Utah
A student orchestra experience rooted in rural Utah is here to ‘bring the music’
Wayne County is nearly 2,500 square miles of alpine peaks, green farm fields and red rock deserts in south-central Utah. The scenery is plentiful, but people are not — especially if you’re looking for orchestra kids.
“There’s probably three or four people that play violin, and we all have to drive down to Torrey to go to the same teacher,” 11-year-old violin student Journee Pace said of her hometown of Lyman.
These kids come from very small towns. Lyman and Torrey have around 200 residents each, and unlike many urban or suburban school districts, Wayne County doesn’t offer an orchestra program.
That’s why, for kids like Pace, getting to take part in a one-day youth strings workshop in their backyard is a big deal. Two dozen students came together at the county community center in Bicknell, population 323, to learn from world-class symphony musicians from as far away as England and Germany.
“They’re professional violin players, and just seeing how far they went makes me want to do it, too,” Pace said.
Opening small-town kids’ eyes to those types of big dreams matters, said the county’s only local strings instructor, Lynsey Shelar. She started to teach private lessons in 2011, and her Sleeping Rainbow School of Music now has 12 students from all over the county.
“The best part for me is when I see my own students … to see that ‘A-Ha’ moment on their face,” Shelar said. “This is what music is about.”
The workshop is part of the Torrey Chamber Music Festival, which has used donations and grant money to host similar classes and camps for strings students since 2017. Even though the kids may not grow up to play in a symphony, the lessons they learn now about connecting with themselves and with others can have far-reaching ripple effects.
“Music is about playing with emotion and expressing and having that ability to communicate beyond words,” Shelar said. “So if we can get kids to feel that, we are building empathy in our communities — and compassion. I feel like we need a lot of that right now.”
There are plenty of barriers when it comes to picking up strings in rural areas like Wayne County, she said. First, there’s often a lack of exposure to these instruments and this type of music.
Geographic isolation plays a factor, too. The nearest music store that sells, rents or repairs string instruments is a 2.5-hour drive away, Shelar said. There are also financial barriers. Students often borrow their first violin or cello from school to try it out, but Wayne County’s district doesn’t give them that option.
Even for those who can get the right equipment and learn to play, there aren’t many chances to perform as a group, which Shelar said is vital for keeping kids engaged and helping them see the progress they’ve made.
“They love playing together,” Shelar said. “It’s exciting to see the light in their faces.”
Viola student Brigette Winters from the nearby town of Loa, population 595, agreed isolation can be a downside of learning these instruments in a community where there aren’t many other people your age who play. But that also makes the rare occasions when they come together all the more special.
“Sometimes I think it’d be nice to go out and be with people who are really good to help push me, but I really enjoy doing it here,” Winters said. “It’s just fun to think, ‘Oh, this small town that has not much of anything has a pretty awesome orchestra group.’”
The challenges strings students in Wayne County face can be seen statewide. Utah State Board of Education Fine Arts Coordinator Laurie Baefsky said small-town schools deal with several obstacles when it comes to adding string music programs.
First, there’s a lack of orchestra instructors broadly. The typically smaller salaries for teachers in small towns also make it harder to keep them in those positions for the long term.
“We’re very aware, statewide, of a teacher shortage, and that is not exclusive to rural areas. Although we see it more acutely in the rural areas.”
Demand for music education in small towns is not the problem, she said. As a matter of percentage, participation in the secondary school band in Wayne County outpaces that of much more populous Salt Lake City or Utah County. The smaller tax bases in sparsely populated places, however, can make ongoing funding for extra programs hard to come by.
“If something gets cut, are they going to cut the football team or the strings program?” Baefsky said. “So I think there’s a sense of insecurity with our arts educators in Utah, where we always have to make a case for the arts.”
This can be especially challenging, she said, because some small-town residents may not see the value of teaching kids an instrument when the local economy is based on something different.
While each elementary school in the Salt Lake City School District has a dedicated music education specialist, Wayne County only has one fine arts teacher — the local strings instructor, Shelar. In that role, she splits her time between music and visual art and doesn’t teach strings at all.
Festival Chair Ada Mae Crouse, who grew up in a musical family, said passing these opportunities on to the next generation — as well as making classical music more accessible to the public — is central to the workshop’s mission.
“We wanted to not just bring the music, but also bring people together with music.”
The workshop culminates in a concert where the students perform side-by-side with the professionals. The setlist featured the kids on seven songs, including classical mainstays like “Ode to Joy” and the “William Tell Overture.” The students even requested “How Far I’ll Go” from the Disney movie Moana and the workshop had it arranged especially for their skill levels.
In the community center lobby, 9-year-old violinists Seffie Fullerton and Bethany Wing ran through William Tell’s opening bars.
“I’m nervous because I get stage fright a lot, and my mom usually puts it on video,” Fullerton said, “and it gets me super nervous.”
Fullerton made a few attempts but still couldn’t quite land the melody’s progression — adding frustration to her nerves. Fortunately, she’s learned that the instrument she’s holding can help.
