Winder touts Top 10 local stories

On Dec. 16, city officials released Winder’s choice of the local Top Ten Great Stories of 2011.

Winder said the Top Ten Great Stories list was compiled with the help of city officials and reflects the best of local events this last year. This is the second year he has compiled a top 10 list for the city.

“I did it last year as well, and it was very well received. The list will be an annual tradition,” Winder said.

According to Winder’s Top Ten list, the number one story in West Valley City in 2011 was the economic redevelopment efforts in the area around Fairbourne Station between 3500 South and 3600 South on the north and south sides, and 2700 West and 3200 West on the east and west.

Winder said the Fairbourne Station redevelopment project was selected as the top story because it will give West Valley City the “premier transit oriented community in the west” with a new four-star hotel, open space plaza and apartment towers.

“It really is a big deal,” Winder said.

The opening of the West Valley TRAX line came in the second spot on the list; the announcement of construction of a new Larry Miller Megaplex at the Valley Fair Mall made number three; a new Target store planned for 2550 South 5600 West expected to open in July 2012 came in at number four; and the construction of a new Granger High School rounded out the top five.

The top 10 stories were published less than two weeks after members of the West Valley City Council issued a public letter of reprimand to Winder for his use of a pen name to submit news stories to Deseret Connect, a citizen journalism outlet connected to the Deseret News.

The open letter of reprimand was released on Dec. 6.

The letter reads, in part, “While we appreciate your tireless efforts to promote the positive side of West Valley City, we [as a united City Council] do not condone dishonesty in any of its numerous shades of gray. We are disappointed at the action that you took with respect to the press and the additional measure you took to hide your initial misconduct.”

In November, Winder admitted to submitting news stories to Deseret Connect, written under pseudonym “Richard Burwash.” He said that he wrote the articles to get more positive news into the press about West Valley City events.

Before Winder came forward and admitted to writing the news articles, he contacted Deseret Connect and told the staff that Burwash would not be submitting any more news stories because he would be moving out of the area.

Winder formally apologized before the West Valley City Council on Nov. 15 and later resigned from his position with public relations agency The Summit Group.

Of Winder’s Top Ten Great Stories, all 10 stories were reported on -- some more than once -- by the West Valley Journal.

The final five stories listed on Winder’s Top 10 included: construction of the new Granger High School building; completion of new interchanges along the Bangerter Highway; redevelopment at the Valley Fair Mall; a partnership with Waste Management to reduce emissions and provide “green” services; the launch of a city-sponsored English language imitative and low violation rates of local ordinances.