Home Care In Spanish Fork, UT

The Utah Inland Port Authority Board unanimously voted in favor of building a mini port in Spanish Fork during its July 17 meeting.

The Verk Industrial Park will be around 2,200 acres on the west side of the city, according to plans for the project. Port authority staff and board members have touted the area as the perfect place because it’s by the Spanish Fork airport and has access to Interstate 15, U.S. Highway 6 and Union Pacific rail.

The board usually meets at the Utah State Capitol but held this meeting in the Spanish Fork City Council chambers. Chair Miles Hansen said they chose the location to underscore the importance of what they were voting on.

Executive Director Ben Hart said the port authority’s goal in this project is to help Spanish Fork help it reach its economic goals.

“As we work together, we hope that we can recruit the businesses here that the community wants. We hope that we can create a more sustainable transportation and logistics opportunities for shippers in the community. But more than anything else, and I believe this, this action, this collaboration that you're seeing today will be one of the most important economic decisions to have happened in Utah County in the last 50 years,” Hart said.

The Spanish Fork City Council and Mayor Mike Mendenhall were already on board. On May 2, the council passed a resolution that said the city wanted the port authority to “help fund the development of regional economic development opportunity.” On July 11, the council passed another resolution authorizing an interlocal agreement with the port authority after hearing public comments that included three people who opposed the project.

Dave Anderson, Spanish Fork’s Community & Economic Development Department director, said there is a need for this project.

“That's really where we fall short today. We don't have an adequate supply of industrial land.”

Critics have raised concerns about the necessity of the project, environmental concerns, increasing traffic and losing farmland. There are also concerns from the Timpanogos Nation. During a media panel after the vote, CEO of the Timpanogos Nation Mary Murdock Meyer said there are gravesites in the area that will become the Verk Industrial Park and she said she has ancestors buried there.

Spanish Fork is not alone in welcoming the Inland Port Authority. While it originally focused on building a 16,000-acre logistics center near the Salt Lake City airport, the port authority is now focusing on creating smaller projects statewide. In May, The Salt Lake Tribune reported that at least nine Utah communities had taken steps toward their own port projects.

During the July 17 meeting, board members also discussed a proposed project in Box Elder County. The board said it will consider approving it during its August meeting.

October 3, 2023

Spanish Fork, Utah—I Heart Mac & Cheese (www.iheartmacandcheese.com) is pleased to announce today that its first location in Utah is opening on Monday, October 9th at 1287 North Canyon Creek Parkway, Spanish Fork, UT 84660 at 11:00 AM in the Canyon Creek Shopping Center. The first 25 paying customers will win Free Mac & Cheese Bowl for a year! There will also be swag including tee shirts and gift card giveaways the morning of the grand opening!

I Heart Mac & Cheese is owned and operated by Cody and Lacy Molyneaux, who live nearby in Payson. They have been married for 21 years and have two sets of twins, ten-year-old boys and sixteen-year old daughter and son (who will both work in the restaurant). The entire family loves mac and cheese and through Cody’s research, he found that this franchise opportunity was the perfect fit as an independent business venture for him and his wife to own and operate.

This quickly growing fast-casual restaurant concept specializes in made-to-order macaroni and cheese bowls, grilled cheese sandwiches and a large variety of health-conscious options including:

South Florida based, I Heart Mac & Cheese, a popular concept growing quickly across the U.S., with 42 locations nationwide, has earned a reputation for consistent, delicious, made-to-order food and is well-known for its custom build-your-own macaroni and cheese bowls and grilled cheese sandwiches. Guests select from a cavatappi pasta, bread, quinoa, broccoli cauliflower, or tator tot base, with ten proteins, eleven vegetables,and nine cheeses. Gluten-free, vegan and plant-based options are readily available. Signature dressings and sauces include Sesame Ginger, Mango Habanero, Signature Cheese Sauce, Marinara, Buffalo, BBQ, Pesto and Signature Vegan Cheese Sauce.

About I Heart Mac & Cheese

I Heart Mac & Cheese is a rapidly growing fast-casual national franchise specializing in customized, made to order macaroni and cheese bowls, grilled cheese sandwiches, quinoa and vegetable-based bowls, gluten-free pasta, and vegan bowls. The menu combines award-winning recipes resulting in a sophisticated approach to classic childhood favorites. Founded in South Florida in 2017 by CEO and Chairman, Steve Giordanella, I Heart Mac & Cheese has been previously noted by Entrepreneur magazine as a “Top 100 Best Growing Franchise” and in the 2021 “Top Food Franchise Ranking: The Best of Miscellaneous Quick Service Restaurant” List. There are currently 40 restaurants operating across the U.S. with almost 100 additional locations sold and prepping to open in 2023 and 2024.

