rhodes electric piano in April 2010 to make a necessary mortgage payment while he was unemployed.

“I was hoping to hold on to that piano forever, and I could really use it in at least one of my bands at the moment – but ultimately my mortgage came first,” Hesselbein said. “I was lucky to at least be able to sell it for what it was worth.”

Others have not been so lucky. It only takes a quick look into a pawn shop or on eBay or Craigslist to discover there are musicians who are trying to sell their musical equipment for only a fraction of what it is worth.

Matt Dinsdale, upright bassist of the Ugly Valley Boys, sold a guitar, a bass and an amplifier in order to get through the past holiday season. He explains they were all things he did not want to part with, but let them go because he didn’t use them often.

“I figured it was better to keep the bills paid than to have the security of backup equipment, even after having my upright bass take a fall and literally break its neck,” said Dinsdale, who has also played with rockabilly and country groups such as the Sleazetones and Kate LeDeuce.

Heavy metal musician Alex Jorgenson, best known for his guitar and vocal work with the Obliterate Plague and Terra Noir, is another Utahn who has learned about financial priorities the hard way. After being laid off in May 2010, he began working temporary jobs. The difference in income made supporting his family more difficult and he had to pawn his guitar speakers.

“I’ve had to sell a lot of gear,” Jorgenson said. “For the last two years I’ve been a father, and putting food on the table and a roof over our heads is a priority. It’s not just about me anymore.”

Thanks to the aid of his friends and peers, he has been able to borrow equipment – allowing him to continue playing music through difficult times. Jorgenson has been saving money for new speakers since he sold his previous ones nine months ago. Two weeks ago he was able to buy new ones.

Jorgenson remains hopeful for local musicians and the nightlife in Salt Lake City. Despite financial hardships, he has found that many musicians are willing to share and unite for the greater cause of the music.

Eric Elde, guitarist of Iconoclast Contra and Gravecode Nebula, disagrees with musicians who are selling their equipment regardless of financial difficulty.

“How can you call yourself a musician, songwriter or a performer if the means to do so and the tools of the trade are not of the utmost importance to you?” Elde asked.

Elde, who has played in several prominent black metal bands, cringes at the thought of selling his gear. He has gone to great lengths to personalize his own equipment and keep it through rough times, including unemployment.

“If you want to borrow people’s gear and not put any hard work into being a musician or songwriter or whatever, bar none, your music is going to suffer and most likely suck as a result,” he said.

While most musicians agree it is important to try to hold on to necessary equipment at all costs, it may be a while before Utah locals will be capable of doing so without having to sacrifice more important things.

“Utah’s minimum wage isn’t great,” Jorgenson said. “It gets really hard sometimes and you have to do whatever you can to get by.”

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

Whitney Butters

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

Utah’s economy? I was less than thrilled this would be the topic we would cover for the entire semester. When I first thought of the word “economy,” my mind automatically went from “business” to “money” and landed on “boring.” How on earth would I ever be able to write four stories about something I had no interest in and knew nothing about?

It wasn’t until Keriann led us in a group brainstorming session that I realized how rich of a topic it really was. We listed all the different aspects of life that the economy affects, and I began to see how pervasive of an issue it is. As is evident by the beats covered by my classmates, the economy influences everything from music and community sports to university students and sustainability. I suddenly began to see the human side of the economy behind the dismal numbers.

Even within my beat of women, the economy’s omnipresence is felt on multiple levels including education, employment, domestic abuse and the beauty industry.

This beat opened my eyes to the fact that Utah women are not sitting around helplessly letting the down economy take over — they are proactively taking matters in their own hands and doing something about the situation. Whether they are returning to school or taking on a second job, women are finding ways to rise above the struggle and do their best to create a better life for themselves and their families.

I was able to hear many inspiring stories as I looked through the lens of women in the economy. Each of my sources graciously allowed me a glimpse into their lives, and I wish I could have included in my stories all that these amazing women shared. I am grateful for the opportunity to interact with these compelling and strong women who added a much-needed human element to the topic of the economy.

