2023 saw lots of water, new Ogden mayor and other highs, lows
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- This photo taken Thursday, March 30, 2023, shows flooding on a portion of the westbound Ogden River Parkway that passes under Washington Boulevard. High-water events are a common occurrence along the trail section, but not until May.
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- Ben Nadolski signs paperwork before being administered the oath of office for his new position as mayor of Ogden on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024.
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- The partially completed apartment project at 144 25th St. in Ogden as seen Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Ogden City announced it has received a plan for demolition of the unfinished structure from the site’s developer, Summa Terra Ventures.
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- An Ogden Express bus is utilized to cut the ribbon on the new OGX route under a rain of confetti Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023.
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- Breeze Airways Director of Government and Airport Affairs Bud Hafer addresses a press conference on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, announcing the firm’s plans to launch an Ogden-to-Orange County, California, flight. The press conference was held at Ogden-Hinckley Airport. Ogden Mayor Mike Caldwell is shown on the left and Airport Manager Bryant Garrett is to the right of him.
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- Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah executive director and wildlife specialist DaLyn Marthaler, center, introduce municipal candidates to a beaver the center was rehabbing on Thursday, April 20, 2023.
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- A rendering of the new Marshall White Center, which is under construction.
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- Ron Gibson
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- Amtrak’s eastbound California Zephyr arrives in Salt Lake City early in the morning of May 27, 2023.
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- Chauncey Leopardi, left, who played Michael “Squints” Palledorous, and Marty York, right, who played Alan “Yeah-Yeah” McClennan in “The Sandlot” visit the Lorin Farr Pool in Ogden on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, where some scenes from the movie were shot three decades ago.
“May you live in interesting times.”
Often attributed to the ancient Chinese as a curse, the statement perfectly described Ogden — both positively and negatively — in 2023. Today, the Standard-Examiner is taking a look back at the past year’s highs and lows as we get 2024 underway.
Record winter and flooding
To say 2023 was a big year for snow in Utah would be an understatement.
In fact, it turned out to be one for the record books with mountain snowpack exceeding previous totals. This snowmelt greatly benefitted the Great Salt Lake, which has seen critical lows over the last couple of years.
However, between the mountains and the lake, that record snowmelt wouldn’t come without issue as flooding was reported along the Weber and Ogden rivers. While not reaching the severity of previous floods, the high waters did cause damage.
Weber County officials estimate flood damages upwards of $500,000 and are trying to ascertain whether or not the county qualifies for federal disaster relief.
Ogden election
The 2023 municipal election cycle took center stage in Ogden.
With Mayor Mike Caldwell opting not to run again, seven candidates emerged to contend for the office. The situation was much the same for two of the three City Council races, where incumbent Ben Nadolski (District 4) opted to vacate his seat in a bid for the mayor’s office and incumbent Luis Lopez (at-large seat C) opted not to run for reelection. District 2 incumbent Richard Hyer was uncontested for his district, thus automatically retaining his seat.
It wasn’t necessarily going to be a straight-forward election. In June, it was announced that the primary and general elections would be pushed back two weeks to facilitate a special congressional election upon the resignation of U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart. As a result of the change, processing of ballots was impacted by holidays such as Labor Day and Thanksgiving when normally this wouldn’t have been the case.
The primary election saw Taylor Knuth and Nadolski emerge as the top two mayoral candidates while Shaun Myers and Lara Gale (at-large seat C) and Steven Van Wagoner and Dave Graf (District 4) would advance. However, days after the primary, Gale would drop out of the race to pursue a professional opportunity. Levi Andersen would take her place in the race.
In the end, Nadolski was victorious in the mayoral race while Graf and Myers were elected to the City Council.
The candidates were all sworn in Jan. 2.
25th Street apartments
A controversial apartment project in downtown Ogden would ultimately see the partially finished structure demolished.