Cody & Lacy Molyneaux are available for interviews, tastings, and cooking demos.

I Heart Mac & Cheese

1287 North Canyon Creek Parkway – in the Canyon Creek Shopping Center

Spanish Fork, UT 84660

Open Monday-Saturday: 11AM-9PM

Closed Sundays

Media Contact:

kimmorganpr.com525 SW 18th Avenue, Suite 25Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312mobile: (954) [email protected]

Spanish Fork, UT — The Spanish Fork River is forecasted to reach a flow upwards of 2,000 cubic feet per second this week. Because of the anticipated high and fast flows, we have begun sandbagging operations for those who live along the Spanish Fork River.

There is no need at this time for any other resident to place sandbags on their property. Only homes which back the Spanish Fork River.

There is a need for volunteers to help fill sandbags. We are looking to get at least 200 volunteers for each 2-hour time slot to fill sandbags for any of the following dates and times:

Monday, May 1, 2 p.m. - 8 p.m.Tuesday, May 2, 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Click here to volunteer and sign-up for a time: https://form.jotform.com/231176673307053

Info for Volunteers:Volunteers must be 14 years old or older and able to lift 50 lbsShovels will be providedWear closed-toed shoesSunscreen encouragedBring gloves

Sandbagging Location:The Fairgrounds East parking lot is ONLY accessible from River Bottoms Road.

We are closely following the current river flows and current river predictions by the National Weather Service’s Colorado Basin River Forecast Center.

Because of the warm weather coming up, the river predictions show the Spanish Fork River reaching 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) on Tuesday. The last time the river reached 2,000 cfs was in July 2019. Although there was no flooding in 2019 and flooding is not anticipated this week, Spanish Fork City crews will be assisting in placing sandbags in backyards along the river and in the two other priority areas: Sports Park & The Oaks Golf Course.

As the river water gets faster and higher, all residents should stay safe by staying out of the river, keeping children & pets far from banks, and avoiding river recreation.

Please follow Spanish Fork City on Facebook and Twitter and check spanishfork.org/flood for the most complete up-to-date information about the river.

MEDIA CONTACT

Nick Porter

Public Information Officer

801.804.4587

The crossing arms are raised and lowered to signal the official opening of the Spanish Fork Parkway-Union Pacific railroad crossing in Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at the road's grand opening. Hundreds of residents of Spanish Fork and surrounding communities attended to see the new road connecting to the hospital and many other businesses.

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Spanish Fork Parkway is now officially connected to North Spanish Fork Parkway, with the road crossing over the train tracks to create the Spanish Fork Parkway-Union Pacific railroad crossing.

The new road gives residents southwest of South State Street quicker access to amenities on the other side of State Street, including the Canyon Creek Commercial Center and the Spanish Fork Hospital that opened in 2021. It also connects Mapleton and part of Springville more efficiently to the rest of Spanish Fork and to Interstate 15.

Before this intersection was added, residents would take U.S. Highway 6, which often has high traffic, especially on the weekends, according to Chris Thompson, public work director for Spanish Fork. For many, the commute time to work or simply to get groceries will decrease significantly.

“We are really excited to finally have this commute because it would take us five to seven minutes just to get to Walmart where I swear it’s gonna take us like two or three,” said Lori Ainsworth, the mother of a family that lives in the neighborhood next to the railroad crossing. She said especially with five kids, late night runs to get necessities will be much easier now.

While acknowledging the convenience of the new crossing, Ainsworth expressed her concern about the noise of trains, which will now be blowing horns as they pass their home. She is also worried about the traffic and fast cars that will now fill their once quiet, secluded street. “I know a lot of people were waiting for this road, but there was just, like, this safe haven of a community over here,” she said.

The plan for this intersection and railroad crossing has been in the works for over 10 years, and in the past two and a half years started to become a reality. The grand opening of the road was held on Tuesday and the ribbon-cutting was done railroad crossing style. The crowd of hundreds of residents from Spanish Fork and nearby cities counted down from 10, waiting for the railroad crossing arms to raise and lower again to signal the official opening of the Spanish Fork Parkway-Union Pacific railroad crossing.