This experience stretched and challenged me, which I believe has ultimately made me a better journalist. I learned to ask the hard questions and put myself out there because the worst I can get is a, “No.” Most importantly, my journalistic belief that everyone has a story to tell has been solidified. Whenever I get a story assignment from now on I will remember there is always a compelling story to be found, even in the “boring” topics.

ABOUT ME:

I will always remember the day I decided to be a journalist.

I was on a tour of the Deseret News building my junior year of high school. I remember listening to the journalists’ phone conversations and looking over the shoulders of the page designers — I was immediately fascinated. But what really hooked me was when I opened the paper the next day and saw what they had been working on, tangible, on the pages in my hand.

This experience has led me to the University of Utah, where I am pursuing a degree in mass communication with an emphasis in journalism and a minor in arts and technology. I am currently a junior and hope to graduate in spring 2012.

My journalistic philosophy is everyone has a story to tell. No matter who person is and where he or she comes from, everyone has an experience, if not multiple, that can interest others. As a journalist, I want to make it my job to find those stories somewhere beneath the surface.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

Utah women enroll in college despite economy

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by WHITNEY BUTTERS

Their stories appeared similar to those of many other Utah wives.

Heather Spurlock works with Chase Spencer on a group project during a communication research course. Spurlock returned to school after taking time off to raise her children and is studying interpersonal communication at the University of Utah.

In a state where women often marry and have children at a younger age compared to national averages, postponing a college education to raise their families seemed like the natural choice for Debi Gilmore, Heather Spurlock and Shelley Sorensen.

“What happens [in Utah] is you get married, and money is tight. The man is going to work first, so women think, ‘I will drop out of school and work and help him through,’ but the wife doesn’t get back,” Susan Madsen, associate professor at Utah Valley University and director of the Utah Women and Education Project (UWEP), explained.

And that’s where these women’s stories deviate from the norm: Gilmore, Spurlock and Sorensen made it back to school despite economic challenges.

According to the UWEP, a study designed to “understand and then motivate” women to go to college and graduate, the percentage of women in Utah seeking postsecondary education remained higher than the national average until 2001. In recent years, Utah has lagged behind. Nationally, more than 57 percent of those enrolled in college are women; in Utah, only 49 percent of postsecondary students are women. This difference puts Utah in last place among all other states.

Statistics show percentages of Utah women enrolled by age group hover close to national counterparts until about age 22. It is then that Utah’s percentage falls dramatically short.

While the UWEP found most women in the study who had dropped out of college believed they would return to obtain a degree “sometime in the future,” statistics show the majority of these women will never return.

Tuition costs are among the top reasons many women don’t return to school, especially when economic concerns cause more cautionary spending. But the cost doesn’t go unrewarded. Madsen stated many studies indicate college graduates not only have increased earning potential but they are also less likely to be laid off during economic downturn.

Gilmore, a graduate student studying marriage and family therapy at Brigham Young University, recognized the future monetary rewards of completing her degree.

“A woman with a degree becomes more marketable, and to me, every dollar spent on education is worth it and will eventually come back to bless me in the end,” she said.

She hopes the payback will become evident as she sets up a private practice to counsel families on how to deal with dysfunction in the home.

The thought of the end financial result convinced Spurlock, an interpersonal communication student at the University of Utah, to plunge into tuition costs.

“You can’t just think about now,” she said. “You have to think ahead to the long-term benefits.”

Despite the perception of benefits, the UWEP found many women don’t know how to approach the costs or know where to turn for economic and informational resources to help them return to school.

Several choose to pace their return to college with their ability to pay. Sorensen, a business management student at the Uintah Basin extension of Utah State University, takes a few online classes a semester.

“It’s too late in my life to go into debt for school,” she said. “That’s why I’m paying as I go. If down the road I have to slow up a little to do it, then I will.”

However, a wide variety of outside means are available to fund schooling. Some students such as Gilmore apply for scholarships through universities, while others, like Spurlock, apply for student loans.