Work came to a halt last year after it was discovered the project was using wood with insufficient fireproofing. The unfinished project led many to worry that it could be a safety hazard to the remainder of Historic 25th Street if left unchecked. This led to the building’s owners and contractors trading blame for the state of the project. The building’s owners were given opportunities to rectify the situation; however, in December, a demolition plan was received by the city and has since commenced.
OGX
After years of construction and anticipation, the Ogden Express bus rapid transit route connecting downtown and McKay-Dee Hospital via the Weber State University campus opened to great fanfare.
Much of the winter and spring of 2023 were dedicated to finishing construction on the project while testing was conducted throughout the summer. Officials cut the ribbon on the system in August with service beginning later that month.
Officials recently said the first few months of the OGX service were a success.
A Breeze is coming
Ogden-Hinckley Airport is set to see a return of commercial airline service.
After losing two airlines in a single year in 2022, and tepid support among 2023 candidates, it seemed that a return of commercial airline service to the city was a far-off dream.
However, at the end of November, Breeze Airways — a low-cost carrier which already offers flights from Provo Airport — announced it would be establishing flights four times per week between Ogden and John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. Service between the two airports will begin Feb. 21.
In the meantime, the airport is undergoing a $2 million renovation to prepare it for the return of commercial services.
Honorable mentions
Wildlife rehab center in flux
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah has served the region out of its facility on Park Boulevard for more than a decade but suddenly found itself in crisis mode with the reception of a piece of paper.
In March 2023, the WRCNU was served with an eviction notice from the city. The reason — an expansion of the neighboring George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park. The WRCNU was, at first, given six month to vacate the premises. Ultimately, the group would be given an extension into 2024 to relocate. Currently, a temporary facility on Washington Boulevard is being prepared to carry on some of the group’s work, though at a limited capacity.
Fundraising also is underway to fund a permanent home for the WRCNU.
Marshall White Center underway
The construction of a new facility for the Marshall White Center got underway in 2023.
In June, supporters held a send-off ceremony for the community center, which opened in 1968. A new 68,000-square-foot facility is set to take its place.
In December, officials said construction is progressing well and the building is anticipated to open on time in 2025.
Ron Gibson arrested
A Weber County farmer who headed the Utah Farm Bureau Federation was forced to resign from his position amid an assault charge and allegations of misconduct on his farm.
Ron Gibson, owner of the Green Acres Dairy in Weber County, was arrested in August and charged with assault following an alleged altercation. At the same time, he was accused of human trafficking and fraud — allegations that are being investigated by the state of Utah. Within days of the charge being announced, Gibson resigned his position as president of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation. He has pleaded not guilty to the accusations.
Passenger rail efforts fail
Ogden hasn’t had intercity passenger rail service since 1997 — and that trend is set to continue for the foreseeable future.
Throughout 2023, officials from several entities in Utah, Idaho and Nevada tried to make the case for expanding passenger rail service, applying for the Corridor Identification and Development Program under the Federal Railroad Administration, or FRA. Two separate corridor plans emerged — one connecting Boise and Salt Lake City roughly following the path of Amtrak’s former Pioneer service that also served Ogden, and Salt Lake City to Las Vegas roughly following the path of Amtrak’s discontinued Desert Wind. Officials expressed optimism that both of these study requests would be granted.
However, in December, when the FRA announced the recipients of study grants, neither proposed corridor in Utah was among them.
‘You’re killing me, Smalls’
Last year marked a major film anniversary for the region.
“The Sandlot” — which was primarily filmed in the Salt Lake City region — turned 30, attracting many of the cast and crew back to the area over the summer. Though set in the San Fernando Valley in 1962, filmmakers chose Salt Lake City due to its resemblance to the region in that period.
During these festivities, Chauncey Leopardi, who played Michael “Squints” Palledorous, and Marty York, who played Alan “Yeah-Yeah” McClennan, made the trip up to Ogden to visit the Lorin Farr Community Pool in Lorin Farr Park where some scenes were filmed. Additionally, Leopardi and York participated in the Barragan Family Inclusion Ballgame at Monroe Park and were celebrated by the hometown Ogden Raptors.