A KPCW journalist will sign off late in 2026, ending a 36-year run with the public radio station.

Leslie Thatcher, the senior news director, announced the retirement on air Monday morning. She started at the radio station in 1990 and has lived in the area since 1980. Thatcher resides in Prospector.

The radio station said in a statement that Thatcher is the last remaining person on staff whom the late Blaire Feulner, the station founder, hired.

Thatcher said in her on-air announcement that she has “enormous gratitude for the people who have trusted me with their stories” and said she is confident that “talented, young reporters will carry forward the important work of the station.”

Thatcher declined an interview request and said she may consider granting one at the time of her retirement in December.

The radio station said Thatcher is expected to remain the host of the “Local News Hour” during the rest of her time at KPCW. A celebration is planned later in 2026.

Bob Richer, a former chair of the KPCW board of trustees, praised Thatcher’s work. He is a former member of the Park City Council and the Summit County Commission. As an elected official, he was regularly interviewed by Thatcher.

“Most importantly, she’s been a part of our community, and she’s contributed in many ways to making Park City and Summit County a better, more informed place to live, work and play,” Richer said in a prepared statement.

KPCW Executive Director and CEO Juliana Allely described Thatcher’s role in building the radio station’s reputation.

“I think part of why KPCW is so trusted is it’s a voice, a real live human you are hearing in the moment, asking the tough, insightful questions of our elected leaders and community nonprofits,” Allely’s statement said. “That voice has been Leslie.”

Allely added thanks to Thatcher: “You’ve been waking up the Wasatch Back for nearly two decades, telling us the weather and traffic before many of us have finished our first cup of coffee. You’ve warned us about construction, icy roads and animal crossings as we made our way to work, school drop off or the mountain. You’ve grilled countless elected officials, elevated the work of our many community nonprofits and engaged with interesting and accomplished athletes, authors, filmmakers, and the everyday person who has a captivating story to tell. Your curiosity, professionalism and deep knowledge of the Wasatch Back are woven into the fabric of KPCW. We thank you for all you have done for KPCW and this great community.”

The 36-year tenure of Thatcher paralleled an extraordinary era of news in Park City, running through the boom years of the 1990s, the 2002 Winter Olympic era, the Great Recession and the pandemic. The KPCW statement said Thatcher began at a time “when the newsroom relied on a rotary phone and an electric typewriter.”

KPCW said it will soon begin a search for Thatcher’s successor as host of the “Local News Hour.”

The post Longtime KPCW journalist will sign off late in 2026 appeared first on Park Record.

Park City leaders this week are slated to hold a discussion about municipal housing efforts, but it does not appear they will delve into the details of potential future developments.

Mayor Ryan Dickey and the Park City Council are scheduled to spend 90 minutes on the topic on Thursday. They are not poised to make decisions about income-restricted projects or policies and instead are expected to address housing at a broad level. Municipal staffers anticipate the discussion as one in an upcoming series of talks about housing.

The elected officials, collectively, are seen as supporting the overall municipal housing work, but the upcoming discussions could highlight their individual wishes.

The meeting on Thursday is not designed as a review of possible developments or project locations. That level of detail could be addressed later, depending on whether the elected officials want to pursue further work.

“These sessions will provide an opportunity for Council to discuss housing goals, priorities for current and future development opportunities, policy strategies, and other tools the City may consider as it evaluates the future of workforce housing in Park City,” a municipal report drafted in anticipation of the meeting says.

There has been widespread community interest over the decades in the issue of potential locations for municipal housing projects. Two current possibilities — Bonanza Park acreage and Clark Ranch close to the S.R. 248 entryway — have drawn attention and spurred organized opposition.

Although the meeting on Thursday will apparently not cover specific locations, that discussion, if it occurs, will likely be closely watched by Parkites. The talks at that point could involve potential development numbers and specific housing categories. That level of detail oftentimes draws scrutiny from people living in nearby neighborhoods and elsewhere.

The meeting comes a little more than two months after City Councilor Molly Miller made a public statement in support of the housing efforts in July and requested officials review municipal land for housing potential. Her statement did not prompt the plans for the discussion on Wednesday, but Miller’s comments were some of the most notable from an elected official in recent months about housing.

In July, Miller also spoke about what she sees as a need for housing, covered municipal housing goals and said there is little vacancy in the community’s income-restricted units. She said at the time there had been a previous evaluation of housing potential on municipal land, but there was neighborhood opposition. Miller sought a “review of those publicly owned parcels for those potential developments.” She also desired a review of short-term rental policies in the context of housing affordability.

On Tuesday, Miller said she plans to eventually request staffers create a map showing municipal-owned parcels of land that have been reviewed in the past for housing but where developments did not move forward. She also wants the map to include potential future housing locations.