The UWEP partnered with 2-1-1 Information and Referral to make information about such financial resources readily available to the public. The study provided databases so anyone can dial 2-1-1 for information or visit their website to access higher education resources and explore various alternatives.

While Gilmore, Spurlock and Sorensen pushed through the economic challenges and found ways to return to school, statistics show this is not usually the case. Madsen said going to college right after high school increases a woman’s likelihood of graduating.

Spurlock, however, believes taking the risk of possibly not completing her education was worth the opportunity to raise a family.

“I don’t regret being home at all,” she said. “Nothing else, money included, compared to that.”

Regardless of when it is obtained, Madsen believes education gives women long-lasting rewards.

“Sometimes we just need to do it, and education is one of those things that is just such a huge investment for the future,” she said, “whether the woman decides to work outside the home or not.”

Filed under: Education, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

Taiko, the heartbeat of Japan

Posted on December 5, 2010 by comm5775

Story and multimedia by Tauna Lynne Price

Watch Kenshin Taiko perform at Utah Valley University

 

The thunderous beat of a taiko drum echoes through the air. The pounding fills up the empty space in your lungs and consumes your body.

Taiko means “fat drum” in Japanese, according to a Web site dedicated to taiko resources. Tracking the Japanese taiko has proven extremely difficult. “The oldest physical evidence of taiko in Japan is a haniwa clay figure of a drummer that dates from the sixth or seventh century,” notes the Web site.

Taiko is a percussion instrument that performers strike with a pair of bachi. Drums have heads on both sides of the body. The heads, usually made from circles of rawhide, are soaked and stretched at least twice to ensure that the heads are properly shaped and that the tension is uniform on all “sides” of the drum.

Shinto, an ancient Japanese religion, had this mindset when making the taiko. “Because we are taking the life of a cow, we have to reconcile with that spirit and understand we also will be communing with that spirit and then with the tree itself,” said Matthew Stevens, a member of the Salt Lake City group Kenshin Taiko. “We are bringing in nature to make music with us, it is to be celebrated.”

After the tree is cut, a 10-year process begins for one drum to be made. The tree is hollowed out, allowing for the manufacturer to make several drums from one tree trunk. Stevens said the wood must be dried carefully and gradually.

Taiko is used in religious, ceremonial and festival performances. These lines have all assisted taiko in continuing to branch out. Taiko has made its way to America, forming its own legitimate branch on the tree, Stevens said.

It’s not just the beating of a drum; there is a therapeutic connection to the taiko. “And then you spend a moment … with taiko and when you go back, you might find that those problems don’t seem so weighty anymore,” said Stevens, who accesses culture through taiko, helping with the two-way conversation of American taiko and Japanese taiko.

Besides positive therapy results, the taiko also has a very religious connection. Taiko has a spiritual element, which gives many players the feeling of being closer to God. The Japanese Christians share their faith many ways, especially through taiko, said Gordy King, a member of Kenshin Taiko.

Taiko initially was used to define the limits of a village. A villager would beat a drum and runners would go out to the edge of the sound, and that was the limits of the village. People who heard the sound of the drum were part of the village. “We kind of incorporate that in our church,” King said. “We play at the Japanese Church of Christ. When the sound resonates and outsiders hear us play, we are inviting them into our family. If you’ve heard the sound of our drum, then you are part of our family now and you’re welcome to come,” King said. “Our small eclectic group has all different kinds of faiths and races.”

He added: “It’s not just about doing things on stage, it’s about being a community that enjoys making something beautiful together and that’s something really amazing, to create something wonderful for people.”

Taiko introduces musicianship. “Being involved in taiko, [it] very quickly and wonderfully sucked me into a very deep and compelling thread and vein of people,” Matthew Stevens said. “This is a visceral enjoyable fun thing. It’s great to see people look at it from the outside, look at it as shades of impossible, then you find yourself sucked into performing.”

Kim Correa, an active member of Kenshin Taiko, said, “I first saw Taiko performed at a Japanese Village in California when I was a child.”