“When I’m sad and I play it — like, yesterday, I got super sad … so I played the violin — and it helped me. If I’m angry, I can play it, and it will make me calm.”
Another of Shelar’s students from Lyman, 11-year-old Cru Peterson, felt a common mixture of excitement and nerves. Getting to sit next to a professional cellist, however, helped him remember why he was there.
“I just want to play cello as long as I can,” Peterson said. “I love it.”
As families crowded the community center’s main room for the performance, Keri Pace watched her daughter, Journee, in the violin section.
“It’s amazing to see it all come together,” she said. “I mean, people that are as talented as you’ll find anywhere in the world are here playing with them in Bicknell at a community center. It’s amazing.”
This one workshop and concert may not be able to erase all the geographic barriers these students face. But it can help them feel less alone, Shelar said, and give them a chance to perform together, which is vital to helping them build confidence.
“For me, to see them in this setting where they get to take the stage and they get to be first chair of their section, and they get to lead the entire orchestra for starting the piece — that is a really big deal. … It brings tears to my eyes.”
So at least for a few hours in this community center, the string students of Wayne County got to feel what it’s like to be a real orchestra.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Environmental Protection Agency awarded Utah and Salt Lake County a total of $3.5 million in grants to assess potentially polluted properties for eventual cleanup and redevelopment.
The agency announced a $2 million grant to Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality and $1.5 million to Salt Lake County to conduct environmental assessments and inventory brownfield sites for cleanup. Brownfields are sites that may be difficult to redevelop or expand because of “the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant,” according to the agency.
“These brownfields grants will help Utah communities clean up contaminated sites and unlock opportunities for redevelopment and investment,” EPA Regional Administrator Cyrus Western said in a news release announcing the grants earlier this week. “By transforming underused properties into community assets, EPA is helping create healthier neighborhoods and stronger local economies.”
The two grants awarded to Utah and Salt Lake County are among more than $248 million awarded to nearly 200 communities nationwide for brownfield assessment and cleanup. Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality plans to focus the resources on several areas in Ogden, Heber City and Fillmore, among others, according to Bill Rees, who leads Utah’s brownfield cleanup program.
“What we do is work to secure the funding and then begin to reach out to our communities across the state, say, ‘Listen, there’s opportunity to do some assessment work in your community if you’re interested,’ and then work with our rural partners, work with our urban partners to see if there are sites that will fit that bill,” he told KSL.
The state has received similar grants in the past, and Rees said the money can help local governments determine what to do with ailing properties such as old schools, hospitals or private property that have gone to waste.
“Is there asbestos in it, or is there hazardous material in it? Or could there be something that’s impacting the soil or the groundwater, and a policymaker needs to make a decision?” asked Rees. “Knowledge allows you to make good decisions.”
The $1.5 million awarded to Salt Lake County is the largest brownfields assessment grant the county has ever received, according to a county press release.
“This grant is a real win for our communities,” said Mayor Jenny Wilson. “This funding will let us do vital environmental work on a larger scale and in more neighborhoods. It reflects exactly the kind of partnership between local and federal government that gets results for residents.”
The county grant funds will be used to help create cleanup plans in three areas, including a vehicle storage yard in Salt Lake City’s Ballpark Neighborhood, a 4.26-acre vacant lot in Millcreek and a small commercial building in Magna that was damaged during an earthquake in March 2020, according to the EPA.
Contributing: Don Brinkherhoff
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City issued red flag warning Friday morning as emergency workers continued to battle one of the state’s largest wildfires in its history.
The red flag warning, issued when critical fire warnings are occurring or imminent, was to be in place through midnight Saturday.
“This is the FIRST Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning issued in NWS Salt Lake City history. This is an exceptionally rare event,” the federal agency said in its warning.
A map of the area under the warning covered much of central and southwest Utah, with an area of the southwest, central and southern mountains also outlined as “particularly dangerous red flag.”
The particularly dangerous area includes the Cottonwood Fire, near the town of Beaver, which started Monday and had grown to covering almost nearly 71,000 acres by Thursday, 15 News reported. The fire forced evacuations.
The NWS warned that gusty winds and dry conditions would lead to rapid fire growth.
Utah also was dealing with the Iron Fire, which started June 19, and nearly destroyed the town of Eureka. The fire was about 27% contained Friday morning.
The fire danger led Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to issue executive order restricting fireworks statewide during the July 4 holiday, which marks the nation’s 250th birthday this year. The ban is in effect through July 5.
“Nothing about this decision was easy,” Cox said in a statement issued by his office Thursday.
“This is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent memory. We’re seeing fires spread farther and faster under conditions that defy historical expectations” Jamie Barnes, Utah state forester and director of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, added in the statement.
Cox allowed cities and local communities to set aside areas where fireworks could be safely used. The city of Provo announced it would enforce a citywide prohibition on fireworks and would not designate a safe area for fireworks.