The discussion on Thursday is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. at the Marsac Building. It will also be broadcast on the municipal website, parkcity.gov. The direct link to the meeting materials is: parkcityut.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3730/overview.

Park City leaders have long pressed for housing as they attempt to create opportunities for those otherwise priced out of the city’s resort-driven real estate and rental markets. Supporters see income-restricted housing as benefiting the community, increasing socioeconomic diversity and reducing commuter traffic. Opponents oftentimes worry about increased traffic on roads near developments and the loss of open space as land is developed.

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A Park City Police Department K-9 was transported to an emergency veterinary hospital in Salt Lake City on Tuesday morning after he jumped off the freeway overpass during an investigation into a suspicious package on Interstate 80.

The K-9, named Bruno, sustained “serious injuries,” according to a statement from the department.

“Bruno is more than a police K-9 — he is a partner, a member of our department and an important part of the Park City Police family,” the Police Department statement said. “Our thoughts are with Bruno and his handler as he receives the care he needs.”

The Police Department thanked medical personnel on scene, Life Flight, the Utah Highway Patrol, “and everyone who stepped in to help” assist Bruno after the accident.

“We know our community cares deeply about Bruno, and we will share additional information about his condition when we are able,” the statement said.

The Utah Highway Patrol closed portions of I-80 and U.S. 40 because of a “suspicious item,” which led to a lengthy morning commute for those traveling in the Snyderville Basin.

As of 10:45 a.m., Sgt. Skyler Talbot with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said the suspicious item, which appeared to be a battery for an e-bike, was cleared and “is no longer a concern.” The roads have since reopened.

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Coming February 2027, Utah World Fashion Week will head back to the mountains of Park City for multiple days of programming.

The group, which first hosted a Park City show in February 2025, will lay out the runway for a second time Feb. 24-26.

Utah World Fashion Week was founded by Venezuelan designer Carolina De Rei. Her daughter, Nahomi Rei, and daughter-in-law, Stefany De Rei, later joined her.

“This is really a family business,” said Stefany. “It started with my mother-in-law. She has almost 40 years of experience from Venezuela, and she’s a fashion designer.”

Nahomi has spent most of her career as a model and joined the group as the general producer, in charge of runways, models, designers and open calls. Stefany, who actually studied law to become a lawyer, is now the general manager, admitting that the fashion industry is a lot more “fun.”

As an organization, Utah World Fashion Week’s mission is to bring awareness to Utah designers.

“Utah has an incredible amount of talent that often doesn’t have the spaces or platforms to be showcased at the level it deserves,” said Carolina. “We wanted to create that stage: a place where emerging and established designers can share the runway, where children can also have their moment, and where the community, models, photographers, influencers and ambassadors can come together around local fashion.”

The larger goal is to make Utah a “true point on the fashion map,” she said, alongside more familiar cities like New York City, Paris and Milan.

Stefany said the first time the trio was in New York working with another brand during fashion week, hardly anyone knew where Utah was, which is the problem they’re now working to solve.

“We said, ‘Oh, we are from Utah,’ and everyone was like, ‘Where? Where is that?’” she remembered. “Utah is not just the Salt Flats. It’s not just the state parks. We have more. We have talent. We have very good designers here.”

Early on, the group decided to work with up-and-coming designers studying in the state’s university programs: the fashion institute at Salt Lake Community College and the fashion association at Brigham Young University. They also connected with the fashion institute at BYU Idaho across the state line.

Then, they created a twice-a-year Utah fashion week event, one in August and the other in February.

“We do this without charging anything to designers or models,” said Stefany. “When you are starting a business or when you are starting anything, you need someone to support you.”

It took a while to catch on, and the first runway only had five designers, Stefany said. But at their most recent August event, that number grew to 25 different designers, with collections ranging from accessories and bags to jackets, bridal gowns, streetwear and swimwear.

The three said the decision to host an event in Park City in addition to a Salt Lake City event is because of the town’s appreciation for luxury and its open-minded clients.

“We’re very excited to return to Park City because it is a place that perfectly combines fashion, creativity and an audience that has always valued art and its many forms of expression,” said Nahomi. 

Stefany said the Utah World Fashion Week events are more than just runways, something Park City embraced last time.

“We are not just fashion. So we believe that everyone needs to be involved in this to make Utah bigger as a platform,” she said. “It’s not just designers or models or clothes. It’s tourism. It’s hospitality. It’s restaurants.”

The event will start with a meet and greet where attendees can mingle with designers and models, followed by three days of runways, featuring eight or nine designers per day. While most fashion weeks preview the coming fall/winter or spring/summer seasons, Stefany said Utah World Fashion Week prefers to have a mix.