Businesses from across South State Street had tables set up with food and snacks for those attending. The grand opening offered this opportunity to businesses as a way to introduce themselves to the neighborhood they are now connected to. There was also a costume contest for children, many of whom dressed up as conductors, trains, railroads and railroad crossings.

Before this intersection was added, it took almost 12 minutes to get out of the neighborhood to get to the road that led to the hospital, Spanish Fork Mayor Mike Mendenhall explained. Now it takes those same people less than a minute to get to the hospital. “It’s not only for the residents that live here. But thinking about our first responders, they can get up here a lot quicker and get to help a lot faster as well,” he said.

In order to open this crossing, they had to close three other crossings in Spanish Fork. This new crossing has arms and flashing lights when a train is crossing, but the others did not have as many safety functions and saw several bad accidents, Thompson explained. So creating this new crossing also funnels people onto the new road to cross at a safer place.

Under the Mountainland Association of Governments, Spanish Fork worked with all of the other cities in Utah County on the decision to create the crossing and to fund it. The entire project cost $4 million, $3 million of which came from a grant through MAG. “The taxpayers of Spanish Fork, the taxpayers of all of Utah County helped contribute to this,” Mendenhall said. Collectively, he explained, the mayors across Utah County decided this project was of importance to the entire county because it will impact more than just Spanish Fork.

Mapleton Mayor Dallas Hakes said at the grand opening, “This is going to be a great thoroughfare for our residents in Mapleton to be able travel down into Spanish Fork.”

Mendenhall told the Daily Herald that Spanish Fork is “the home of pride and progress,” and this crossing is part of helping residents take pride in their community. What used to be fields of grain and alfalfa have been replaced with homes, and while people loved looking at those fields, Mendenhall said, “People live in those homes and people travel in these vehicles, and so the human aspect of something like this far outweighs whatever you would call an inconvenience at the time. It’s Pollyannaish a little bit, but Spanish Fork people understand that more than just living in a city you’re part of a city, you’re part of a community. So that’s what this kind of represents.”

Dan Ainsworth, Lori Ainsworth’s husband, said he is “hesitantly positive” about the new crossing. Lori said she is “hesitantly negative” about the new crossing. She explained she will have to wait and see how busy the road will be before deciding how she feels about the crossing. She is the most concerned about the lack of stop signs or stop lights except for the crossing on the stretch of road.

Resident Dan Winsworth added that, overall, there are pros and cons, “but I think the pros outweigh the cons.”

“This being completed for us today, for you today, is a huge step in the progress of Spanish Fork,” Mendenhall said at the grand opening. “I appreciate the lieutenant governor’s words in making sure that you don’t forget the pride — the pride that whether you’ve been here 20 days and you’re a new home that just moved in up here or you’ve been here 20 years on the east side of Spanish Fork, this is a big deal. This road serves at least a third of our residents, (and) like Mayor Hakes touched on, at least all of Mapleton.”

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SPANISH FORK, Utah (KUTV) — Rivers in Spanish Fork are reaching levels that they haven’t seen in more than twenty years.

In unincorporated Utah County, west of Spanish Fork, a portion of the Spanish Fork River is four feet higher than usual, a section of the road is washed out and it has created a lake in the backyard of a home.

Homeowner David Hansen said for the last three weeks they have been trying the best they can to keep the water out.

“This is one we will be talking about for years to come, for sure,” Hansen said.

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David Hansen and his wife have lived at their home in Spanish Fork since 2001. They both said they’ve never seen anything like this.

“It’s been exhausting, we’ve been sandbagging, equipment, working everywhere, lots and lots of volunteer help,” Hansen said.

With help from more than 100 volunteers, they have built a barrier of haybales and sandbags to stop the water from reaching their home. It’s three-feet tall surrounding their home, but the river is moving fast.

“In this area the river may usually be 10 or 12 feet wide, maybe three or four feet deep it could be deeper in some places, right now it’s moving at least more than double that,” Utah County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Sgt. Spencer Cannon said.

Hansen said the flooding reached its peak on Sunday, but the water made its way into their crawl space on Tuesday morning.

“We knew this was coming. we just didn’t know it was going to be this much and this fast,” Cannon said.

But they are hopeful it has finally reached a plateau.

“We have had so much help and we just appreciate that and the community and the area. We would like to be the ones helping someone else, but this time it’s been just everybody helping, that’s just been amazing,” Hansen said.

Flooding is impacting other areas of Spanish Fork, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said a part of Highway 89, near mile marker 311 is closed and they expect it to remain closed for a week.