“This year is different,” Provo Mayor Marsha Judkins said in a statement. “The wildfire danger facing our community is real, and protecting lives, homes, and our natural spaces must come first.”
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Earlier this month, 2News Investigates brought you a former inmate’s federal lawsuit alleging Utah Department of Corrections leaders failed to address reports of alleged sexual assault by correctional officers. Now, 2News Investigates examines another key claim in that lawsuit.
MORE: Federal lawsuit alleges Utah prison leaders covered up guards’ sexual assaults on inmates
The lawsuit alleges a mass cross-gender strip-search operation – women being viewed by men was intended to further silence female inmates.
Federal law generally prohibits cross-gender strip searches of female inmates except during emergencies or when conducted by medical personnel. UDC says that during body-search procedures, male correctional officers are not allowed in the immediate area and inmate privacy is maintained. Former inmates say that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Three former inmates agreed to speak with 2News Investigates but asked that their identities not be revealed.
“It was very traumatic.”
According to the lawsuit, on May 13, 2025, UDC carried out a large-scale operation known as a “reset” in women’s housing units at the Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) in Salt Lake City.
Wendy: “They call it a reset. What do you call it?”
“A violation.”
“It’s like a rape.”
The lawsuit alleges UDC Deputy Warden Derick Zorn and Warden Sharon D’Amico directed the operation, along with more than a dozen members of the Critical Incident Response Team, or CIRT.
According to the plaintiffs, officers stormed dormitories, shouted profanities, and issued conflicting commands.
The women say and the lawsuit states they were ordered to pack their belongings into totes and change into state-issued uniforms in front of male CIRT officers. They were then marched to the Emerald Building for processing.
“It felt almost like we were at a concentration camp.”
The lawsuit alleges the women were required to undergo body scans and then strip completely naked. Plaintiffs claim they were ordered to lift their breasts, spread their buttocks, and cough while visible to male staff.
Women who were menstruating allegedly were instructed to remove menstrual products in full view of others.
“Just use one hand to remove it. Hold it up in front of you.”
“I felt really small and worthless.”
The lawsuit alleges some women were forced to hold soiled menstrual pads while performing physical maneuvers.
“I just did what I was told. I just wanted to get it over with.”
The plaintiffs also claim they were required to sit on toilets or squat to provide urine samples while completely naked and visible to male officers.
“It was humiliating. It was degrading.”
The lawsuit further alleges cell doors were left open, exposing naked women to other inmates and male staff.
An overhead observation booth with reflective glass overlooked the strip-search area. Plaintiffs say they observed movement inside and believed they were being watched from above.
The lawsuit alleges the female inmates were being watched from above during a mass strip search on May 13, 2025
“I could see in the overhead, the two-way mirror. There were multiple men walking around up there who had direct vision inside those cells.”
The lawsuit alleges Captain Jared Beers and Lieutenant Matthew Coombs were inside the booth and that Deputy Warden Derick Zorn observed women in various states of undress.
“I made eye contact with Officer Arroyo, and I also saw Deputy Zorn.”
“I knew if I could see the male officers, they could see me.”
One former inmate described the experience as state-sanctioned sexual violence.
“When that happens, and you’ve gone through the same kind of thing as a child, it’s very traumatic.”
The lawsuit alleges Warden D’Amico knew male officers were viewing naked female inmates and “ratified, condoned, and failed to stop it.”
An allegation in the lawsuit filed on May 15, 2026
“You’re pretty much a hostage.”
UDC Executive Director Jared Garcia declined repeated requests for an on-camera interview. A letter sent said:
“During the body search process in female living areas, male correctional officers are not allowed in the immediate area, and privacy is maintained. In general, resets are conducted routinely, according to UDC policy and under strict protocols designed to ensure safety while also preserving the privacy and dignity of incarcerated individuals.”
“The manner matters.”
Walter Mason represents the plaintiffs.
He told 2News Investigates, “The law protects inmates from being exposed to members of the opposite sex viewing their naked bodies unless there’s an emergency. Unless there’s what the law calls an exigent circumstance, the prison can take necessary actions to protect safety. There was no emergency. There was no exigency.”
UDC says the reset involved approximately 150 trained staff members and was conducted according to department policy.
UDC’s letter goes on to say:
“Every effort was made to treat belongings with care and document confiscated items appropriately. UDC stands by our methods and policies, which are intended to maintain the highest standards of integrity, safety, and efficiency during the reset process.”
Written response from the Utah Department of Corrections regarding 2News investigations
I asked UDC whether any exigent circumstances existed on May 13, 2025, during the reset operation.
The response:
“No exigent circumstances occurred on May 13, 2025.”
I also requested information about what items were confiscated. UDC said it could not provide a specific list.
Response to questions posed by 2News Investigates to UDC regarding mass strip search and if exigent circumstances existed that day
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and accuses the defendants, all supervisors, of participating in a “coordinated effort to humiliate, mock, and psychologically degrade the plaintiffs … operating with a brazen and intentional disregard for clearly established law, fueled by an institutional custom of impunity.”
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