“We don’t try to be too seasonal,” she said. “It depends on what the designer has ready in their collections and what they would love to showcase right now. We are not too strict.”

Carolina said they also want a mix of styles, established names and emerging artists. As a designer herself, she said the group looks for the best storytellers within Utah’s talent.

“For me, a good designer is someone who can make their identity felt in every garment without losing coherence throughout the collection,” she said. “I also value discipline and commitment. The designers who understand that a runway is not simply about showing designs, but about representing a serious process and body of work behind them, are the ones who truly stand out.”

Nahomi said over the years they’ve had memorable participants, like Merche Lopez, who’s created collections inspired by the Wild West, cowboys and her Colombian roots. Heather Scott’s work has incorporated flowers, nature and fairy tales, while Ruston repurposed vintage fabrics into new pieces.

“Every designer who has presented on our runways has shown a completely different way of expressing their art and telling a story through fashion,” said Nahomi.

The models are just as important in bringing those stories to life, and Nahomi said the state’s talent stands out for “diversity, personality and professionalism.” 

“What we love most is seeing how each model brings something different to the runway and how, with the right opportunities, they can grow tremendously within the industry,” she said.

All the pieces shown on the runway are available for purchase, Stefany said, and there will also be an exhibition and a catalogue showcasing the items throughout the week.

Tickets are now available for the Park City edition at utahworldfashionweek.com, ranging from general admission at $55 to VIP tickets at $150.

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The Park City Police Department last weekend received a complaint from the Rail Trail in the area of Prospector Avenue, where three people were reported to be “drinking” on the trail.

The agency received the report at 5:04 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13. The person who contacted the police indicated there were ongoing issues of people “leaving litter & beer cans all over the trail,” according to agency logs.

The police classified the case as suspected littering.

The Rail Trail is a popular route for pedestrians and bicyclists. The westernmost section passes the Prospector neighborhood and parts of the Prospector business district.

Other incidents reported to the Police Department recently included:

On Sunday, Sept. 13, at 9:28 p.m., a party, described as loud, was reported in a parking lot on Homestake Road. The police were told the noise sounded “like a lot of people,” but the person who contacted the agency could not see them. The police logged the case as suspected disturbing the peace.

A suspected intoxication case was reported at 4:21 p.m. on Park Avenue. The police indicated one person was taken into custody, but public agency logs did not provide details about the circumstances.

The police at 11:55 a.m. received information about a person who was reportedly disposing of “metal scraps” in a dumpster on a property along Sidewinder Drive. The person who contacted the police apparently told the other individual it was not allowed, according to department logs. The police categorized the report as illegal dumping.

On Saturday, Sept. 12, at 10:42 p.m., the police were informed that someone wearing black clothing was “running up” Main Street and “yelling at servers.” The police logged the case as suspected intoxication.

The Police Department at 8:38 p.m. received information about a man at a lodging property on Lowell Avenue “going to guest rooms trying to make entry.” The man was indicating he was conducting “room audits,” according to police logs. The agency described the circumstances as suspicious.

Someone at 3:30 p.m. on Moray Court reported a drone in the neighborhood during the morning. The machine was “hovering between” two houses and was “super loud,” the police were told. The department classified the case as a citizen assist rather than a suspected criminal matter.

A suspected assault was reported at 1 a.m. at or close to a Main Street business. Public police logs did not provide details.

The police at 12:09 a.m. received a complaint about a vehicle outside a Golden Way residence “playing music loudly.” The vehicle was in a location where parking is prohibited, the police were told. The Police Department logged the case as suspected disturbing the peace.

On Friday, Sept. 11, at 11:20 p.m., a phone was reportedly stolen on Kearns Boulevard. The police logged the case as suspected intoxication.

On Thursday, Sept. 10, at 3:42 p.m., the police received information about youngsters throwing rocks at a car on Park Avenue. The police said the case involved a report of windshield damage.

On Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 3:57 p.m., the Police Department received information about an open manhole near the intersection of Kearns Boulevard and Bonanza Drive. The person who contacted the police was worried about someone being injured, according to department logs. The police described the manhole as creating a traffic hazard.

On Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 6:26 p.m., the police received information about salespeople — one man and one woman — at an Aerie Drive residence who were described as “very rude & pushy.” The police described the circumstances as suspicious.

On Monday, Sept. 7, at 3:26 p.m., the police received a report of a tire slashing on Homestake Road. The police were told a “ninja star” was “stuck” in the tire.

The post Park City police blotter: Three ‘drinking’ on Rail Trail appeared first on Park Record.

The Park City Police Department recently logged a series of cases involving driver-related issues, including reports of possible road rage and cases involving trucks.