During the summer of 2009, Correa took her kids to a Kenshin Taiko performance at Red Butte Garden’s Family Night. She found the taiko presentation amazing. Her children, ages 7 and 9, along with other children from the audience swarmed the stage. The performers allowed the children to play the drums. The kids loved it, Correa recalled.

Correa struck up a conversation with Ron Boisvert, a member of Kenshin Taiko. He encouraged her to take advantage of the free lessons the group offers on Mondays and Fridays. The following Monday, she and her children went to the Japanese Church of Christ, Correa said.

“I wasn’t the only person to bring kids along, and although my kids didn’t take an interest in drumming, they made new friends and enjoy playing in the courtyard and sometimes helping out in the kitchen,” Correa said.

She had previous experience on a western drum kit, but she found taiko completely different.

“I fell in love with drumming right away,” Correa said. “I learned songs and rehearsed for a couple of months, then the group, especially Laura Olson, encouraged me to do my first performance.”

Correa made the International Gardens Peace Festival in the summer of 2009 her first stage appearance. Despite her nerves, she completed two songs and had a profound experience.

Correa said taiko became an amazing way to connect with people, feed her artistic side and acquire friendships among a diverse group of people. With any group, there is conflict. However, the Kenshin performers work through their issues, and that has helped Correa strive as an individual.

“We build lasting relationships because not only do we rehearse twice a week and perform often, but we also do group activities like going out to eat, celebrating birthdays, going to plays and local festivals and more,” Correa said.

The appeal, the broad spectrum, use and the charm of Taiko, is wonderful for many different reasons, Matthew Stevens said.

“First, you have a form of music and it comes with all the things that music comes with. Expression, composition, it’s a form of tradition, so you can tap into that long tradition and continue to grow that tradition forward,” Stevens said.

Culture and communication also are important, he said.

“Last is the friendship, a social aspect, you come together as a team, you have social interaction with a very strong tie and almost a very, obviously, physical level and mental level, it reverberates very deeply. You can feel it,” Stevens said.

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Asian American | Leave a comment »

TOP member says he will be a gangster for life

Posted on December 5, 2010 by comm5775


This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Story and multimedia by KENDRA WILMARTH

According to the U.S. Census, the population of Salt Lake is roughly 180,000 people. As with any metropolitan city comes a variety of people. With such diversity, large cities like Salt Lake all face a similar problem, gang control.

Gangs first became recognized in Utah as a problem in the early 1990s. Around 3,000 documented gang members are in the Salt Lake Valley, as reported by the Salt Lake Metro Gang Unit. For the past 20 years this unit has been working to minimize gang activity.

The SLMGU devised the Salt Lake Area Gang Project. The Project is composed of police chiefs and administrative personnel from agencies that participate in the project. It was designed to identify, control and prevent criminal activity. The Project also provides youth with alternatives to gang life and helps to educate communities about the destructiveness of the gang lifestyle.

“If someone said, ‘Hey you know what … don’t worry about school the rest of your life, let’s party, have sex, do drugs,’ what kid wouldn’t join a gang as a 16-year-old kid?” said Rick Simonelli, a detective in the Salt Lake Metro Gang Unit. “They think it’s pretty cool and start hanging around the older kids and they’re drinking, they get to hold a gun and they’ve never held a gun before and they think they’re pretty cool and macho.”

Simonelli has been working for the past six years to help solve the gang situation.

He says Utah has around 25 well-known gangs on the streets right now. Tiny Oriental Posse, or TOP, is one of these gangs. This gang can only be found in Utah and is known as one of the state’s most violent gangs. TOP has been operating primarily out of West Valley City, where most of the members are located in Lake Park, a lower-income apartment complex.

TOP is a Southeast Asian street gang with members of Laotian or Cambodian descent. In 2009, the “big guys,” as Simonelli refers to them, were put in jail under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. In summary, the RICO Act prosecutes offenders in the federal court with the same act they were charged with in state courts. This means their time is doubled and the offenders are sent to federal jails throughout the nation.

“Since the RICO, it’s been pretty quiet because the majority of them have been locked up,” Simonelli said. “There’s only been one shooting done by TOP that we know of for the past couple years.”