Police officers regularly patrol the roads for traffic violations and other reports involving vehicles. Some of the recent cases were uncommon compared to frequent issues like suspected speeding and turning violations.

Public police logs sometimes do not provide details about whether a driver receives a ticket or a warning. Officers are believed to issue warnings in many cases unless a suspected violation is determined to be egregious or the person is a repeat offender.

Some of the recent cases included:

• On Sunday, Sept. 13, at 9:01 p.m., the police received a complaint about a vehicle described as a “side by side” that was reportedly “speeding up and down,” was “very loud” and did not have lights illuminated. The case was reported on Queen Esther Drive, and the person who contacted the police was apparently concerned about the lights.
• On Sept. 13 at 7:28 p.m., someone contacted the police reporting drivers left vehicles on a lawn along Deer Valley Drive. The police were told the people were there for a bicycling event.
• On Sept. 13 at 2:34 p.m., a police officer pulled over a driver in Park City in a case involving a child who was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt. The police indicated an officer could see the child’s “head poking out of the sunroof” while the car was being driven.
• On Sept. 13 at 10:55 a.m., a police officer stopped a driver in the area of Swede Alley and 5th Street, indicating the person drove the wrong way on a one-way street.
• On Sept. 13 at 12:36 a.m., a suspected hit-and-run case was reported in a garage near Heber Avenue and Swede Alley. The police were told the damage occurred within 12 hours of the report.
• On Thursday, Sept. 10, at 9:03 p.m., a police officer told tour bus drivers to “move out of the middle of” Main Street. The police indicated the vehicles were on or close to the 500 block of the street.
• On Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 10:01 p.m., an officer pulled over a driver on S.R. 224 in the area of Meadows Drive, indicating the vehicle was traveling at 61 mph where the speed limit is 45.
• On Sept. 9 at 2:30 p.m., a driver of a dump truck reportedly did not stop at a brake-check area on S.R. 224.
• On Sept. 9 at 10:33 a.m., the police were informed of a cement truck reported to be “swerving in and out of the lanes” along Kearns Boulevard.
• On Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 6:44 a.m., the police received a complaint about what was described as road rage on S.R. 224. The police were told one of the parties was “throwing items” at the other car.

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An information technology administrator employed by the Park City School District was arrested last week after an investigation in the United Kingdom allegedly uncovered his participation in multiple incidents involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.

Utah County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Garrett Harmon, 29, on Friday and listed 10 potential charges tied to the sexual exploitation of a minor in a probable cause statement. The arrest documents mention Harmon’s work as an IT systems administrator with the Park City School District.

District officials released a statement over the weekend saying law enforcement notified them of the arrest. They said the district “immediately took appropriate action under district policy” but did not clarify whether Harmon is still an employee.

“The individual’s primary job responsibilities involved working with district staff, and their role did not include direct interaction with students,” a district spokesperson said. “Due to the fact that this involves an ongoing law enforcement investigation and district personnel, we’re limited in the information we can provide.”

The investigation into Harmon started in June 2025 when law enforcement officials in the U.K. arrested and charged a U.K. citizen with offenses related to child exploitation, according to court documents. European investigators seized and reviewed a phone as part of the arrest, and encrypted conversations between the U.K. citizen and a Utah resident reportedly indicated both men “identified themselves as adult males with a sexual interest in children.”

The conversations allegedly included an admission that Harmon had previously sexually abused minors, “including his younger sibling and his younger sibling’s friend.”

“In January 2025, the Utah-based suspect stated he had recently inappropriately touched several boys during a camping trip involving approximately 30 boys between the ages of 11 and 18,” the probable cause statement said. “He described an activity at a lake where he helped boys get back into kayaks and admitted to touching them in a sexual manner while attempting to make the contact appear natural and avoid drawing attention.”

The court document said Harmon also mentioned he was married and that he and his wife were attempting to have a child, with subsequent statements “describing his intent to sexually abuse a future child.”

“In total, the Utah-based suspect distributed approximately five images he claimed depicted himself and approximately 18 files depicting what appeared to be minors, including infants, engaged in sexually explicit content,” the court document said.

U.K. investigators used facial recognition technology on a photo of Harmon to identify him. The photo matched images of Harmon on his social media accounts, and Utah real estate records showed he lived in Eagle Mountain.

Harmon is being held without bail in Utah County. The Utah County Attorney’s Office has not yet filed official charges in the case.

The Park City School District directed anyone in need of resources to the Utah Sexual Assault Helpline, which provides 24-hour support to those who call 801-736-4356.

The post Park City School District employee arrested for alleged sexual exploitation of a minor appeared first on Park Record.

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.”

The post Park City marks 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 with solemn ceremony appeared first on Park Record.

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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