Although the gang may not be at large, one member from the Salt Lake area says he will be a TOP gangster for life. D, who asked not to be identified, comes from a moderately wealthy Cambodian family. After his father disappeared and left his family in 2008, D, now 18, moved to Utah with his mother from Southern California.

Within a few weeks of being in Utah he was approached by a group of kids. With one question — “Do you party?” — and a simple “Yes,” D’s life changed significantly. D spent the next couple of months getting drunk after school and skipping classes to get high with his new circle of friends.

“My friends and I went to a party in Salt Lake one weekend. I was pretty drunk and got in a fight with some kid. The next thing I knew I woke up in another house with a bloody mouth,” D said in a phone interview.

D was abandoned by his friends at the party. He woke up a few hours after the fight on an unfamiliar couch. The couch was owned by a 21-year-old attendee of the party who introduced him to the TOP gang.

“I knew we’d be close after that morning,” D said. “ He showed me a new kind of family, people I could trust. I’d do anything for them and they’d do the same for me. We’re not blood, but we’re family.”

D took the UTA bus line to Salt Lake every day after school for the next five months. After being kicked out of his mom’s house, he dropped out of school and moved south from Woods Cross to Salt Lake.

Within months D officially joined the TOP gang. He said carrying around a gun for the first time felt comfortable and made him feel more secure.

“I used to go shooting with my dad, so I knew what I was doing with a gun,” D said.“ I never carried one around though, but I knew I needed it for protection.”

D said most members in TOP own guns, carry guns or at least know where to find a gun if they find themselves in trouble. But how are gang members getting their hands on guns? Simonelli says the Internet makes it easy.

“A lot of them get their guns off of KSL.com,” Simonelli said. “ People buy them easier off the Internet because they don’t have to go through a dealer and fill out paperwork. By federal law sellers off of sites like KSL.com aren’t responsible for who they sell their gun to, but a gun dealer is.”

Now, D’s gun is a crucial part of his life. After his first encounter with a drive-by shooting he says he will never let his gun leave his side. Gangs are well-known for this type of criminal activity. Simonelli said they use this tactic to gain power.

“That’s why they do these shootings and assaults. They want people to fear their gang,” Simonelli said. “That’s how they earn their respect.”

TOP is known for crimes like robberies, aggravated assaults and drive-by shootings. These crimes mainly transpire between gang rivalry. Members of TOP are rivals with another Asian gang called the Oriental Laotian Gang, or OLG. It’s a war between white and blue. TOP members distinguish themselves with white bandanas while their enemy is dressed in blue.

“All those gangs, even though they’re Asian they still fight each other,” Simonelli said.

Members of gangs also get tattoos as a symbol of their loyalty. A popular one among Asian gangs is the dragon tattoo. “It shows a part of their heritage and for them it’s like a sense of power,” Simonelli said.

TOP currently has only about 25 to 30 members, so it is not considered active by the police. However, Simonelli said Asian gangs are harder to track down and operate somewhat differently than most gangs.

“Asian kids won’t snitch on each other,” he said. “ They stay tight with their own and Asians really stay together as compared to other races.”

Kenny Dorrell is the director of Project 180, a prevention and intervention program designed to help kids stay away from gangs. Dorrell said in a phone interview that members of TOP also tend to be more structured. This organization helps them to stay out of jail and off of police’s radar.

Simonelli said although TOP isn’t at large right now, it’s important not to discount them as a violent gang.

“You’ll see the generationals in the gang. It will be really quiet and low-key in the gang one year and then a few years later there will be a few kids that pop up and now the gang is committing all sorts of crimes and becoming active again,” Simonelli said.

While D won’t mention any of the activities TOP is currently involved in, he says TOP is “unstoppable.” D claims he has found a true family on the streets and his loyalty won’t ever die, even if that means taking his own life in the name of TOP.

“I’d give my own blood for my family,” D said. “That’s what we do.”

Filed under: Asian American | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

« Previous Page — Next Page »